Michele 1 #1 December 19, 2006 For those in college, how do you handle the book costs? I just researched my winter intersession class and spring semester classes, and for books only - and only the required material, not the supplemental stuff (which would come in handy), my book cost alone will be $783.25. $783.25. I *am* taking 17 units. 11 units are science with lab. But still. That's just book costs. That's not including tuition, or lab fees, or parking, or ASO, or health fees, or any of the other incidentals (like paper and pens...). And this is community college! How the hell am I supposed to afford this? Even buying used, I'm over $550. And some of the stuff I can't buy used (i.e. lab manuals, experiment logs, et cetera...). Good grief! I asked for Christmas that my family create an account over at the bookstore...but I don't think they took me seriously. I have no idea what I'm gonna do. I have to take these classes, but can I even afford to buy the freakin' books? Good Lord. Just thought I'd rant a little bit. I'm freaking out right about now. But I gotta go study for two finals...sometimes I feel like Scarlett O'Hara - "Tomorrow's anothah day..." so I'll think about it tomorrow. Sigh. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #2 December 19, 2006 Quote I asked for Christmas that my family create an account over at the bookstore...but I don't think they took me seriously. Well duh...don't they celebrate Hanukah? One option: http://www.lesko.com/ ... maybe he's got a line in his book to help... Keep selling houses! Seriously, if it's an issue, is a school loan an option? Honestly I don't know.So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caspar 0 #3 December 19, 2006 share books with your coursemates? borrow text books from the library. over here we are advised to buy the books but our library has a few copies you can get on long term loans (3 months). do you really need to have all those books? im sure you could mis out a few, and when you need to do research just use the library and the web. still,that seems like a crazy amount money! good luck"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHusband 0 #4 December 19, 2006 i feel your pain. i just bought my books for spring and was a little surprised that even used books were almost $100. not as bad as my wife's books though. some of hers cost almost $300. "Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama www.kjandmegan.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #5 December 19, 2006 Quote Well duh...don't they celebrate Hanukah? Dude...Channukah and Christmas, thank you! LOL!!! Dad's jewish, Mom's episcopalian, my brother's Christian, and I'm "spritiual." So basically the whole month of December we party. Kewlio! Student loan is a good idea; I'm finally approved for one, but the amount is still undetermined (and won't be until after the new year...so I have no idea how much it will be). Since I took 18 units this semester, will take 5 over intersession, and 17 units next semester, I haven't been selling houses. There is a reason I've gone back to school - it's so I don't have to be a realtor for the next 25 years... It's just a whole lotta money, irrespective of where it comes from. I've already informed the cats they need to learn how to hunt for their dinner. Simon laughed at me. Like pretty boy is going to hunt or anything. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mostly_Harmless 0 #6 December 19, 2006 My father pays for mine._________________________________________ www.myspace.com/termvelocity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #7 December 19, 2006 Quote borrow text books from the library. over here we are advised to buy the books but our library has a few copies you can get on long term loans (3 months). Not us. We can only have them out for 3 weeks, and then we can't check them out again for a period of time. Not sure if it's the same for texts, but I'm pretty sure it is. Quote do you really need to have all those books? im sure you could mis out a few, and when you need to do research just use the library and the web. I haven't included the "recommended" books, just the "required" books. So yes, I need all those books. As far as sharing them with classmates, it doesn't generally work that well. The person who owns it, rightly expects that they'll have it for exam preps and such. And that's one of the primary things I want them for; exams. And others you have to record experiments and lab work in, so you need your own copy. So no, sharing isn't really workable; not in these classes (microbio, physiology, et cetera). Quote still,that seems like a crazy amount money! good luck Yep, it is crazy. I'll just direct those who ask why I'm not jumping right now to this thread for the reason...I can't afford it. I had hoped I could get recurrent, repacked, and back in the air in April, but it just doesn't look like it now. Sigh. Maybe summer. Man, that's a long time away. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #8 December 19, 2006 Quote My father pays for mine. Then you owe him straight A's. And a giant hug. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #9 December 19, 2006 The library carries a copy of most course books. I spent a semester using them when I couldn't afford to buy the books I needed for two classes. The only problem with that is you can't leave the library with them. Did you talk with the book store about making payments?TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #10 December 19, 2006 Quote not as bad as my wife's books though. some of hers cost almost $300. Sciences, yes? The science books for me is what is costing the most. $177 used for one text...and then add manuals and lab logs, and it gets to about $230 before I get the required ones. Not the recommended ones, the required ones. And the text is used. Glad to know others are feeling the pinch too...I am soooooo questioning my decision to change my life and go back to school. Sometimes I think "what kinda fool am I?????" Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #11 December 19, 2006 I've already decided that I'm going to get disgustingly rich by going into college textbook publishing. Mine were over $400 for 14 units; I'm scared to find out how much the books for 18 units of spring semester are gonna be. Even better, the bookstore only buys them back during finals week and guess what? My last final on Friday, for which I have to have one of the books with me, starts after the bookstore closes. Oh well, at least it's a book I won't mind having in my collection... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #12 December 19, 2006 Quote Did you talk with the book store about making payments? Not allowed. I checked. The problem with the library is exactly what you said; they only let you use them there. Which wouldn't be such a problem if they were open 24 hours...but they're not. And I tend to get most of my studying done in the evening, as well as having evening classes 4 nights a week. So...well...there goes that. