College Textbook -Sticker Shock And Solutions!!

[Missy Mouse]

I'm trying to think of a job for which both of these people would apply . . . nope, I've got nothing. In the real world, these two people would never be in competition with one another.

My husband was the poster child for community college. He wasn't serious about his grades in high school, and he didn't want to go to college. A couple years of driving a fork lift convinced him that an education was worthwhile . . .

So he went to community college first, thinking he wanted to be an architect. He earned an AS in drafting, and in the process he decided that engineering was more to his liking. The AS degree allowed him to work as a draftsman during his later college years -- not the professional job that he wanted, but much better than working at McDonald's! He transferred his credits to a 4-year university and three years later graduated with an engineering degree. He says he never would've made it if he'd gone straight to the 4-year school.

Community college can be a GREAT CHOICE for the right person. Some people do it because they're not ready for a 4-year school, some do it to save money, some do it because they just don't think they can manage four more years of school or because their career aspirations only require an associate's degree.

There are lots of markets where the jobs compete; medical fields (nuclear tech, nursing), advertising and marketing, political science, criminal justice, education. I think CC can be an excellent choice, I just don't it's a waste of money and student loans to go right to a four year school, and I do think the quality of education (including price of tuition) can make a difference.

 

[lchez]

Don't know if this will work now, but when I was in college in the 80's, many of my textbooks were in the library. I took them out and kept renewing. Give it a shot! Good luck!

 

[dsanner106]

Whether one has a nursing degree from a community college or a top notch med school, they will have a job. Very little credence is paid to one over the other. Passing your boards, the same boards, puts you on a par.

D

 

[dsanner106]

Here is the best way to go on textbooks, only buy up front books that are in short supply used, keep your receipt.
Go to class, get the syllabus and question the instructor as to what books you will actually work from in the course and need.
If you don't need the ones you purchased, return them, generally in the first 2 weeks of class for a full refund with receipt. Unless books are a part of tuition, you ARE allowed a refund within their written policy.
Also, ask the instructor if they will allow old editions of the text, that is where the big savings are.
Check prices at the bookstore and begin search online. If old editions allowed, you can save up to 90 percent.
If Professor ordered a package , ask if the extra materials are really necessary, if not, look for book alone online.
If the book is a new edition, and you must have it, you will not find it used or at significant discount online, just buy it at the store.
Buy any allowed old editions, or books without packaging online for the savings.
Take freight, and convenience of returns into account and buy online that which you are willing to be stuck with in a worst case scenario.

Very few college stores exist that are still owned by their schools or independantly, as the margins are very low. Text generally average 20-25 percent discount to the stores, while the operating cost margin of a college store is 27-28 percent. They generally lose money or break even on books and make their money on sweatshirts, notebooks, snacks etc. If your store offers efollet service, then your store is almost certainly OWNED by follet. A few major corporations have taken over most university stores, but don't change the names to show it. Publishers do control the market, issuing new editions every 2 years or so to kill off the used text on the market. Don't waste your time getting mad at the bookstore, try to get your professors to take costs into account when ordering their text.

D

 

[AladdinJay]

Ah yes, gotta love the overpriced textbooks.

I am currently going into my senior year, and textbooks burn me every semester. One of my books cost $200 alone and then I had to get a $75 workbook. I'm so thankful I only have one more year of this ridicilous pricing!

What really stinks is that 95% of the books I cannot sell at the end of the year! And at one point I considered not even bothering getting them, but the professors made it part of the GRADE! It was like, 10% to have the text there each day! Insane!

 

[tink2dw]

Here's One for the "Textbooks"!!

1974 in AZ I buy a used copy of Stage Make-up Techniques, for $17.00. I use the book for the two semesters of the course. I didn't mark up my books.

Now Fast Forward to fall 2005. My Dd is taking Stage Make-up class. The College Book store ONLY has new copies priced at $120.00 I gasp!! I Say No Way!! And we look everywhere for online for the book. Nothing... It is no where to be found.

I dig out my old book show it to Dd, we laugh about the fact that my book is about 12 edition below the $120.00 version. I tell her why don't you take the book for laughs to class and show them the $17.00 receipt. Dd thinks it is a great idea! So she takes the book to class. The students are amazed at the price difference.

On the way out of Class the Instructor stops Dd to tell her that the only difference in the old edition and the new edition is colored pictures, that all the techniques are the same. She runs thru the chapter index and marks the chapters that she will be teaching from and she tell Dd that the older edition actually has easier pictures to work from!!

New book-$120.00
Old Book--$ 17.00
Savings---$103.00
A rip roaring laugh at the price of new books. Plus a bonding moment with Dd -- Priceless!!!

 

[windycitymom]

Thank you for starting this thread! My firstborn ds leaves for college in two weeks and we need to get his books (not even sure if the list is posted yet). All this information is very helpful. We are paying for his books, so I'm sure he's not as concerned about the price as I am.

