For those of you who have gone to film school with an emphasis on editing, I'm curious as to what you think would be the better option for me.

My parents have offered to buy me whichever kind of computer I want as a combined graduation gift for high school/community college and now that I'm transferring I'm trying to figure out what to get. I'd be getting the best possible computer I could with the plan of having it last as long as possible, so obviously a Mac Pro desktop would provide better performance and be nicer to have at home. On the other hand, I'm not sure how useful it'd be to have a Macbook Pro during class and also during actual film shoots. Or would it really not do much for me to have an on-the-go editor in the first place?

Well a laptop will be good for portability issues. .. and thus you can use it for multiple things - not just editing.

A desktop will be more powerful - but that really isn't needed these days for editing - laptops are plenty powerful.

The only problem I see with a laptop - in a university setting - would be the probability of theft. So I'd back up alot and most importantly insure it so if god forbid something does happen to it you can get it replaced.

I'm not sure what the problems with theft are these days. When I went to college it was a long long long time before computers were fast enough to do editing in your dorm room.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Does the school you're going to attend have specific computer requirements? Some schools require a Macbook Pro so if that was the case the decision would be easy.
If you don't already have a laptop, you should go with the Macbook Pro, but if you already have one then you can go with the iMac with the Quad core processor. That way you could have both... and I'm pretty sure the processor and dedicated video RAM make the rendering process easier on the computer.

I don't have a laptop now and my desktop definitely needs to go. I haven't found out where I'm going yet (heard back from 3 of 9 schools since undergrad transfer students hear back last im guessing). I work at a news station and we have both the newest macbook pros and mac pro desktops, and I definitely prefer the desktops. Not just for computing speed but also the convenience of not having to deal with getting a separate monitor/keyboard for home (since even the 17" is too small for my liking). So ya, that's kind of why Im here asking how useful/practical it is to have a laptop you can take with you while in film school opposed to the desktop

tbh, laptop. you will be able to access all your work on the go and sometimes work in a convenient location with your peers. I would also suggest getting a PC because there are simply easier to work with since most schools have PCs as their main system. Makes life easier when you dont have to worry about file format and hdd format.

I recently switched editing from a desktop to a laptop (I prefer windows...)

The larger screen and use of a mouse is great. And the speed is very good. But I prefer using my laptop. It's basic and easy to use... as long as you have a mouse. I don't mind using the screen on the laptop but normally when I edit I hook it up to my large tv, which is amazing when I hook up a wireless mouse and keyboard, lie down on my bed and edit.

I say, get the Macbook. I have a friend who is in graphic design and he says he hates when he has to use a Windows for design. He says they are very slow, but personally I enjoy my HP

Nowadays, Macbook Pros are efficient machines that handle most editing work. Final Cut Pro runs smoothly in them.

The problem really happens if you combine Final Cut, Color, and After Effects together. I've done that once when I was messing with green screen, but I was working with a Mac Pro at a studio.

What you really have to take into consideration is if you need to be mobile or not. If you're going to be moving around town chasing one editing gig after another, then a Macbook Pro will serve you well. However, if you prefer to have a big screen and a big hard drive, then desktop is fine.

Just don't get a Macbook. If you decide for a laptop, go for the Macbook Pro.