lap tops

that depends on what programs you need and how much time you are willing to spend in the computer labs. I would say some kind of computing somewhere is essential, but a lap top is a matter of convenience. If you can, you might find it useful.

I wish they made one with a pencil sharpener.  

Having a laptop is very useful for college. I am in a social science field with lots of papers to write and it is easier if you don't have to spend hours in the computer lab writing papers. During the last week of the quarter when everyone has papers due it can also be hard to find a computer on campus to use. Even if you don't have a lap top having a least a desk top at home helps. I would get one.

Not totally essential.  I've done three years of college without a laptop just fine, and I'm an English major, but when I finally got a laptop last spring it certainly made things much easier.  A personal computer is a must - whether desktop or laptop.  A personal printer is extremely useful, too, though can be expensive if you're an English major or history major, constantly printing out essays and papers.
But there are lots of people who do college without a computer of any type.  Thank God for the computer labs - so useful.  Have saved my life several times over.

i got a lap top for college thinking i would need it to take to class and such.  I took it to school maybe 20 times in my 5-year undergrad and graduate career at western.  it was very nice to have on a few occasions but there are computer labs ALL OVER campus and you can check laptops out at the library, the VU, and the rec center (and smate if you are a science or math ed major) if you absolutely need one.  having a personal computer of some type is definitely extremely handy, but it is not necessary to get a laptop imo.

and as for a printer, they are convienient to have but you get 500 pages per quarter from western and if you max that out you just go to ATUS and the up your quota.  I only did this once and its no problem at all.

But I agree with other posters that a laptop is non-essential. I usually find lugging my laptop around campus isn't worth the bother when there are computers everywhere. Even during finals week, you should be able to find a computer easily. (Try looking in places other than the main library. 

I like to do most of my work at school, so I could probably get away with not having a PC, but there are occasions where it came in handy for spur-of-the-moment inspiration on a paper I was working on.

You can also check out laptops from the AIC ATUS Helpdesk in AW 310.

A listing of all the computer labs can be viewed here: http://west.wwu.edu/atus/computerlabs/computerlabmap.shtml

There are definitely universities out there where it's basically required to have a laptop, and you'll find that almost every person in a lecture has one in their lap.  WWU is not one of those schools.  That's not to say they aren't very nice to have, even just for the ability to move from your desk to a couch in another room and continue writing that paper.  

If you already have a computer (non-laptop), and you'd rather not spend the money if you don't need to, my advice would be to invest in a USB Memory Stick.  Keep all of your school files on it, making sure they're current, and always take it with you onto campus (they can fit on your keychain).  There are computers all over the place you can use.  

If you do get one you might want to think about how much time you plan to spend on it. They are not designed to be kind to the human body for extended use. If you plan to use it for extended periods you might want to get an external keyboard and mouse.

If you're using Windows XP (sorry Vista/7, you're SOL as it works "unreliably," OSX'ers probably have no problem in Parallels), you can instead use WebDAV, which map your existing network drives on your computer (such as your U drive).  All the computers on campus will have the mappings already, so you can do all your work on your U drive whether you're on campus or at home and there's no need to carry a USB drive around.  Makes life simpler.

I've never had a laptop.  There are so many computers on campus I've never needed one.  If you want one for notes/etc in class or lounging around in the sun/skybridge/etc yeah sure, but they're certainly not a must.  I find most people tend to use them like desktops anyway.

In addition to the previously posted lab maps link, this PDF shows what software is in each lab, which can be important, depending on your needs.

Nope--although I have a laptop, it was out of order most of last school year. It was somewhat less convenient to use the computers on campus, but it is definitely feasible to not own a computer for school. In fact, I think I wasted a lot less time because I didn't have my own computer.