PSA: For Parents of College Freshmen!

[taekwondo mom]

Thanks for all the rental sites and info.

 

[drinkme]

I checked most of my books out of the library. So, that saved even MORE money! lol.

I did have to buy some of my books (used, if possible), but for most of them, I used the library.

 

[crisi]

I checked most of my books out of the library. So, that saved even MORE money! lol.

I did have to buy some of my books (used, if possible), but for most of them, I used the library.

I know a lot of people who did that 25 years ago. The college I went to had a few sets of books in the library for each course, you couldn't check them out of the library, but you could check them out for a few hours at a time and do your studying or reading in the library. I did it for one of the books where we were only going to read a chapter from the entire book (there were other core books in the class).

I also know a lot of people who bought the International editions, which where much cheaper. Had to be careful there because sometimes the exercise numbers didn't match up....but for the most part it was good.

I'm another person who uses my books from college. I seldom bought used (I always discovered the person who owned before me was stupid and highlighted the wrong thing when I tried). There are a few books I really regret having sold back.

 

[ugadog99]

I've experienced the exact opposite.

I've been teaching 20 years so maybe things in the textbooks are different now, but once I was hired & had my own class - I NEVER ONCE referred back to college textbooks.

I'm telling you...the books used now must be WAY better than when I was in school! I NEVER used my college books after I started in my own classroom. In fact, those that I couldn't sell back, I ended up putting in a "professional" section of our school library. They were never touched. In fact, the books are probably boxed away some where at the school collecting tons of dust.

 

[Evi]

The best advice I ever received on textbooks was to check the syllabus to make sure of text book before class starts and at the end of the semester go to the class on the 3rd to last class and ask if anyone wants to sell you there book. Heres the thing you can buy the book directly from the student for less then the bookstore will buy it back usually costing you around $30-40 vs the $100-200 plus. I also sold all my textbooks this way showing up to the first day of that class the following semester. Sometimes I made more for my book then it cost me.

The most important thing is to not highlight the books or at the least get an erasable highlighter.

 

[bear_mom]

There's no need to keep any books! I kept a bunch from college for 20 years and never touched them until I got rid of them a couple of years ago. Renting is a wonderful idea!
I have a college kid, and didn't know about this. Would you please post the info? and thanks!

I have to say, I needed my textbooks four years after I graduated for the Professional Engineering exam. I know dh (chemical engineer) has some of his old text books at his desk that he references frequently for formulas - he acutally bought a couple a few years after we graduated that he wanted.

Emily

 

[LilyWDW]

The best advice I ever received on textbooks was to check the syllabus to make sure of text book before class starts....

This is also a very good tip. I don't know the number of times we would get a textbook request from a department (I used to work in a college bookstore), but then the teacher was wanting a different book... but would never tell us! The student comes in thinking the book we were TOLD was right is what they need... then they get to class and are told they need a different book. Then they get mad at the staff because we gave them the wrong book and don't have the book they need in stock. Well, we don't have the book in stock because no one TOLD us they wanted it!