Time was when sending the kids back to school meant picking up a new protractor, pencil case and a calculator. But oh, how times have changed.

Now, getting back into the educational swing come autumn hears cries of “but I need a computer to do my homework”.

And that’s not just the 11-year-olds. Students of all ages taking a step on the higher educational ladder are looking at the kind of technology they may need to get them through their degree or vocational course.

So where to start? Should one choose a desktop or a notebook computer? What other things should be taken into account? Let us give you some pointers to consider when making a computer purchase.

What are you studying?
It makes sense to take a little time thinking about the subject matter when it comes to students. After all, a student of English Literature will probably be writing essays most of the time and doing research on the net, so there’s little need for a PC with the most powerful processor, graphics card or heaps of memory.

A scientific or maths degree may require a good amount of number crunching, and even some specialised software, so the more power the PC has the better – and that means a more powerful processor.

Whether a computer is for school homework or college assignments, it makes sense to check whether the educational establishment has any requirements of its own. Most universities have information on their website about the specifications needed for students’ PCs.

Also get your student to do a more detailed check with the department they’ll be studying with – coursework may require specialised software. Most schools also have a list of their specifications to help parents buy the correct PC.

Think about the best place to buy the computer. Yes, you could pick up a complete package from a big PC store, but bear in mind you will be unable to tailor it to suit your own needs, and that much of what is included – including software – may be of little use. Though it says it’s free with the computer, you can be sure it’s included in the overall pricing. In many cases, it may be better to decide exactly what extras you want – including printers, scanners and a digital camera – and get a package put together.

Buying from a manufacturer or seller direct by phone or internet is a good way to get a better deal, once you know the sort of PC you’re after. Direct sellers such as these have smaller overheads, so prices tend to be cheaper. Buying this way also entitles the buyer to a seven-day cooling off period once the goods are delivered, so there’s a chance to cancel the order.

When it comes to software for secondary school-age children, requirements are likely to be pretty standard. A word processing package such as Microsoft Word is number one on the list, while a desktop publishing application, such as Microsoft Publisher, is bound to help them get their projects and coursework looking pretty smart.

Check with the school to see what desktop publishing software they use – it will be helpful if your child is using the same software at home and at school. A drawing program such as Corel Draw and photo manipulation software such as Photoshop Elements 2 will also be handy.

With a good idea of the sort of software the computer needs, it’s time to look at what it will all run on – the computer itself.