Just to make sure, is it because you anticipate carrying the new laptop with you to all sorts of places on campus? Otherwise I'd definitely say get a desktop of a nice Shuttle PC which is only slightly less portable (still easy to take from home<->school).

I only ask because my girlfriend had a laptop for the first 3 years of college, and we've just ordered her a Shuttle for her final year. I had no problem with four years of a desktop. If I'm outside, I don't want to be on the computer