Do I REALLY have to buy those textbooks?

Question

Ok I'm starting my first semester of community college in january. I just looked at how expensive the books are *sticker shock* I'm taking six classes but I don't know what books I'll need yet. From personal experience do most classes require textbooks, and if so what are the best ways to get them cheap? By the way, I'm taking online classes if that would matter.

Answer 1

I can buy some of these answers from people going to lecture in the classroom but, for online classes, those textbooks are essential. You won't be attending lectures, you'll be reading the text instead.

For years we students have argued "why do I have to sit in this lecture hall when I could read this at home in my pajamas and learn more?" Now you have the chance to read the text at home in your pajamas but you have to have the text.

The best way to get them very cheapest is to borrow them from a fellow student. If that's not possible then buy them used online (but order in time to get them).

http://www.half.com and http://www.amazon.com are two of the best places to get a used textbook in my opinion. When you're done with the book, put it back for sale on half.com and see if you can get all of your money back. I sometimes am able to resell a book for more than I paid for it. I once bought one (stats) for $25, used it for class, and sold it for $50 - which was still $100 less than new price.

YES! for an online class you will need the textbook.

Answer 2

For a lot of classes, you can get away with either the lecture or the textbook especially during first year. Since it is your first year, chances are you'll be hung over or missing a lot of lectures just because that's what first years do, so get the books if you want to get at least a 3.0 GPA while missing lectures left and right. Try to buy your books used or check to see if the library has any copies of the text. Sometimes older editions of a textbook are okay, other times you'll be missing articles and such, in which case, all you need to do is make a friend in the class and photocopy the missing parts.

Answer 3

You should take a look at the syllabus to see how often homework and lectures come from the textbook. However, I've found that most college courses require the textbook.

You should check out half.com for some good deals on textbooks. You can find them pretty cheap there. Just remember that you don't need them brand new; used books are just fine. Just make sure that you have the right edition.

Answer 4

You can check the college bookstore and various online textbook sites like varsitybooks.com for used textbooks. Used are significantly cheaper.
No one buys new textbooks unless the teacher specifically insisted on the latest edition of a text.
You can also check used bookstores in your area, but this is better for novels, not textbooks.
You can also check the library for the same books, but other impoverished students might beat you to it.

Yes, college texts are really expensive - now don't you appreciate all the free textbooks you got to use in high school, and why the teachers got so ticked off when students doodled in them?

Answer 5

Yeah, the libraries will have copies of most of the books you need. Sometimes, teachers will assign certain readings and perhaps have them turned into PDF files and have you read them off of the web.

However, you do have to buy the books most of the time...I mean, you're not going to want to be borrowing from someone all the time, right?

How to get them cheap?
Try amazon.com, ebay.com, and even abcbooks.com or beyondthebookstore.com I think it is. When possible, buy used books!
Remember that some bookstores allow you to sell them your textbooks back when you have finished using them. They will give you like 20% of what you paid for them.

Answer 6

The school library usually has some copies on reserve, which is how I got by as an extremely financially-poor student. Attending lectures is the most important thing of all if you really want to learn what is important (except that first semester calc prof of mine that only wanted to talk about Michigan-Ohio State football, at my division III school, waste of everyone's time). Not sure how on-line teaching works, waaayy after my time..

Answer 7

Check amazon for used books and stores around the campus

Answer 8

Ask the instructor. More often than not, many will allow you to use older editions, which costs pennies. Email them, it shows that you're intrested in the class and you really want to learn.