How portable is the 15" Macbook Pro?

Question

I will be a freshman at college this fall and am looking to buy a Macbook Pro.  I am stuck between the 13" and 15", both low end models.  I like the portability of the 13" however the screen feels too small to me.  However, I love the size of the 15" but I am afraid that it wont be very portable. I'm worried if I have to haul a laptop to class that the 15" will be more of a hassel than a laptop needs to be. The specs on the models do not effect my decision just for the record (I will only be doing basic stuff such as writing papers, searching the web, listening to music...). Fortunately I have saved up a good amount of money the past few years so money will not be an issue in this decision.  If the 15" is a solid portable computer then I will most likely lean that direction.
2 Questions:
   1. For any past or present college students out there, how often did you take your laptop to class? Or did you find it easier to take notes with pen/paper?
    2. Obviously the 13" will be more portable, but is it that big of a difference between the 13" and 15" in portability? (my initial Q: "How portable is the 15" Macbook Pro?")
Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

This is exactly how I use my MacBook Pro. 90% of the time it's on my desk and then the other 10% it's out with me. I carry it around in my backpack and it isn't an issue. It is a bit weighty, certainly more so than the 13" but it's nothing that makes it impossibly portable. If you want to really know, I would suggest going to an Apple Store or a computer shop near you that stocks these machines, then you can handle them yourself and be able to feel their weight and see which is best for you. If you plan to watch a lot of films then the 15" is better because of its larger screen size, but my friend has the 13" and it really isn't bad to use. At the end of the day it's down to your needs and what you like the most; I prefer the 15" and its power suited my needs more than the 13", but the 13" is also a good machine.
Don't forget, if you buy the 13" and you don't like it, you can always return it to Apple and they'll give you your money back, providing it's not damaged, but they will charge you a restocking fee, but you can use the money you get back and put it towards buying a 15" if you decided you wanted that one instead.