textbooks?

[Tristicus]

About $500.

 

[PingSpike]

Don't worry the bookstore will give you 10$ for each book if you keep them in pristine condition.

Only if they're still in the shrink wrap. They're going to a new edition next year you know? There's been some big changes in Calculus and the History of the Roman Empire that required a complete rewrite of the books!

Anyway OP, I had expected $500 to be the standard amount by now. I suggest you buy some lube because next time they probably won't be easing it in so slow.

 

[Demo24]

Buy from Amazon, trade back in to amazon (provided you keep it in good condition), pay relatively little....profit?


I'm about to trade in 2 books on Amazon for hopefully 170 bucks (amazon credit), which is way better than the 20 bucks the bookstore would probably give me. Plus I can write the costs of the books off of taxes

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

$300 for five classes is normal. I take three and have to spend somewhere around $250. Not really a big deal when you look at the university where everything is much more expensive. Your getting a deal.

 

[shortylickens]

Buy from Amazon, trade back in to amazon (provided you keep it in good condition), pay relatively little....profit?


I'm about to trade in 2 books on Amazon for hopefully 170 bucks (amazon credit), which is way better than the 20 bucks the bookstore would probably give me. Plus I can write the costs of the books off of taxes

My bookstore gives back 50% and Amazon doesnt always do that well, so the book store is slightly more reliable money plus you dont have to bother with UPS or Fedex. And amazon only gives credit whereas my campus book store gives cash.
BUT, amazon buys back things that occasionally my school does not, because summer classes use different books and when moving from the regular school year to the summer, you cant always get rid of your books at that time. Its annoying.

 

[shortylickens]

Good to know. I was just trying to offer help, like I said I just read about it in a newspaper.

We need to convince teachers to use these books instead of paper. Eventually it would loosen the stranglehold from the textbook mafia.

 

[MotF Bane]

We need to convince teachers to use these books instead of paper. Eventually it would loosen the stranglehold from the textbook mafia.

But then the teachers who write the books would lose their massive income, e.g. Stewart.

 

[bignateyk]

$300 for 5 books? That's a pretty sweet deal. My engineering books were usually like $200 each.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

We need to convince teachers to use these books instead of paper. Eventually it would loosen the stranglehold from the textbook mafia.

The schools are in on the textbook scam. Their margins on the books are pretty good. Do you think they would put up with it otherwise?

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I wait until I'm in class to see if I need the book, and if I do need one that the one the bookstore has is the right one.

Mine are usually $300-500, but I get reimbursed through work so it's kind of irrelevant how much I spend.

 

[sactoking]

Damn, I paid $300 for just one book in my first quarter of freshman year.

It was the Calculus book that all engineers used for the 21A-D, so at least it was good for 4 classes, but still.

 

[dfuze]

That's about the amount I would pay when I took 2 classes.

 

[mnewsham]

i owe 623 bucks for 5 classes.

 

[alfa147x]

I spent $100 on 5 books and one access code. I normally spend near $400

Iv been considering renting

 

[MarkXIX]

My recommendation, spend the smallest amount of money you can without stealing. Look at libraries and intra-library transfers. Look online for ebooks from places like Coursesmart.com where you can get digital copy for a fraction of the cost of a physical book, even used ones.

 

[gorcorps]

Close to 1k per semester.

If I was to do it over again, I would not buy any books until the class starts and asks to open it. Half the books they told us to buy were never used.

This. Most of the time profs marked text books as "required" just to ensure our bookstore would stock enough, but then they'd never really be required. The first class usually tells you fairly honestly if you'll need the book or not, at least for homework. And then sometimes books are just so poorly written that I don't get anything out of them, or the prof is good enough to not need a book for clarification.

I'd at least wait til the first day in the future.

 

[roguerower]

First year I bought everything new because I was a stupid freshman. After that I borrowed whatever I needed from friends and used online retailers to buy used. I spent maybe $100/semester after that.

 

[CurseTheSky]

$200-500 per semester was average for me depending on the classes (community college and state university). Get to the bookstore as soon as possible and get used copies before the run out. Also, look up the ISBN and see if you can get them online cheaper.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I never buy books unless I have direct HW from them.

 

[saratoga172]

$250 for 4 classes (3 rentals from Chegg and one purchase from the bookstore for a brand fucking new book)

My 5th class cost me $300. For one FUCKING CLASS!!! Had to get the school edition of my book (used was $130) and buy and online access card ($120) which is toast after use. Add in tax and the $20 for the calculator I needed. And well it's a ripoff.

Oh yeah. Access card is required to have access to the online quizzes and other material that isn't in the book. Still have homework due from the book as well.