I would get one now for the sole fact that, if you have any problems then you will be able to get it fixed and that wont interfere with school. The day after I got my powerbook I had to send it off to be serviced for a new keyboard. Im not saying this will happen to yours or that macs are bad, I just happened to be part of the .01% unlucky people to have a problem with theirs. If I would have waiting until right before school started to get mine and had this problem, I would have been 5 days without a computer, since my major is graphic design, 5 days without my computer just cant happen. I would say go ahead and get it now, learn how to use it, get used to it, and if something happens it wont interfere with anything but summer.