As you're preparing for your son or daughter to move into a dorm for the first time, it's not always easy to be sure that the most appropriate choices for their new living and educational situation have been made. An important and common concern at that juncture is the purchase of a new printer. Therefore, before you invest in a printer that might not meet your student's needs for as long as you hope, it is a good idea to narrow down the options by asking the following questions. 

How Easy Is It To Access Printing Services That Are Provided By The School?

Given the cost of ink and the incredibly limited space frequently associated with dorm rooms, many colleges and universities have opted to make printing available on campus. However, there is an enormous difference between the different options seen at different campuses and there is not a one-size-fits-all answer. As a result, you'll need to verify what to expect with your student's school. For instance, some universities offer 24-hour libraries, wireless uploads to connected printers throughout campus and the ability to pay for the service using an online student account.

Unfortunately, some smaller schools, including community and technical colleges, only permit printing to be done in-person, from a library computer, during normal business hours. In addition, even some of the technical and community colleges that provide dorms have not necessarily caught up with their bigger education counterparts in that aspect. By extension, that means that the purchase of a printer is even more important than it would be otherwise.     

What Type Of Printing Will Your Son Or Daughter Primarily Be Doing?

It's essential to remember that the degree your plan that a college student is pursuing and the classes he or she is taking will impact the type of printer you need to buy. For instance, if someone is pursuing a liberal arts or literature degree, much of their printing might be in a black and white format. In that instance, a top-of-the-line, multi-function, super-fast printer might not be necessary. 

However, if someone is working towards an art, graphics design or similar degree, they might need faster printing and an all-over more high-tech experience. It will also be helpful to consider that although the majority of printers can safely be expected to produce attractive photos, students pursuing an education in photography can often benefit from the use of a printer designed for the unique needs of high-quality photos, That can be especially true if that user will ultimately be graded on the images produced by the unit.  

In conclusion, the use of a printer in the university or college setting is often expected and in some schools, wireless access that is provided by the school is limited only to certain areas of the campus. Therefore, most college students will benefit from the use of a good printer and it's best to ask the above questions in order to choose the right one.