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JENNR8R 0 #13 December 19, 2006 Can you sell the books from the classes that you have finished?What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy ones? -- Monday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #14 December 19, 2006 http://www.campusi.com saved me a TON of cash. I did well on eBay as well, just make sure you use the ISBN as a cross reference so you ge tthe right edition.Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #15 December 19, 2006 Quote Can you sell the books from the classes that you have finished? Two I can. The others I can't (lab records and experiment logs). One I want to keep for reference (Anatomy), and the lab manual I borrowed from the instructor; that goes back to him at finals. I can sell the math book and the poli sci book back, but that's less than $100. So I'm still screwed. The books I have to buy for these next two sessions can be sold back, though, at least partly. I might want to keep the micro and physio for reference, but the rest (including $177 worth of english reference books) will be sold back next June. But that still just sucks, you know? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #16 December 19, 2006 Quote including $177 worth of english reference books Doubt you'll need them if it's just a comp class. All the grammar stuff (like you need that! ) and formatting stuff can be found on the internet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunshine 2 #17 December 19, 2006 I feel your pain. I still need to go buy my books for spring semester, but have been too scared of price shock. ___________________________________________ meow I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #18 December 19, 2006 Slotperfect, I will look and see if I can't get what I need there. There has got to be a way to not pay those costs. Lis, I already spoke with the instructor. She wants me to have them all, even if I "don't think I need them." She says no-one is that good off the street. I am not looking forward to this class..... ..... ... Sunnyone, I am in sticker shock right now. And I can't bargain with these sellers... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hjumper33 0 #19 December 19, 2006 Half.com has good used texts. Having two advanced science degrees and working on a 3rd, Ill tell you that the biggest waste of money is buying books for the classes that profs give out lecture notes/readings for. I cannot tell you how many classes ive taken where I read 0 pages of the book. Make sure you need them before you buy them, ask people that took the class, and if they say, oh I used it a couple of times, go to the library like people said before Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeatherB 0 #20 December 19, 2006 I used http://valorebooks.com several times for my grad school books last year. I'd go to the school bookstore, jot down ISBNs and prices for new and used textbooks and then get online and find the cheap "international" editions with the softcovers. I often found the softcover versions of textbooks for under $30. (as opposed to up to $150). Same exact text but with a softcover and sometimes less expensive/glossy paper! Saved me a bunch of money since my employer didn't reimburse for books. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHusband 0 #21 December 19, 2006 Quote Quote not as bad as my wife's books though. some of hers cost almost $300. Sciences, yes? The science books for me is what is costing the most. $177 used for one text...and then add manuals and lab logs, and it gets to about $230 before I get the required ones. Not the recommended ones, the required ones. And the text is used. Glad to know others are feeling the pinch too...I am soooooo questioning my decision to change my life and go back to school. Sometimes I think "what kinda fool am I?????" Ciels- Michele my wife's books are science books, medical books in fact. i wish this thread had been brought up a couple weeks ago, i may have saved some money with all the resouces people have listed here. i'll have to dig this back up before summer session. i am fortunate though that i have the gi bill. i won't have to come out of pocket until summer of '08. "Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama www.kjandmegan.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #22 December 19, 2006 Hjumper33 and Heather, thanks for those sites. I'll look into them before I buy any of the books at the bookstore. I can get the ISN numbers from the website for school, so...it's worth a little checking (especially if I can save that much $$!). The books that are most expensive will be used extensively - the sciences books. So I need those without doubt. None of the professors I had this semester did anything along the lines of handouts, and all referenced the book during lectures. So I think the classes I'm taking tend to use the books pretty extensively, you know? Still and all...$177 for english??? Again, thanks for the links. I appreciate the help very much! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #23 December 19, 2006 I would buy a used copy online (on amazon.com or something) of the previous edition of the book. Often, very little is changed and you could probably talk to your professor to look at the current edition to see what is different, and perhaps make copies where changes are important. I've done this before and a book that would have cost near $100 ended up costing about $15 for an earlier edition. It is a little bit more work this way, but it has always worked out for me and instructors have been willing to work with me. They appreciate the financial struggles of college students. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #24 December 19, 2006 I had a few professors who chose their books because they were cheap and good. They were proud of how inexpensive their books were - yet the stuff in them was good. I had a few professors who used the same book year after year so they could stockpile them and hand them to the next class on consignment - basically "paying it forward." I would tell your professors what you think... That in this day and age of Internet and other technologies, that costs do matter, and that they should look out for your best interest - which is the $30 textbook, not the $150 version... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #25 December 19, 2006 Quote She says no-one is that good off the street. Yeah, that's what my instructor said too. Until he saw my first paper. Seriously, regardless of what the teacher said - don't buy any of the reference books until you have a need for them (and I highly doubt you will). You really should post the ISBN/etc of the books you need... ya never know, someone here may have one or more of them collecting dust... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
