The main thing is I see in here is the OS. Get a Mac if you want a new experience, but be mindful of what programs you are going to use in school since they might not be compatible with OSX, although most of the time you can find some alternatives anyway. As for Windows Vista, get it if you want to work on something familiar. It's pretty much like XP with badly implemented security features, and badly implemented eye-candy, and more disorganized.
Regarding the screen size, since you are going to use it for school work, I don't see how there's a need for larger size. Considering that you are going to move it around, I do think that you want to carry a more light-weighted laptop.
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