Holy Crap...college books are freakin expensive...

[Urban Redneck]

West's Business Law text book...$145. Thought I'd be slick and go to Amazon...$142+shipping...BASTARDS!

 

[RichP]

Talk to the hand, I have one son in college, criminal justice program, wife going for masters in reading ed and daughter starting in sept... between son and wifes books thats an installed lift kit every semester... or by the time they are all done I could have had TWO rubicon unlimiteds.... :rattle:

 

[ECKSJAY]

Gosh, VA pays for all my stuff.

 

[hoytinak]

Check out the local bookstores by the college...they usually have the used books for alot cheaper. I saved about $100 buying mostly used books.

 

[5-90]

Yeah - I hear ya. I only buy the books I absolutely need, and my school money is coming from Federal Pell grants and VA, so I'm not too bad off - but most of my fuel comes out of that money as well, as well as about half of my vehicle repairs. Ugh.

I've been trying to save up for a new computer, but I keep having to fix things, so that's been on hold for over a year. I keep this one running by force of will more than anything else.

Machine Shop Practice - $85 new (needed the ref tables more than anything else.)
Algebra - $90 new (first maths course in 17 years.)
Trigonometry (next quarter) - $100 new. Shouldn't need anything else.

I was supposed to get an MLA handbook for English Writing this quarter (for $80) but I used a website I'd found with MLA formatting and guidelines, and used that instead.

Is it any wonder the stereotype of "starving student" still holds true?

5-90

 

[awt28]

A friend of mine buys his daughters books at half.com. You should check it out. He says that you can get books there pretty cheap.

 

[CW]

Yeah I had to drop $600 on books for 18 credits and it only gets worse after this year.

 

[Gridikal]

Found a kick ass site where you can buy used books www.ecampus.com Got all my books there for second semester. The first semester I spent over 400 at the college bookstore... I spent just 70 on that site.

 

[cherokee89]

This may help a little...

http://www.addall.com/

 

[Fergie]

Yeah I had to drop $600 on books for 18 credits and it only gets worse after this year.

I've done that every semester of college. Luckily, I've had scholarships, stipends and my money to apy for them. The only redeeming value is the fact that return money is a bonus to th wife and I at the end of the year.

Fergie

 

[Ramsey]

dropped about 350 this semester, only 12 hours. my brother did manage to find one of his on amazon for 76 cents, opposed to about 125$ new.

 

[BrettM]

dropped about 350 this semester, only 12 hours. my brother did manage to find one of his on amazon for 76 cents, opposed to about 125$ new.

buy as many as you can and sell them to everyone in the class for $50 each

 

[Big Red]

Check ecampus.com & book stores around the college. When kids get insulted at what the school bookstore will give them for the book they paid top $ for a few months ago, they often bring them there or sell them to ecampus. The prices are crazy, but make sure you keep the receipts and claim them on your taxes or your parents' tax return. There is a nice/big school exp credit available. I cannot use that anymore now that's I'm not in school, but have been thinking of going for my MBA. I miss school. :laugh3:
Troy

 

[Atl XJ]

Yeah I had to drop $600 on books for 18 credits and it only gets worse after this year.

Same boat here. 18 hrs is rough, good luck with that.

 

[Yucca-Man]

I've done that every semester of college. Luckily, I've had scholarships, stipends and my money to apy for them. The only redeeming value is the fact that return money is a bonus to th wife and I at the end of the year.

"Return money" ?? That's what the bookstore pays at the end of the semester for the books? $80 for a 'used' book and IF they even buy it back I'm lucky to get 10% in return. It's quite a great scam they've got going there...

 

[Beej]

Try petitioning some of your instructors to use coursepacks instead. Coursepacks are university compilations of photocopied research articles, journal submissions and book chapters where royalties are paid to the authors/copyright holders in order to minimize the costs associated with purchasing the full deal. I try to use these with my students whereever possible. It can mean a huge difference in cost; like 40.00 for a coursepack that would be equivalent to $200-300 in books or journals. The other thing I like to do is put together a list of readings for the students rather than have them buy the books. I put the book or journal on reserve in the library and then the students can come in and read the articles or photocopy them for themselves rather than having to buy the books. Lots of professors are starting to do this nowadays. Also, you can often refer your students to online journals available only to registered students through the library. I remember all the money I used to have to pay for books and I hated it, so that's why I try to cut the students' costs when I can. Sometimes though, there's just no way around it, we have to get a book in order to get the right information for the class. But again, whenever possible, I gather free publisher copies and loan them out to my students who can't afford their books. I feel for you American guys who have to pay through the nose for a post-secondary education. At least up here in Canada its government subsidized. My last degree would have cost me $52,000 CDN if I had gone to University of Washington, instead of the $12,000 CDN it cost me up here. Sad stuff if you ask me...
B.

 

[DrMoab]

Now I know why we are so much smarter then you! :gag: :laugh3: