Microsoft Office is one of the most versatile and powerful office suites on the market, but full versions of it cost up to $679.95. Microsoft offers the Office Student and Teacher edition at a cut rate to make it more affordable for the academic world. Aside from a few small differences the student version is essentially the same as the standard versions.

Identification

Microsoft gives a heavy discount on Office to students and teachers, according to Microsoft. Microsoft changed the name of this edition from Student and Teacher in 2003 to Home and Student in 2007.

Misconceptions

The Home and Student edition does not require proof of enrollment in school. A similarly named edition, Office Student edition, requires holding an email address ending in .edu and proof of enrollment.

Features

Home and Student 2007 has many more features that streamline document creation, such as live word count, that Teacher and Student 2003 does not. Also, Student and Teacher does not have the capability to create a virtual notebook.

Benefits

The tremendous price cut over the standard version of Microsoft Office serves as the prime benefit for Office Home and Student (and Student and Teacher). It costs about $90 less than the regular Microsoft Office and several hundred less than premium versions.

Differences

No version of the student and teacher edition includes the software found in the business versions, such as collaboration tools and Access database tracking. The Home and Student version contains digital note taking software, while the basic package does not. However, the basic edition includes Outlook 2007 (for emails), while H & S does not.

Source:

Microsoft; Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 version comparison

Microsoft; Office Student Edition

Microsoft; Which 2007 Office Suite is Right for You