College books
 

So this year signaled the start of my college career, and with it, my first encounter with college textbooks.

I've always heard and been told that books were super expensive, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that 3 used books would cost almost as much as an Xbox360.

Is there any reasoning to the absurd price tag on these things? I just cannot imagine why a 200 page book would cost $116.99US unless it was written by Jesus HIMSELF and presented to me on plate of pure platinum.



ps. I just realized I lost one of my books today and am pissed that I'll have to buy it all over again. cry:

I spent a little over 180 on 3. ITS CALLED BUY USED lol.

[quote="Short Hand":d9759]I spent a little over 180 on 3. ITS CALLED BUY USED lol.[/quote:d9759]

Serious question, did you read my post?

i didn't buy books until i felt absolutely necessary. saved me from purchasing quite a few that i wouldn't have needed. i spent the money on a hooker, she was all the biology i needed.

amazon.com and buy them used. you most times can save more than 1/2. look em up on there and youll find them.

I purchased my 3 book threw threw a bulletin board for 180, they would cost have cost me 700 + without the included software and notebook material included... rolleyes: (One is a 8000 page illustrator book)

i dont buy my books till the 1st week of class. saves me money

I was going to try to do this, and see if I could just kind of BS my way past some stuff, but all three books so far have already been used and most of my homework requires me to cite from the books directly.

It's a communist plot methinks.

Yep, it's the only way to go man. I just bought a book for two cents the other day, ROFL.

Re: College books
 

biggrin: happy: biggrin: happy: biggrin:

The good news (at least in my case) is that when you get up into your higher level classes, you pretty much stop using textbooks and start reading novels and documents. Books that will go for about $25 or $30 in the book store. I got them on Amazon anywhere from $2.70 - $6.43. Of course there was a $20 S&H for 8 books as well, but the base price more than makes up for it.

[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/27/business/yourmoney/27digi.html?ei=5058&en=c65f36ee674accde&ex=1157256 000&partner=IWON&pagewanted=all:a6dda]Holy fucking long URL[/url:a6dda]

ps a big chunk of my debt was collge textbooks and if you think its a rip off now, wait untill you play the sell back game and get 30 bucks for all 3 of those books.

"Ooo im sorry that book is now an old edition we can give you 2 bucks for it."

Ive had alot of peeps go to staples and copy the entire thing and return it back in the 1st week for a full refund.

The worst is when you buy a $140 economics book written by your professor SPECIFIC to that semester. Then you go back and try to sell it, but you can't since it's only good for 1 semester. Now THAT is a ripoff.

I remember I sold back my children psych book, the communist manifesto and 3 other german literature books and got $20 for them all when the children psych book cost me $90 to begin with.

OWNED ed:

They charge so high because you're gonna buy the books no matter the cost.

Its like going to a movie, $4 for a bottle of water I can get at 7/11 for $.95 cents, you're gonna buy it no matter what if you want it. Same thing with gas as well.

I went with my friend when he had to buy books and he dropped like 500 on 3 books. That shit's gotta suck.

unless you really need the money to support your crack additions, i dont see why you would want to sell them back. especially if they are on the subject you are trying to pursue as a career.

selling the books gives you more money to buy books in the future. It's almost like recycling your money. But think about all of the stupid General Education courses they make you take...atleast 8 or 9 classes of random bullshit.

yea I would have no use for my lit books or PHYSICS 101 150 dollar edition shit

Actually, that's exactly what I do, since a lot of the books I have are very specific to a certain topic, and having that material has actually helped me in future classes. I've had several classes where we discuss the exact same material, so it's just copy/paste. Book buybacks are like taking back some of your old PS2 games. What's the point?

This summer I had a class and I used the exact same paper I wrote in the fall. Got a 96 the first time around and a 98 the second time. biggrin:

i stole mine

books can be a ripoff, but you just have to figure its a cost of going to college. shop around online for cheaper sales. you can also ask your professor if you absolutely have to have the latest edition. sometimes you wont need it becuase you never crack open the book in class and just need the reference for home reading. i had a teacher one semester who had published a study guide for a text book. he listed his study guide as required course material on his syllabus eek:

i never try to resell my books because its a joke. i just keep them.

I always go to the class before I buy the book. If it looks like i really need it ill buy it, otherwise ill get by without.

and yeah, ive bought a book and then took it back to sell and they said their not using that book anymore so i cant sell it back. $150 down the drain. i didnt even really use the book. i have a stack in my closet about 3 ft high after 5 years. i keep telling myself im going to bring them back but maybe i will once im totally done in a couple months.

It's shit ass...id be loaded if I dind't have to buy books (or pay tuition)

But with the tuition costs...i don't see why the books aren't free.

In many countries, secondary school is free.

I usually try to wait until after the first week of classes to buy books because there are almost always books that they tell you to buy that you don't need.

I've probably spent about $350 this semester on books

Fail your classes, books will be cheaper the next time around as you wont have to buy new ones.

[quote="TGB!":02d5c]Buy the previous edition of the book. Seriously. In the past couple of semesters - I have bought the previous edition of chemistry and sociology books, and havent spent more than 10 bucks on a single one. . .whereas the current edition runs 60-80 bucks. . .used. I have not once had a situation where I missed material - other than page numbers being out of whack.[/quote:02d5c]
I might end up doing this for my math class. I already have the book but its hte 6th edition and they are saying I need the 7th. I might jsut say fuck it unless I find the book for uber cheap.