 

[decaff38]

I am the OP and I have read this entire thread. I Forgot to state that 3 of the 4 texts prices ($ 74-107.50) were in the off campus bookstore and used. They did n't even have the new texts in yet. Can't imagine what that price will be. I bought the 105.00 for 39.95 w/ ship, 74.00 for 30.99w/ship and 107.20 for 40.00w/ship, I was prettty pleased with a total with other books of a $250.00 savings. My DD took her CNA courses through our community college and received her license before she graduated from HS and is now making $13.00 and working 3/4 time. She is now doing a 6 hr. night shift so she can study while she works. She opted for a 4 yr. RN program with the advice of her brother who is an RN. We are lucky that she will be staying at home and going to our local state school. She was a bit shocked about the tuition. I understood the amount but she is still confused with all the fees and charges. I like the state school system here in MN. Very high quality!! Next year she is looking into moving to a school in another town that has a great program too. She is my worry kid, so she felt she would do best getting one year over with Mom and Dad close. I don't mind having her here one more year. Even her 16 year old sister was a bit lonely without her when she moved in with 2 friends for the summer. Drifted off topic, sorry. Back to the books. I am willing to take my chances for a 40.00 mistake rather than a 170.00 book she never opens. These are the basic core classes not in her major. Best of luck with the book hunt!!!!Glad to help!!!

 

[babiesX2]

Decaff38, I just remembered that my nursing texts weren't available for rental. We bought those at the off-campus used bookstore. Good luck to your daughter! Thanks for all the advice for the rest of us! I really appreciate it.

 

[Took]

Here's One for the "Textbooks"!!

On the way out of Class the Instructor stops Dd to tell her that the only difference in the old edition and the new edition is colored pictures, that all the techniques are the same. She runs thru the chapter index and marks the chapters that she will be teaching from and she tell Dd that the older edition actually has easier pictures to work from!!

New book-$120.00
Old Book--$ 17.00
Savings---$103.00
A rip roaring laugh at the price of new books. Plus a bonding moment with Dd -- Priceless!!!

The key here is to ask the professor on day one or up front (I often receive emails from students before the semester starts). Sometimes the old edition works, sometimes not.

As a community college professor, I have always considered costs when selecting textbooks. Our students are often poor, and most of us who teach feel an obligation to help all we can. And, yes, occasionally, I have leant out a text, usually to a student who seemed to have very few resources or who has perhaps had his or her book stolen (it happens). I also only require texts that I will use in class or that students must use in addition to class in order to understand the material. "Optional" extra books are listed as such, although even these will be helpful if students actually use them (some don't seem to use the required ones much! LOL ). I'm glad to have read this thread, as it reminds me again to be diligent in helping to control costs.

took

 

[branv]

Kind of an OT complaint - I remember having at least 3 profs that required a stack of books, apart from the main textbook, that we were assigned to read maybe a few pages from (and weren't even on the tests).

Which is annoying, but you know what was REALLY annoying?

Realizing that one of those pricey virtually unused books was written by the professor! That sure is one way to boost your book sales

 

[MyZoeJane]

I didn't read the whole thread... so this may have already been suggested... but I NEVER go off the bookstore lists. Uh huh. No way.


I email the professor directly and ask nicely for the booklist and ISBN's. And I do it months before classes start. Not only can I be sure that I'm getting the correct books, but I can ask if other editions are acceptable, AND by the time class starts, my name already sticks out to the professor because I've already had contact with him or her in advance.

I'm especially happy when a professor realizes that there really isn't much difference between the 8th edition of Norton's Anthology of African American Literature and the 9th edition. The only difference is the scholarly articles in the back of the book and all you need is the MLA Bibliography to find those.

If you make your emails upbeat and personal, I think this is a great way to get your books AND introduce yourself to your professors.

 

[Plantlady]

My husband always uses the previous edition. He's never had problems, You can pick them up from amazon.com, for about $3. Also, as someone else mentioned, check the school library. He also uses this method.

 

[Cindy B]

You can also get an interlibrary loan. Say your local library doesn't have it, you can ask the library to loan it from other libraries.

The loans are usually for two weeks, so that tides me over in case I ordered the books on Ebay and haven't received it yet.

 

[mt2]

A couple times I had professors who'd require us to buy 2-3 books for ONE CLASS, yet when I looked over the syllabus I'd see that they only wanted us to read two chapters of this book and three chapters of that book -- THAT was when I really appreciated the reserve room!

I have had a friend or 2 that would make a copy of the chapters the instructor required from the reserve copy. This saved her a bunch of money. Her son was ill often when he was younger so money was tight.

If anything extra was required, I would let her make a copy of the page or 2 that would be needed.

