Apple's back-to-school promotion starts today, and it includes $300 headphones

Apple kicked off its annual back-to-school promotion online and in Apple Stores on Thursday.

Here's how it works: if you're a student, or the parent of a student, and you buy a Mac laptop or desktop from Apple, you can get a free pair of Beats Solo2 Wireless Headphones, which usually retail for $300.

Of course, there are exceptions - refurbished models and the Mac mini aren't included in the promotion.

Furthermore, students picking up a new iPhone or iPad can get a free pair of Powerbeats2 Wireless headphones. The exception here is that the iPhone SE isn't included, but iPhone buyers can pick up a pair of Beats Solo2 Wireless for $100.

For specifics, check out this Apple-provided PDF. The deal runs through September 5th.

The deal is one of Apple's best back-to-school offers in years. Last year, Apple offered Beats Solo2 - the wired version - for free with some Macs. That's only a $200 value, as compared to this year's $300 value.

But considering that Apple seems poised to ditch the headphone jack on the next version of the iPhone, perhaps including the wireless version in its promotion is just future-proofing college students for upcoming iPhones.

Complete details and exceptions are available on Apple's website.