In my final two years, which were much more academically challenging, I had the luxury of a laptop. Suddenly, my notes were more cohesive and comprehensive, because I type roughly five times faster than I write. I didn’t get a hand cramp. I had five seconds to actually hear what the professor was saying. I had the ability to digest the material – see it, hear it, and type it out. The simple (though pricey) posession of a laptop meant I was more organized.

My grades were roughly 15% higher in third and fourth year than my first two years. And yes, I was rarely “just taking notes” on my laptop. I’ll admit I engaged in a game or two of solitare and some IM while in class. It’s incredible what little some professors have to say that isn’t already in the reading materials they assign. Others, if I wasn’t paying full attention to my typing I’d miss as much as if I had to hand-write my notes. But that’s a lesson I learned quickly; I can’t speak for others.

Let’s leave aside that for those in the humanities and social sciences (at least), so much of one’s grade is decided by activities that are pursued outside the classroom. Lectures – while I would never advocate intentionally missing them – are just a piece of the puzzle.