College Success, One Mouse Click at a Time * College Computer Requirement Reference Book Available at Circuit City Stores Nationwide RICHMOND, Va., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- It may be mid-summer, but many university classes begin before Labor Day, so students across the country already are gearing up for college. And, families are hitting stores now in search of tools students will need to earn the good grades mom and dad expect. Computers play an important role in college life; in fact, some schools require students to own a computer. To make it easier to select the right computer, Circuit City has produced a reference book, available to associates in all Circuit City stores, that outlines the minimum computer requirements at more than 800 major colleges and universities nationwide. Shoppers can grab a school checklist from any Circuit City store to ensure they arrive at school with all the gear they need. The list includes items that parents and students may not think about before heading to campus, such as ink cartridges, Ethernet cards and surge protectors. Circuit City also wanted to generate useful advice for incoming freshmen, so the consumer electronics retailer turned to the experts: students already in college. More than 2,200 college students nationwide responded to the "Circuit City Campus Survival Survey,"* which sheds new light on the personal computer and its role in students' academic and entertainment lives. Among the survey's findings: -- Nearly 60 percent said their college either requires or recommends that they own a computer; -- Nearly 90 percent said owning a computer helps them earn better grades; -- More than 90 percent said a computer is their most useful item for studies, far surpassing energy drinks and ear plugs (6 percent and 1 percent, respectively); -- Ninety percent of students said they use their computers every day for email and instant messaging; -- Nearly half of survey respondents said they use their computers daily to listen to music or watch movies; -- Almost a quarter of college students said they use their computers several times a week to play video games. Other technology products also play a major role in contemporary college life. The Circuit City Campus Survival Survey also revealed: -- A wireless phone is the best way to stay in touch with friends and family back home (42 percent versus 35 percent for email. Old fashioned "snail mail" is favored by less than one percent of students.); -- Watching television is still a favorite activity. More than half of students said the TV is the technology product they use most often during their leisure time. Families can also research and shop for college-bound students by going online to http://www.circuitcity.com/. Circuit City's information-rich Web site has added a special section devoted to the needs of college students. * The "Circuit City Campus Survival Survey" was commissioned by Circuit City Stores, Inc. and was conducted on the Internet by Decision Analyst of Arlington, Texas. More than 2,200 college students responded. The survey's margin of error is +/- 2.1%. About Circuit City Stores, Inc. Richmond, Va.-based Circuit City Stores is a leading specialty retailer of consumer electronics. Circuit City operates 604 Superstores and five mall- based stores in 158 U.S. markets. Its subsidiary, InterTAN, Inc., operates through more than 1,000 retail stores and dealer outlets in Canada. Circuit City also operates a Web site at http://www.circuitcity.com/. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010709/CCLOGO ) http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010709/CCLOGODATASOURCE: Circuit City Stores, Inc. CONTACT: For States A-M: Steve Mullen, +1-804-527-4817, , For States N-W: Kathie Hess, +1-804-418-8298, , both of Circuit City Stores, Inc. Web site: http://www.circuitcity.com/

Copyright