The Down-Low on College Books..

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chman

chman

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Just curious as to what solutions/tricks you guys have found to save money on college books. We all know it is a racket.
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chman said:
Just curious as to what solutions/tricks you guys have found to save money on college books. We all know it is a racket.
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Buy international version or borrow from friends... However most of the time i have to buy text books from school ;( $$$$ Damn it $$$$
 
I search for the digital version on the internet. Saved like $700-$800 so far.

Though I'm getting screwed in some classes because the textbook comes with an online account for xxxx textbook to do online homework on. Otherwise it would be $70 just for the online account. Ridiculous... Do they think we're made of money?
 
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Talk to students that have taken the class and see if you really need the textbook. I have often found that the professor's powerpoint/lecture is sufficient. Definitely shop around online rather than buying from school. Keep your books in good condition for a higher sell-back price.
 
Re-sell that sucka!
My school has something called Textbook exchange...where students can sell/buy books from each other.
I usually go on half.com or amazon.com.....in advance. That way you have the book ready for class and I nearly always save at least 200 bucks.
 
Rent.

chegg.com
 
Never ever buy a textbook new unless it's a brand new edition and you have a douchebag prof who won't let you use an old edition. Amazon and half.com are great resources. About a week before the semester starts, I always get my textbook list together and then spend an hour or two comparing prices to find the best deal. It's saved a TON of money.
 
FloatOn said:
Talk to students that have taken the class and see if you really need the textbook. I have often found that the professor's powerpoint/lecture is sufficient. Definitely shop around online rather than buying from school. Keep your books in good condition for a higher sell-back price.
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+1

I now wait till the first day of class to find out what we really need. Often, you can get by with older editions. Of course, older editions have less resell value, but I usually keep my books anyway.

Last semester I found my book off of Ebay for $65. I want to keep it, but a friend in the same class says that she sold hers to someone last week for $60. Buy low off of Ebay, amazon, craigslist, or alternative booksellers, and resell it to people.

Advice (all depends on type of class and how book heavy it is):
Check to see if your library has the book. Maybe you can check it out.

Ask others who have taken the class before if you can borrow their book for the semester.

Ask someone in the class if they want to share the book.


Also, I have stumbled upon review guides for books from the textbook companies which have been incredibly helpful. See if those are available.
 
Don't buy them.

I have taken exceedingly few classes where I really needed the text. Most of the time, class attendance / notes worked perfectly.
 
Simple: Don't buy them.

In most classes you can get by with just going to lecture. If there are HW problems and you really need the book, or you're in a class that doesn't have a very good lecturer, buy off Amazon or ebay.
 
Library (it's their most of the time and if you can't check it out, you can get it on reserve and take pictures of the pages you need).
 
i didn't buy them, would get the older versions from other people
 
I use OhioLINK. It's such an awesome resource. You can get your book from the library, but if the campus library doesn't have the textbook, they will get it from another one of the universities in Ohio and ship it to you. You can have the book for a month, and maybe even longer if no one else has requested the book after you.

I haven't bought a textbook since freshman year. I love it.
 
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I never buy them for science classes. You'll probably only need to buy used books for the humanities where you need to actually read to write essays, etc. Lecture notes and studying with friends are usually sufficient (especially for o chem and physics). If you need to look at a science textbook for hw, go to the science library and use the 2 hr loan or borrow the book after a certain time before the library close and you get to have it for the rest of the night. Depending on the school, most med students don't buy textbooks either, so it might be a good practice. :)
 
Seconding renting your books from Chegg.com or Campusbookrentals.com. You could save probably half renting them over buying them, unless you like to highlight everything/write notes (which you can do, but only a little)
 
I second that you don't need to a buy a book for Organic Chemistry 1 and 2 (I read orgo for dummies and other such books out of the library instead)

I am happy that I did buy a book for Anatomy and Physiology (1 and 2) and Nutrition becuase I read both books in entirety. I used the A and P to help me study for the MCAT. I am keeping them for future reference. I also bought them cheap off the internet.

You probably don't need to buy a book for Chemistry if you have a good teacher or if you do, then you don't need to keep it after the semester.

For most of my math classes, I needed a textbook to do hw out of.

Anyone else have course specific suggestions?

I am taking Medical Terminology next semester. Should I get the textbook?
 
I haven't bought a textbook since freshman year. :cool:

Just go to lecture and take thorough notes. If you don't understand something, check Google.
 
I buy my text on Amazon.com
I look up the ISBN or other info from my Univ. Overpriced bookstore. and purchase versions like "South Asian version only" for like $70 which is actually word for word the same
 
I got pretty pissed when I bought a book for nothing because it ended up all being on power points (I'm talking about you bio 101 $200 book).

Its just hard to know which class that is going to be and somewhat of a gamble.
 
Frazier said:
$200+ for my physics textbook

... "customized for my university" and with special homework code.

[which basically is just their way of preventing you from buying 2nd hand]
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What's even worse is when the professor assigns the book that they wrote. That's just wrong.
 
