Ross School Orientation Resources

Grade 7 Laptop Requirements

Grade 7 families are required to purchase a school-issued laptop through Ross School. This allows the device to be managed by the Ross Technology Department with school-approved applications and access settings, providing a secure and consistent learning environment. To ensure your student's laptop is ready for the start of the school year, please complete the Laptop Request Form on Blackbaud by July 31. Laptops will be issued at the start of the school year. As indicated on the form, there are two laptop options available for families to choose from, which are also detailed below. If we have not received your order form by July 31, a MacBook Neo will be ordered for your student, with the cost billed through Tuition Management. 

Grade 7 Option 1: MacBook Neo - 13” Screen

Available in the following configurations:

8GB RAM and 256GB SSD - $758 with 4-year warranty

8GB RAM and 512GB SSD - $858 with 4-year warranty

See The New York Times Wirecutter review

Grade 7 Option 2: MacBook Air Base Model - 13.6” Screen

16GB RAM and 512GB SSD - $1,428 with 4-year warranty

See below for a comparison of the MacBook Neo vs the MacBook Air.

Grades 8–12 Bring Your Own Device Policy

Ross School follows a Bring-Your-Own-Device policy for Grades 8–12. Under this policy, parents and students have the flexibility to tailor their devices to their own needs. It ensures device availability for students at all times, whether courses are on campus or online. In order to supply students with standardized software and support, we require students to use Apple laptops. Ross School works with Apple to provide our families with an educational discount: apple.com/edu/ross. International families, please see the section below with country-specific information. 

You are also free to shop elsewhere, but the machine must meet the minimum requirements outlined below. Please remember that if you choose this option, you will not receive the school discount. 

Unfortunately, financial assistance is not available for laptop purchases. Ross School's technology fees cover the cost of software and support. Ross School works with Apple to provide our families with an educational discount: https://apple.com/edu/ross. International families, please see the section on the following page with country-specific information.

Note for Grade 8 Families: While Ross School follows a Bring-Your-Own-Device policy for students in grades 8–12, families of grade 8 students are now able to purchase a laptop through Ross School. The optional laptop purchase form has been added to your Enrollment Forms on Blackbaud.

Grades 8–12 Minimum System Recommendations

Students who are not taking graphics arts, digital photography, video editing, CAD, or programming classes and want a basic laptop:

MacBook Neo, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, AppleCare+ Warranty

Students who are not taking graphics arts, digital photography, video editing, CAD, or programming classes and want a basic laptop with more storage:

MacBook Neo, 8GB RAM, 512 SSD, AppleCare+ Warranty

Students who are not taking graphics arts, digital photography, video editing, CAD, or programming classes but want a bit more power:

MacBook Air, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 10-core CPI, 8-core GPU, AppleCare+ Warranty

Students who will be taking graphics arts, digital photography, video editing, CAD, or programming classes:

15-Inch MacBook Air, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, 10-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, AppleCare+ Warranty

Students should also have a USB-C external hard drive as extra storage.

Grades 7–12 Additional Information and Requirements

MACBOOK NEO VS MACBOOK AIR

The MacBook Neo is expected to serve the learning needs of Ross students through high school. It allows students to use email, word processing applications, create slideshows, browse the internet, and use it for general everyday needs. Students who plan to utilize specialized programs for advanced photography and film courses may prefer a more powerful machine. However, for these courses, Ross provides high-performance computers in our media labs.

> The MacBook Air has a better processor and graphics card.

> The MacBook Air has a backlit keyboard; the Neo does not.

The MacBook Air will handle image editing and can be used for editing video, although it may struggle with editing larger 4K videos.

Basic Comparison

Video comparison (11 min)

If you have any questions about the system requirements, please email techrequests@ross.org or call 631-907-5200.

PROTECTIVE CASE

A Protective Case that covers both the top and bottom of the laptop. Suggestions include:

• Brenthaven 360 Case for MacBook Neo

• Incase Edge Hardshell Case for 15″ MacBook Air

EARPHONES WITH A MICROPHONE

These are often supplied with an iPhone or AirPods and may be required for class activities such as watching and recording videos. Headphones with active noise cancellation technology are strongly recommended for use on Zoom calls, at home, or in study spaces around campus. We recommend the Sony WH-1000XM4, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Apple AirPods Pro.

AN APPLE ID

Students should use their Apple ID rather than sharing one with their parents. Parents can create and manage their child's Apple ID using the convenient Family Sharing program.

A BACKUP PLAN

We recommend using Apple’s Time Machine software and an external SSD, such as a Samsung T7 Portable SSD.

Once again, if you have any questions, please email techrequests@ross.org or call 631-907-5200.

APPLE STORES FOR INTERNATIONAL FAMILIES

Preferred Device Enrollment Resellers for Asia-Pacific

Preferred Device Enrollment Resellers for Canada, Latin America, and the United States

Preferred Device Enrollment Resellers for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa