The Mac is the better option, especially for graphics-related stuff.
The MacBook may be fine, and the MacBook Pro just packs more punch. If you can goto the Apple store and check them out; they'll have Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. installed on them for you to play with.
Also, Apple give some pretty decent student discounts, but to get the proper discount you need to buy the laptop while logged into the university's/college's network. So either wait until you're there before buying it, or if you know a friend who already has an account on a university network, order from their computer.