Cornell has resisted requiring (or assuming) that all students own their own computers or use any one kind of computer. Computer facilities with all the equipment any student might need are located around campus, some in dormitories; virtually all stay open every day and very late.
Nonetheless, all dorm rooms are now wired for computers; and most students find being able to work whenever they want on their own machine so convenient that it borders on the essential. Students may not, however, need their own printers.
You can obtain a good pamphlet from Cornell Information Technologies about computers (and how to buy them here if you decide to do so). You may also look at the CIT parents’ guide on-line (http://www.cit.cornell.edu/computer/students/parents/index.html).