MPH Budgeting for books and supplies

[(orpheusloves)eurydice]

Hi, everyone. The fall semester is quickly approaching (exciting!) and I'm trying to finalize my budget for the school year. I know most of us are incoming MPH students, but I'm hoping some of you can offer some financial insight on the subject of books and supplies.

My school's of Cost of Attendance indicates that I should expect to spend $1,400 on books/supplies for the year. Does this seem accurate to you? I personally feel that many of the cost estimates listed on my COA are not accurate (rent, food, etc.), so I'm curious if they are right about the cost of books. I also don't know if the cost they are listing for is specific to MPH programs or just a general/average estimate, which could of course vary widely by department. If you are an established student, or have friends who have already begun an MPH or a similar program, can you share your thoughts? The only info I can find online is about undergrad students and doesn't provide much distinction between areas of study, so any insight would be appreciated!

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[wwmmkk]

The vast majority of the "supplies" we used last year were journal articles (free) and software packages (free). I bought 6 books last year for <$500 in total. Granted, I'm the type that will buy an earlier edition of only the required materials to save a buck. I think I also spent like $30 on some pens and notebooks at Staples since I take notes by hand. Hopefully this year is about the same.

 

[LookForZebras]

Sounds like you're very conscientious about your spending. I can almost guarantee you'll spend less than the estimate, because you'll only buy what you actually need, you'll look for free alternatives, you'll shop around, and you'll buy some things used. I expect the estimate is based on buying all brand new stuff. A lot of books and supplies can be gotten cheap when they're used. Sometimes you can even find graduating students to give you their old books.

 

[(orpheusloves)eurydice]

The vast majority of the "supplies" we used last year were journal articles (free) and software packages (free). I bought 6 books last year for <$500 in total. Granted, I'm the type that will buy an earlier edition of only the required materials to save a buck. I think I also spent like $30 on some pens and notebooks at Staples since I take notes by hand. Hopefully this year is about the same.

Sounds like you're very conscientious about your spending. I can almost guarantee you'll spend less than the estimate, because you'll only buy what you actually need, you'll look for free alternatives, you'll shop around, and you'll buy some things used. I expect the estimate is based on buying all brand new stuff. A lot of books and supplies can be gotten cheap when they're used. Sometimes you can even find graduating students to give you their old books.

Thank you for your thoughtful replies, this is very helpful. I will have to wait to see what books are required, and will do my best to find used/affordable versions. I would love it if my professors stick mostly to journal articles, that would be a huge help! Actually, this is giving me the idea to see if I can get my hands on some syllabi from previous years for reference... thanks again!