Is an ipad or macbook worth the cost for sixth form?

I'm about to start year 11, and for my a levels I'm planning on taking maths, further maths, economics & a science (probably physics, but maybe biology) and I'm not sure whether
1. I want to take notes digitally (or if traditional notes are just easier)
2. What device I would buy if I did
I have a windows laptop, but I'd like to get an apple device as i prefer them aesthetically and like the fact they're linked to my phone. I would like to study maths at university too so I'd like if whatever device I purchase now would work for uni and also last for at least the first year (optimally for the entire course but i'm unsure if they would last that long)
So is it worth taking digital notes at a level/in sixth form and would an ipad or macbook be the better option? Or whether another device would be better

Reply 1

BigJ123

10

Original post by lc_007

I'm about to start year 11, and for my a levels I'm planning on taking maths, further maths, economics & a science (probably physics, but maybe biology) and I'm not sure whether
1. I want to take notes digitally (or if traditional notes are just easier)
2. What device I would buy if I did
I have a windows laptop, but I'd like to get an apple device as i prefer them aesthetically and like the fact they're linked to my phone. I would like to study maths at university too so I'd like if whatever device I purchase now would work for uni and also last for at least the first year (optimally for the entire course but i'm unsure if they would last that long)
So is it worth taking digital notes at a level/in sixth form and would an ipad or macbook be the better option? Or whether another device would be better

Maths on an ipad is amazing. A laptop is genuinely pointless especially with how expensive macbooks are.

Just get a cheap iPad that apple offers and your sorted alongside an app like GoodNotes (note taking app) and an apple pen or a fake one and your chilling.

Reply 2

vanyaaaaaaaa

6

Original post by lc_007

I'm about to start year 11, and for my a levels I'm planning on taking maths, further maths, economics & a science (probably physics, but maybe biology) and I'm not sure whether
1. I want to take notes digitally (or if traditional notes are just easier)
2. What device I would buy if I did
I have a windows laptop, but I'd like to get an apple device as i prefer them aesthetically and like the fact they're linked to my phone. I would like to study maths at university too so I'd like if whatever device I purchase now would work for uni and also last for at least the first year (optimally for the entire course but i'm unsure if they would last that long)
So is it worth taking digital notes at a level/in sixth form and would an ipad or macbook be the better option? Or whether another device would be better

an ipad would definitely be the better option if you’re doing maths and further maths

iPad for maths! Pick up a keyboard for it and that would be enough to cover the science side of things as well.

Reply 4

jonathanemptage

21

I think an I pad for sixth form would be fine at uni a laptop or mac book is virtually vital.

Reply 5

harlz_chalamet

20

iPad 100% better. I use mine on a daily basis, whereas my Mac is only useful for me when I had to write essays for psychology

Reply 6

rwnsl

12

an ipad or other tablet would be great for sixth form! even if you type most of your notes anyway (as i did), for STEM in particular it’ll be useful for things like maths and diagrams to be able to draw things. i would also definitely get a keyboard; you can get plenty of cheaper bluetooth keyboards, or you can pick up the official apple keyboard for around £40 secondhand on ebay

alternatively you could do a 2-in-1 laptop/tablet like a surface pro, which gives you the best of both worlds

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 7

hgfgghjb

1

Original post by lc_007

I'm about to start year 11, and for my a levels I'm planning on taking maths, further maths, economics & a science (probably physics, but maybe biology) and I'm not sure whether
1. I want to take notes digitally (or if traditional notes are just easier)
2. What device I would buy if I did
I have a windows laptop, but I'd like to get an apple device as i prefer them aesthetically and like the fact they're linked to my phone. I would like to study maths at university too so I'd like if whatever device I purchase now would work for uni and also last for at least the first year (optimally for the entire course but i'm unsure if they would last that long)
So is it worth taking digital notes at a level/in sixth form and would an ipad or macbook be the better option? Or whether another device would be better

I just finished my A-Levels and I bought an iPad and Apple Pencil at the start of Y12. I also had a very basic windows laptop which I'd use as a PDF viewer for textbooks or mark schemes. I did all my past papers, notes, questions on my iPad.

When making notes, I'd watch youtube videos on my laptop and take notes on my iPad using the goodnotes app.

When doing past papers coming up to my exams, I'd download the paper as a PDF and open it up in goodnotes and then I'd do the paper as if it was an ordinary printed past paper. Once I was done after 2h, I'd mark in a different colour with the mark scheme and examiner report on the laptop.

For maths and further maths, I did every question in the textbook. I loaded up the textbook as a PDF on the laptop and then had a separate workbook on goodnotes on my iPad where I'd answer questions then I'd check them against solution bank which would be loaded up on the macbook.

I also preferred using textbooks as PDFs because it saved a lot of weight going to and fro from school and it's also more portable. I could also access all the notes and anything else on goodnotes straight from my phone as well which was handy.

All in all I prefer the digital route but each to their own

Is an ipad or macbook worth the cost for sixth form?

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