The apple pencil is worth it for college because it satisfies instant pairing and precise note taking. For example, third party styluses often have pairing issues with certain devices, they don’t have gestures for intuitive shortcuts between applications or strokes. The apple pencil excels for college because it has the capabilities of doing complex math problems just as you would on a piece of paper and it does so with very smooth strokes. It also can select a particularly letter or space between a word in your notes app for college, rather than holding and tapping and moving your finger; which can be incredibly frustrating