However, for many parents those words can produce mixed feelings, some look forward with guilty relief to having all that free time when they don't have to worry about their children; while other parents are worried about outfitting and supplying their little geniuses with the necessary tools to make sure they're not disadvantaged when it comes to learning.

In our computer obsessed world, one major part of that equation is making sure your school age child or even your college off-spring has a good quality laptop or netbook. More and more students are using these handy gadgets to great advantage to further their education. So much so, that many students, regardless of age, would feel lost in the classroom without a portable laptop computer of some kind.

In recent years, we have seen the introduction of netbooks into the student market. These small mini-laptops usually have displays of 10 inches or less, runs Windows or Linux and sells for well under $500. They were first introduced by Asustek in the fall of 2007 with the introduction of its Eee PC. Netbooks are now out-selling laptops in many markets.

Netbooks by their very design are very portable and mobile. These small compact lightweight computers are ideal for the student. Some very popular and highly rated netbooks makers include Asus, MSI, Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer... and the list goes on.

Student laptops or laptops for students have always been targeted by laptop designers and makers. For a good student laptop you should look for a laptop that is or has the following features:

And of course, another major consideration for most parents is price. Fortunately, laptop prices have steadily fallen in the last few years and it is now possible to even get a quality machine for under $500. However, to get the best performance laptop buyers will usually have to cough up more of their hard earned dollars.

More and more parents and students are looking and shopping online to find their "back to school" laptop or netbook. Many laptop manufacturers offer special exclusive online deals to their affiliates and merchants. Especially online coupons from HP, Lenovo and Dell can save the cash-strapped parent or college student significant savings just by clicking a few links or placing in the appropriate coupon code.

In addition, many parents are turning to the web because they can find more variety both in the choice of laptops and in the choice of stores if you shop online for your laptop. Plus, by using the web, you can shop from the comfort of your home.

Perhaps, the only disadvantage is that you can't actually handle or "tire-kick" the notebook computer you're considering but now with countless online videos featuring your favorite laptop you can still get a pretty good idea of what your laptop will look like and how well it will perform by viewing these laptop review videos and virtual tours.

Fortunately, for any worried parent there is a wealth of student laptop information on the web which they can easily access to help them make the right choice when it comes to buying the best laptop or netbook for their children who are heading back to school. Just do a little homework of your own and your child will be properly "laptop enabled" to meet any challenges that may come their way.