We recommend that students bring a computer with them to campus, preferably a laptop.
Our systems are compatible with both Apple and Windows-based computers. The IT/EdTech team has lots of experience in supporting both. Most academic majors on campus can support both platforms, but there may be a few exceptions. If you have a compatibility question, please contact us at ithelp@castleton.edu. At this time, we do NOT recommend Chromebooks as a primary work machine for students. We are finding too many limitations with software.
For computer specifications, we recommend:
At least 8GB RAM At least 256GB hard drive At least a 3-year warranty Antivirus software (Windows 10 has it built-in) We also recommend bringing an Ethernet cable, and dongle that your laptop may require to use itMicrosoft Office Professional and an anti-virus program that is kept up to date. Office is the standard productivity package used at Castleton and is used most widely in classes. Some classes use more specialized and expensive software packages, such as SPSS and Adobe Creative Cloud. These applications are all available for use in the library. Students may download Microsoft Office for free through their Office 365 account. It's available for Windows and the Mac OS. Download instructions can be found here on the IT Services blog. Students must have up to date antivirus software. Windows 8 and 10 have Windows Defender built in.
This is very important. As an applicant, you should have received information from the Admissions office about activating your portal account. When you activate this account, it gives you a username and lets you set a password. This username and password is what you will use for accessing ALL of your Castleton online services – the portal, learning management system, lab computer login, Internet access, email.
IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW THIS LOGIN INFORMATION. Without it, you will not have access to anything.
If you have trouble logging in, please contact IT Services at ithelp@castleton.edu or (802) 468-1221.
Owning a computer is not required, but having one is very convenient. If someone is unsure as to whether or not they want to buy their own computer, we suggest that they use the student labs on campus for a semester and see if that meets their computing needs.
There are approximately 250 computers on campus for student use. The most accessible computer area on campus is in the Calvin Coolidge Library. These computers have a wide variety of software and access to printers. There are also a dozen smaller labs and computer classrooms available to students when not in use by classes.
No. However, Castleton students may purchase computers directly from Dell and Apple at their academic prices. Dell computers may be priced and purchased from Dell’s education site. Apple computers may be priced and purchased on-line or by phone at 800-MY-APPLE.
Microsoft Office Professional and an anti-virus program that is kept up to date. Office is the standard productivity package used at Castleton and is used most widely by classes. Some classes use more specialized and expensive software packages, such as SPSS. These applications are all available for use in the library. Students may download Office for free through their Office 365 account. It's available for Windows and the Mac OS. Download instructions can be found here on the IT Services blog. Students must have up to date antivirus software. Windows 8 and 10 have Windows Defender built in. Microsoft offers Microsoft Security Essential antivirus/antispyware software for Windows 7 users for free. You can download it here.
No. IT Services doesn’t work on personally owned equipment, but we will try to help you figure out what’s wrong with your computer, and recommend a repair center if you need it. We do recommend that you get a three-year warranty with any new computer that you purchase. The most common problem IT Services sees with student owned computers is virus infection. Students must have a good anti-virus program with virus definitions that are kept up to date. See the section above for antivirus/antispyware software.
Wifi access is available in every building on campus. There are also wired network jacks available in all residence hall rooms (one per person), classrooms, and in most common areas on campus. We recommend that students use a wired connection for gaming and streaming as the performance for those applications will be better than using wifi.
Contact IT Services at (802) 468-1221. We’ll help you figure out what the problem is, and what to do to get it working.
Your email account will be created after you register for classes. Castleton email is recognized as an official form of campus communication, so you should get familiar with the system and use it often.