What I didn't like is when the book I had to use was written by the instructor. This happened to me on at least 4 occassions. Pure profit for him.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

My school bookstore has books in packets, too, with a text and workbook or solution manual which seem to have a different ISBN number compared to when they are separate and listed on the bookstore website.

I have had a luck on half.com .

my son & daughter each have a class like that this semester..with the packet. I went to the publishers site & got the ISBN's that way & did a search for them. Seems when the packet has a CD for an online code..you can't get them on a resale... which really stinks! That code will get you onto the web site to do your work, the professor will grade it from there.. you will have no choice but to buy the packets new!! One of the professors I emailed to ask about it since my son had the book already (took the class last year & dropped it). Proff said NO... wanted the new edition packet ONLY...So I wasted the money on last years book.. now they are selling for like $8...and I paid $86 used!

I also want to ditto on half.com I got the best deals there & ebay..

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I didn't read the whole thread... so this may have already been suggested... but I NEVER go off the bookstore lists. Uh huh. No way.


I email the professor directly and ask nicely for the booklist and ISBN's. And I do it months before classes start. Not only can I be sure that I'm getting the correct books, but I can ask if other editions are acceptable, AND by the time class starts, my name already sticks out to the professor because I've already had contact with him or her in advance.

I'm especially happy when a professor realizes that there really isn't much difference between the 8th edition of Norton's Anthology of African American Literature and the 9th edition. The only difference is the scholarly articles in the back of the book and all you need is the MLA Bibliography to find those.

If you make your emails upbeat and personal, I think this is a great way to get your books AND introduce yourself to your professors.

I just did that with one of my son's Pf.. we have the 11edt.. already (actually my son dropped an entire semester last year due to health reasons and we have all his books).. The Ecom pf said yes, we can use the 11th even though he is saying to get the 12th.. it will be fine, it was the Math prof that was not very nice about it... so we are stuck getting that one.. That is the only one we had to get for him. My DD starts this year & she is using some of his old ones as well, but did have to get other for her.. The only one we got in the school store was the one with the packet.. we needed new due to the access code... just another way for them to make money!! I think if you buy the book.. you should have a code free even used books run nearly $100 at times.

 

[RangerPooh]

The packets can be frustrating! I have had to purchase too many "texts" that were just loose papers with 3-hole punches. Absolutely no resale value there which stinks! So somewhere I have a chemestry "text" and an econ "text" just sitting there with no use. I have to agree with the text written by a professor and the required purchase of it. It's very frustrating! I had that last fall as one of the requirements for my econ class. And it was another one of those loose "texts".

Here's another tip. Our school, Washington State University, has auctions every few months. This past month we went through their selection of used textbooks and found a few "keepers". DH is an Anthro/Archeo major so any books that might serve as supplimental we generally pick up, esp at $1. a book. We also found a few geography and Env. Science texts (again, part of his requirement) that he will be required to purchase for upcoming classes, yet in the previous edition. Once again $1 a book. Not bad! Also, as an education major I was able to find a ton of elementray school (primary grade) activity books that I can use as supplimental assignemnts in class. All texts were $1 at the sale so we bought a few. So while I might have strayed, the point that I am trying to make is to check any local school surplus sales. You might find a few of the previous editions at a bargain price.

PS. DH found one of the "loose" econ texts (unfortunately he's taking a different class than mine) that sells for $60 and picked it up for $1. The same packet is required this year as was the one from last year, the only change is the date. So why pay the additional $59?

 

[robinb]

Amazon.com is also a great place to buy textbooks. I sell them on Amazon and I have also bought some on Amazon too.

Here are my recommendations:
* Pay the little extra for expedited shipping as Amazon's standard shipping can take as long as 3 weeks! On Amazon it's only $2 more and you'll get your book a lot faster.
* Read the description of the book carefully to make sure it's the correct edition. Many unscrupulous sellers on Amazon will sell a previous version of the textbooks under the wrong ISBN.
* If you don't want highlighting or underlining, select a copy in "Very Good" condition or better. A copy in "Good" condition can be marked up and the seller is not required to tell you.
* Pick a seller with a high rating (I pick a 95% positive or better) and read their feedback to see if people are happy.

 

[wtpntigger2]

This summer I took a children's lit grad class that was only a week long. My peers who took it last summer said don't bothering buying the text as they only opened it once and there was no readings from it. I am so glad I took their advice. The text was $100 new (no used available) and we "used" the text twice; the first time was to look at a sidebox with seven questions in it to determine if the book we brought to class was considered good child lit and the other was to do a picture walk of the text and then nothing was even discussed about it. The kicker: there is a new edition so the bookstore didn't buy the text back.

I have yet to buy any of my texts from the school bookstore (which is run by Barnes & Nobles). I have saved hundreds of dollars over the last year buying my texts online.