First of all, it is huge. If you are going to be carrying it around from class to class, you would get a bit tiresome. If size does not matter, the battery life is also fairly weak. It definitely has more than enough power to suit your college needs, but the price is also fairly high. Compared to gaming computers with similar specs at the base model, though, they are around the same price. I will list the computers here that I was looking at for school.
Here's an MSI laptop that is quite thin that I have heard many good things about:
http://www.msi.com/product/nb/GS60_2PE_Ghost_Pro.html#overview
Here's another one that has a bit bigger screen size, 17 inch instead of 15:
http://www.msi.com/product/nb/GS70_2PE_Stealth_Pro.html#overview
This one you have probably heard of, it is the thinnest one out there. It has pretty bad battery life from its QHD+ screen, but is also very expensive:
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade
This is the bigger version of the Blade, 17 inch instead of 14. It is bigger but has worse components:
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-pro
These are the laptops that I would recommend from hours upon hours of research for my own school computer. I do not know if college is different how the classes go, but for me, I would not want to be carrying around a 10 pound behemoth of a laptop. If you want to know if a laptop is as immersive as a desktop or other gaming laptops? No and yes. The Alienware 17 is more of an eye puller because most computer noobs know the name "Alienware" as the best computer company ever. It also has a cool backlit keyboard, mousepad, fans, and alien logo which really draws their eye in. In comparison to other 17 inch laptops, it is just the power that makes the difference, the stuff only you and other computer junkies would know and care about. The lights are cool and all, but you won't use them that often after the first month. Compared to desktops, laptops will never be better. For a desktop, you have nearly infinite space to fit all of the components. Laptops, on the other hand, have to be crammed with parts, a battery, and a screen, and have to be expected to carried around and accidentally dropped once in a while. In conclusion, the Alienware 17 could work for you if you really like the AlienFX and don't care about the bulk and battery.
