If you're a student, you sign up for the Apple development network thingy. The student rate is 100$ a year. (You're limited to no more than 4 years, and they have to be contiguous.) Anyone in the developer program can get a certain amount of apple hardware (something like one of everything apple makes) per year at a 25-30% discount. I believe that iPods are on the list of what the discount applies to. So, if you were to buy the top end iPod, you'd save a few buck. Otherwise, it would be a money losing proposition. Really, the big win is signing up for ADC before you buy a powerbook or G5 tower.

Edit: the savings on an iPod actually almost can't cost justify once you take into account the 10% student discount you qualified for already. (These discounts don't stack.) Again, if you were already planning on a big apple purchase later in the year anyway, it would make sense. Otherwise, don't bother.

[Edited on Apr 07, 2004 3:44PM]