<p>Hi! I'm going to be a freshman at Columbia (College) this fall. When exactly does course registration take place, and when are placement exams? Also, where can I find textbook names with ISBN numbers (the college bookstore list of textbooks lacks ISBN's) for courses I'm hoping to register for?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Freshman registration happens a few days before classes start, during orientation. Placement exams also all happen during orientation. I'm not sure about the ISBN numbers, but i guess if you knew the name of the book you could look it up on Amazon.</p>
<p>Class registration: Friday/Saturday after move in.</p>
<p>Placement exams are all during orientation week, as noted above, but individual exams are scheduled by each department and you'll need to check with them for timing.</p>
<p>You don't necessarily need the ISBNs, if you've got the title and author you can find most of the books online through Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, or Borders.</p>
<p>But I'd hold off buying them until you actually register for classes. Freshman get last pick and beyond Frontiers/Gateway/University Writing/Lit Hum you're not really guaranteed a spot in anything, except maybe freshman orgo.</p>
<p>ive been wondering about this as well. im not really sure what classes im going to take so the book thing is kinda shaky for me. can you get the books from like cu bookstore or something between registration and the beginning of classes?</p>
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ive been wondering about this as well. im not really sure what classes im going to take so the book thing is kinda shaky for me. can you get the books from like cu bookstore or something between registration and the beginning of classes?
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<p>yes, and the book store even has a list of text books for every class and has the textbooks shelved by subject and by class so they'r easy to find. A good idea is to go to the bookstore and get all the information of which books you will need and then buy them elsewhere.</p>
<p>Also, i suggest waiting after at least your first class to buy any textbooks...except for lit hum of course and i think ur best bet for that class is to get the box set from the CU bookstore for ~$200.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice Shraf. Also, why do you suggest waiting until after classes start to buy the books? Im a SEAS kid btw if that makes any difference.</p>
<p>Does the CU bookstore sell any second-hand books?</p>
<p>Also someone said that freshmen get last pick with classes outside Lit Hum etc. - does that mean if you do manage to get into one of those classes you will generally be surrounded by a bunch of sophomores?</p>
<p>Some books will be ordered in bulk through Labryinth Books (who have a website and online catalog), on 112th st.</p>
<p>Some books will actually be professors' notes, photocopied and bound in bulk by CopyQuick, a place on 119th & amsterdam.</p>
<p>Most books will be done through the columbia bookstore, a barnes & noble affiliate that HOSES students on the prices of textbooks.</p>
<p>You can get secondhand books via Dogears.net (and/or facebook). Lots will be posted as the school year approaches and starts.</p>
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why do you suggest waiting until after classes start to buy the books?
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<p>it takes alot less effort to just go to the first class and have the prof tell you which book you need and get an idea of how much you might need it rather than going out there and making a big effort to find out which book it is and then maybe finding out ur prof won't use the book or is using a different one. Also, some profs will tell you whether it's ok to use an older version of a book which is very important if you want to save money.</p>
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Does the CU bookstore sell any second-hand books?
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<p>Yes, although obviously they are the first to go.</p>
<p>If you're really intent on buying books ahead of time, I would suggest emailing the prof. I've emailed some of my instructors this summer and they've been happy to provide this information. I can't promise you'll get the same response I did, but you can try. Write them once. If they want to respond, they will.</p>
<p>Also, different sections of the same class might use different editions of the same book.</p>
<p>Classes start in 3 weeks so just wait like Shraf suggested.</p>
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Does the CU bookstore sell any second-hand books?
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<p>the used books in the bookstore are overpriced...if you are gonna buy something used find another source....they actually don't sell that well at the bookstore its just that noone sells their books back to the bookstore since it's an absurd ripoff.</p>