1. Get book list as early as possible. Hit up the library to see if book can be checked out.

2. Despite what professor tells you, an old version of the book is acceptable 95% of the time. Sometimes you can get an older version of a $100 book for less than $20 on Amazon.

3. Find out from the school bookstore the buyback price for books you need the following semester. Put up ads on craigslist offering a slightly higher price for the book.
 
1. borrow from friends. (be nice and let them borrow yours as well)
2. borrow from library (3-4 weeks at a time)
3. borrow from the library reserves and head to the copy machine, photocopy as necessary
4. my school runs a textbook loan service for some courses (limited quantity, first come first serve but those with financial need are highest priority)...check to see if yours has one.
5. half.com, amazon.com. get a feel for the price range, and wait until a good deal pops up. sometimes people accidentally put the price too low, or are desperate to sell, so i've gotten books for $30 (usually $70-80), $40 (usually $80), etc. Resell at the going price to make a profit! :D
6. split the cost of a book with a friend
7. for courses you're sure you will take and the book is not likely to change editions anytime soon, try buying the books in july online...they're a lot cheaper as the supply is high and demand is low. worst times to buy are aug/sept, jan (for obvious reasons)
8. get older edition, then borrow friend/library/other source to check for any new diagrams, sections, etc.

I've tried all of these. If you borrow from the library or a friend, be sure to do it way before the test date so that 300 other people aren't doing the same thing. It gets you in the habit of studying earlier I guess.

I recommend getting textbooks for classes you'll take for the entire year (i.e. ochem, physics, etc.) just because it gets annoying to borrow from the library or your friends all the time.
 
Frazier said:
$200+ for my physics textbook

... "customized for my university" and with special homework code.

[which basically is just their way of preventing you from buying 2nd hand]
Click to expand...

:thumbdown: Not cool. Not cool at all.
 
anyone know where I can sell my books online? I tried selling back to my bookstore at school but they were being *******s and a)wouldn't buy back the book b) offer me <10 bucks
 
YouNeverKnow22 said:
anyone know where I can sell my books online? I tried selling back to my bookstore at school but they were being *******s and a)wouldn't buy back the book b) offer me <10 bucks
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Book Nazis.
 
I don't pay for any of my books. It's nice.
 
I agree with what someone else said. Especially if you go to one of the UC's, you can request a book through interlibrary loan. Even if the book is a coursebook at your school and is only on reserve, chances are that you can check it out from one of the other schools that participate. You request it and they will ship it you usually allowing you to borrow it for a month or longer. I've saved several hundred dollars this way.
 
bravofleet4 said:
I agree with what someone else said. Especially if you go to one of the UC's, you can request a book through interlibrary loan. Even if the book is a coursebook at your school and is only on reserve, chances are that you can check it out from one of the other schools that participate. You request it and they will ship it you usually allowing you to borrow it for a month or longer. I've saved several hundred dollars this way.
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My school won't let me check out books used for courses. I can only use them in the library. I guess I could do what some have suggested, and photo copy the pages I need at any given time.
 
chman said:
What's even worse is when the professor assigns the book that they wrote. That's just wrong.
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My existentialism professor had us buy his book and said since we had to buy it, he would put the money earned toward 2 Keg parties that we had that semester. Very nice!

Fun parties, fun class.

He made a guest appearance in the movie "Waking Life" btw.
 
TexasPrincess said:
My existentialism professor had us buy his book and said since we had to buy it, he would put the money earned toward 2 Keg parties that we had that semester. Very nice!

Fun parties, fun class.

He made a guest appearance in the movie "Waking Life" btw.
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:rolleyes: 2 kegs cost ~170.....that's probably the price of two books, maybe even one....which means he still makes bank selling his own books.....but it's still cool he bought the kegs in the first place.
 
TexasPrincess said:
My existentialism professor had us buy his book and said since we had to buy it, he would put the money earned toward 2 Keg parties that we had that semester. Very nice!

Fun parties, fun class.

He made a guest appearance in the movie "Waking Life" btw.
Click to expand...

That's pretty cool. Yea, in one sense it is kind of cool being taught by someone when you are reading their book. But in another sense I feel that it is shameless self promotion for money.
 
amazon, ebay, alibris.com

and sell them back on ebay. sure it takes a little time but you will make your money back and more.
 
chman said:
That's pretty cool. Yea, in one sense it is kind of cool being taught by someone when you are reading their book. But in another sense I feel that it is shameless self promotion for money.
Click to expand...


I actually had a prof require his book, but instead of making us buy his book, he actually gave us all comp'd copies! Of course, he then signed our books at the end of the semester. (It was a senior capstone course.)
 
It's official; I am never buying books from the bookstore again. I went in there today to buy a psych book, and the staff was super rude. You would think that with the money they charge that they would at least try to please you.

Anyways, I just went home and found the same book on Amizon for next to nothing. I am doing this for now on if it works out. My only regret now is not doing this sooner.
 
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