If I were headed off to school and needed a laptop, I would want something that was capable of running Office apps (or their equivalent) and depending on my line of study, and programs that might be related to that. Other than that, most likely the heaviest use of a laptop is if you plan on gaming with it while at school. IMO, the most important thing is that you are going to be lugging it around (so you are going to want something that doesn't weigh a ton) and since it will be in/out of your pack a lot (and possibly bumped, nudged and dropped more than you expect) you may want to consider going with a "business class" laptop. They are more expensive than "consumer grade" laptops, but they are designed for travel and rough treatment. They're not "hardened to mil-spec", but they are more sturdy than the less expensive personal use laptops that are around. Your use and budget will be important and you'll need to consider both of those carefully.