Netza Aguirre spent his whole summer looking forward to his first semester at the University of Arizona.
Aguirre, 18, wasn't just eager to start classes, but also to get his own laptop from the UA.
He was among 500 incoming merit scholarship students who received a free customized MacBook Pro. Students also will receive a printer and an iPod Touch.
The free laptops are an updated version of the university's merit scholarship program, which formerly awarded students $2,000, said Melissa M. Vito, vice president of student affairs.
The custom laptops feature a red Apple logo alongside the UA logo.
They have various special features, including bookmarked Web sites for university and academic resources, an events calendar and desktop photos of campus activities.
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About 300 students received their laptops at an orientation Saturday. Three of them discussed how the machines will help them:
"It will make everything easier. If I'm here at school, there's free wi-fi. I can have the Internet whenever I want.
"It's, like, my computer. I won't have to worry about my brothers touching it. I'll be on it 24/7."
Netza Aguirre, 18, freshman,
pre-engineering
"I wanted to buy a Mac, but I got it for free.
"I think it will make everything easier. All the applications will become convenient."
Janessa Aranda, 18, freshman,
undeclared
"I'm happy because it's a free computer. It will come in handy for writing reports and doing presentations."
Alexis Copeland, 17, freshman,
molecular and cellular biology
