Conversion Question

Since I'm using school computers and it may have certain programs to convert models, say ones that were made by google sketchup at the google 3D Warehouse, which programs could you use to convert it? And would it be all 1 large object with no subparts or with subparts? And if it was 1 big object, is there anyway to make subparts of the model?

Because my school has 3D Studio Max, which i know is one of the programs used of conversion but currently having some glitches and bugs, since its not with school protocals and its blocking or not allowing certain parts of the program to run, so i was wandering it there was any substitute to it temperarily.

And I've seen some very helpful people on the forums converting it for people like x2495iii helping out, but it prefer not to much of a bother, since probably everyone in my class will start doing it.

Thanks for any helpful posts.

-Akira101