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Enroll at Dell University for a Free Xbox

First Microsoft, then HP, now Dell… Is there anyone who isn’t giving away a free Xbox to college students this year? How are these budding scholars supposed to get any studying done when they’re playing Xbox all the time?

Dell ad: Buy a PC, Get an Xbox

All kidding aside, there are a couple of things that set Dell’s offer apart from the rest of the crowd.

But first, let’s go over the details. College students who submit their .edu email address or their valid Dell educational member ID from their school qualify for Dell’s special back-to-school deal. Registering for an educational member ID appears to be a pretty painless process, and parents who are shopping for students can apply. Once you’ve verified your eligibility and selected your computer, you’re all done. Your Xbox will ship separately.
Pros:

  • Dell’s educational store, Dell University is robust and appropriately branded for the college market.
  • Dell includes an upsell on the page for Xbox games and accessories. A pretty smart move, Dell.
  • Dell appears to have a secondary verification solution in place so that the 34% of college students who do not have .edu email addresses can still participate in the offer.
  • Dell also gives students the option of selecting a $200 gift card if they’re not interested in an Xbox. It’s always nice to have a choice.

Cons:

  • We’ve got to take a few points off for a lack of creativity since this is the third Xbox offer we’ve seen this year.
  • I am not a student. I filled out the form to request an educational member ID and got one in my inbox instantly. Hmmm… I sense the potential for fraud here.
  • There are only 5 laptops to choose from if I want an Xbox. A wider selection might be nice.

While I applaud Dell for offering a verification solution that doesn’t rely solely on the .edu email address, I think they can do better. How? By calling SheerID and using our unique verification solution of course. We offer 100% coverage for college student verification and completely eliminate fraud.

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