College Textbook--What a Rip!/How Much Did You Pay For Books This Semester?
Sep 12, 2005 at 6:20 AM Post #31 of 47
I signed a sheet of paper saying that I will put a book cover on my book.
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Sep 12, 2005 at 6:40 AM Post #32 of 47
Quote:

Originally Posted by [AK]Zip
4 books - $385. I am really getting tired of this one semester after another.

-Alex-



I hear you. College bookstores border on extortion. Even prices on stuff like pens and supplies (not to mention CDs and what not) are jacked up so much, it's a huge rip-off. Knowing that most of the money goes to the school, I wouldn't feel so opposed to paying those prices if it weren't for the fact that tuition is ridiculously expensive at many colleges to begin with. You'd think they'd be OK with merely making a fair profit on essential supplies. I wonder how much business Wal-Mart generates from students not willing to pay bookstore prices on supplies! Identical gear for half the price!
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Sep 12, 2005 at 9:54 AM Post #33 of 47
my physics book came to just over $380 (I wonder how many people gulp before they realise i'm in australia and it's only $280 or so american pieces of eight). And considering the stuff in my textbooks, and the extra things like online practice exams, CDs, full colour printing etc I'm inclined to say I belive the texts are worth it. Especially the ones i've used time and time again.

But then again i'm talking relatively good quality hard cover books.
 
Sep 12, 2005 at 10:18 AM Post #34 of 47
$938.67 All my Law School Books (all 5 of them).
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I could have purchased someones Grado HP-1 for that price.
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Seriously, this is such a rip off. Instead of helping students, they screw us. Such is the nature of Capitalism though.
 
Sep 12, 2005 at 2:43 PM Post #35 of 47
I have to be honest, I never purchased a textbook in college. I would just find someone who had the book, give them a case of beer to let me borrow it for the weekend, and went down to Kinkos with my iPod and copied the whole thing.

At $.05 a page, it's a lot cheaper to copy than it is to buy a book. I don't think I ever paid more than $25 for a book.
 
Sep 12, 2005 at 2:46 PM Post #36 of 47
Find someone in your major thats a semester or two ahead of you (and buys the books). Between borrowing from friends / my advisor, I dont think I spent a single dime on books in grad school.
 
Sep 12, 2005 at 3:46 PM Post #37 of 47
2 books, total = $180

Sharing one with a roommate

4 coursenotes/lab manuals = $70

so $250... pretty good this semester.

Last semester was over $500.

The Texas coop buys back books and sells them used. Even if the textbook distributors dont like it, its not like they can turn down the best market for nearly 50k students. And students get a 10% refund at the end of the year for any Coop purchases.

The internet is still a much cheaper way to get them.
 
Sep 13, 2005 at 2:49 AM Post #38 of 47
Quote:

Originally Posted by LFF
$938.67 All my Law School Books (all 5 of them).
confused.gif


I could have purchased someones Grado HP-1 for that price.
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Seriously, this is such a rip off. Instead of helping students, they screw us. Such is the nature of Capitalism though.



Hey another law student.
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At least I know its not just my school screwing us over, everyone is being screwed.
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Sep 13, 2005 at 7:07 AM Post #40 of 47
I bought 12 books for the two classes I'm taking right now, and my next block of 2 classes starts in about a month and a half, for which I'll probably have to buy about the same number. And I didn't even buy the required textbooks.

I have no idea how much I spent, since I bought almost everything used. Those couple I had to buy new were killers though. I actually bought more books to Review the material than I did to learn it. Medical school is weird.
 
Sep 13, 2005 at 7:38 AM Post #42 of 47
Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer
I was amazed when my books for the first semester of law school cost only $550. I am more amazed that they are now sitting in a box doing jack squat thanks to Katrina.
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Very sorry to hear that.
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But look on the brighter side of things, you still have your books, some people lost everything. Have you tried to enroll in another school?

Anyway, hope things eventually work out for you.
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Sep 13, 2005 at 7:44 AM Post #43 of 47
Spent around $200 on 5 books, gotta love half.com

I don't care if the editions are bootlegged or cheap/black and white... Spending the 400+ on the retail book store prices of these book is not my cup of tea. I used to do that, but i learned after spending about 3grand on textbooks.

Now i'm peddling them all off on half.com ; ). I love that place haha.
 
Sep 13, 2005 at 6:29 PM Post #44 of 47
Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer
I was amazed when my books for the first semester of law school cost only $550. I am more amazed that they are now sitting in a box doing jack squat thanks to Katrina.
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Sorry to hear that. Glad you made it out though. I know a lot of universities have opened their doors to Katrina victims... you might want to look in to doing this year someplace else and transfering the credits.

For example: I heard Northwestern is offering Tulane students temporary slots in their programs.
 
Sep 13, 2005 at 10:20 PM Post #45 of 47
Many schools are offering Enrollment for New Orleans College Students.

Rice accepted a limited # of Tulane students. UT and A&M are accepting many students (I'm sure the other public schools are too UofH, etc).

Outside of texas, I've heard Tennessee public schools are waiving tuition for displaced students.

Also, displaced students can recieve a $2000 debit card from FEMA (I've heard this from only 2 people, so may not be true for everyone).

anyway... back towards topic, I hate when textbooks come out with new editions every 2 years without changing anything but the page #s and Practice question #s. I understand its a business for them, but how can they justify $150 a book AND new editions.
 

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