The Truth About College Textbooks!

If you are going back to school this semester, the bookstore is an expensive deathtrap. Math, Business, Science majors are usually the ones who get zapped by high prices.
Here are some tips to keep costs down

1) Buy used!- Make friends with upperclassmen who can sell you their old books, check on the used sale prices beforehand to make sure you are getting a good deal. Buy on Amazon or other used book sites. These books fly first.
2) If you have to buy a workbook, sometimes the school will make copies available in the library. make copies of your assigned work for the next 4-6 weeks!
3) the library may have a copy on file for students who really cant afford it, ask professors and library techs. Do be warned, you can have a wait or a 1-3 hour limit to check it out and those can carry steep fines for late materials! plan accordingly.
4) Borrow- make good friends with upperclassmen. Return it, and send thank you cards and presents when you return it in GOOD condition.
5) If you are an upperclassman, make sure you lend to a student who you know well and can give you your book back. If its a very valuable book, ask for collateral, something important that they will need back eventually.
6) Sorry but some fields use the same editions or similar editions for years, but before you buy a used edition ask your professor if it will work.
7) you buy a $60 text book and your professor uses it only once in the class. (I had a prof use it for literally one paragraph of the $130 book for the entire semester!) If your professor does this, write a nice email and politely voice your dissatisfaction after you get your grade! Ask upperclassmen in the department about the professor's usage of the book, if they say it is not used much, use a library copy and book it ASAP. CC or BCC your department chair and dean in correspondence and follow up. some professors are negligent and don't care, but it is not the norm.
8) If you have the same professor for multiple classes, such as education classes. ( i had a professor who taught orchestra, music education, and instrument methods classes. I used the book regularly. and i still have them as valuable references for my profession.
9) I had a professor who wanted us to make a binder of readings for $40, i used it NONSTOP and it was a great investment. If you can, read them on your computer or e reader. this professor prohibited phones and e-readers because the material wasn't suited to be read on ipad or other e readers. also, the losers in the back play video games.
10) If your professor required you to read something and didn't give you a handout, you are responsible to get it. speak to the prof, or a library tech about your options on getting the material.
11) Sell back- sell it on Amazon or Ebay. selling to the bookstore wont get you a fair resale price.