What advantage does Linux have over Mac?

I am contemplating what type of laptop to buy for college, and since I am an absolute computer noob I needs me some help. I really have two pressing questions here. The first is, how much hassle will I have in setting up a computer running some version of Linux versus one running Mac, to get it sorted out to the point that I am not having to cope with technical difficulties at every turn? I don’t want to spend my summer kicking my computer around the room.

The second is, once I have gone through this hassle, what will I have that I won’t have with Mac? I am interested in learning more about computers and programming, so access to the workings of the computer is important. However, I know that Mac runs on Unix, so I can get a fair amount of that access if I want, while still having a nice user interface. So is there still much of a reason to go for Linux, aside from the geek factor?