As others have said, you definitely don't need a Mac, requiring it for a program is silly (unless it's included in your tuition, but even then you'd probably be overpaying as colleges usually exploit students when they do that). Mac is just a preference these days. If you want one and can afford it, then go for it. Otherwise, at least wait until you're done school and have better income.

I've been working all during Christmas break and now have the funds to purchase a Macbook Pro, my reason being that I wanted to try and freelance on the side of school a little bit and a Macbook just looks more professional, presentation wise and the screens are beautiful.

Everyone works differently but I don't even know if you need to have the laptop during meetings. Where for one, a lot is done remotely these days (where things are sent via email, and you have phone calls or even video chats), and if you are meeting in person, then depending on the work if it's print I prefer to have actual hard copies.

When I've had a laptop I find there's more of a tendency or even expectation to do things on the fly, and I really don't like that. Discuss, analyze, get feedback, then I can work on it or revise "on my own." I don't want to do start doing work in front of people, especially when people erroneously correlate time with money with design, where just because I can do something quickly does not negate it's value. (Without at all meaning to humblebrag, I've been told by even other designers that I am fairly fast within programs.) And I'm not going to pause in a meeting while I go work on some concept sketches or revisions for a half hour or more, so there's more emphasis on just doing things quicky. And even if just as an idea, now you're showing literally unfinished/unrefined work done on the fly to the actual client. Maybe that usually works fine, but to me, I just don't like it. It can only create problems.

But again, that's just me, and this kind of thing just adds to the pile of why I generally avoid freelance when possible. And if a potential client was holding it against me because I didn't have a Mac, I can only imagine what other irrational nonsense they might throw my way.