If you want a quality pack that's built tough, will carry well and will blend in better, check out Kelty's Military line of packs. The Raven 41, Map 3500 and Peregrine 29 are all really good packs. Out of the three the Peregrine 29 is the only one that doesn't have a frame or frame sheet. The Map 3500 may be a bit over kill for school, but it sure would make a good Extended day pack.
Some years ago, I looked at Maxpedition packs. My impression was; They are heavy duty bags with very basic shoulder straps. For the money, I'd look elsewhere for a comfortable pack. Kelty, Alps, Osprey, Gregory and other outdoor companies build much nicer and yet still very sturdy packs for the money.
Another option for a quality, relatively comfortable 1,500 cubic inch pack is a Molle II Assault pack. I got my ACU Molle II pack was new in the bag last spring on sale for $40 delivered. Find a Desert Camo (DCU) one and get some Rit dye to change the color. It has some webbing on the sides and front, but not a ton. Run it as is while at school and add pouches to expand it for weekend trips. It has lots of expansion options, even a way to add a serviceable waist belt.
