Updated for 2025-26 school year.
OVERVIEW
At Marin Academy, technology is thoughtfully integrated throughout the curriculum from writing papers to writing code. We encourage students to use technology mindfully, with a focus on using technology to help reach educational goals. To support this, MA is a 1:1 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school. Each family purchases a laptop for their students' use throughout their time at MA.
LAPTOP REQUIREMENTS
- The device must be a WiFi-capable Mac or PC laptop that includes a full-size keyboard Examples include a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Dell XPS, Microsoft Surface, etc.
- The laptop must be less than 3 years old and ideally should be 0-2 years old. A brand new device will handle your student's 4 years at MA.
- Students must have admin-level access to the laptop.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- While any kind of laptop will work, nearly all faculty, staff, and students purchase a Mac laptop. Having the same model laptop as other students makes it easier for them to collaborate, but again, any laptop that meets the requirements will work.
- The MacBook Air is one of the most popular options for students due to its combination of power, portability, and price, and it's the laptop we recommend. It comes in both 13" and 15" options and an assortment of colors. The 14" MacBook Pro is also popular, especially with students who have a strong interest in video or music production.
- A laptop warranty. Apple offers an additional 2 year warranty on their devices. A single repair can often cost more than the warranty cost, and some repairs are triple the cost of the warranty!
- Backup process for the computer. For Apple, a simple external hard drive can be used with Time Machine to backup the computer. Or you can use an online backup service such as Backblaze or Carbonite.
- Antivirus / Anti-Malware protection. We recommend Malwarebytes Premium.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Student laptops should come to school every day fully charged.
- All families must sign and submit the Marin Academy Responsible User Agreement before they will be allowed to use any technology resources at MA (email, WiFi and printer access, etc.).
- Students will be provided with a Google Workspace for Education accounts for access to Gmail, Google Drive, etc., as well licenses for Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, and other software when necessary. These licenses expire once a student graduates.
- The MA Technology Team is available to troubleshoot issues and support student use of technology, but does not provide hardware repairs.
- Financial aid is available for those who qualify. Please contact Admissions.