<p>where do many berkeley students get their textbooks? Cheapest? </p>
<p>Can someone explain how berkeley students get their books?</p>
<p>I'm taking physics 7a, comp sci 3l, math 53, comp lit 60ac this fall.
The physics "custom package"...what's that? There's 2 books and UC Berkeley PHysics 7A handbook? And there's a 'custom edition' for the math book?</p>
<p>Also, honor classes. For physics 7A, there's a H7A with different books. The catalog says that H classes are tested into the 1st week. I may/may not get into it. So which course's book to get? (the 7A book's around $70, ouch).</p>
<p>What I do is go on the Cal bookstore website, look at the required texts, and find them online. I’m pretty sure you can do the same at Ned’s online or through Bearfacts, which will take you to the Cal bookstore website.</p>
<p>Both Neds and the Cal bookstore make it hard to find the ISBN numbers you need, but sometimes the pictures on the Neds site are good enough to look for the author and title on Amazon, match the cover design to find the version, and then you can begin shopping. If you can physically get to either store, it gets much easier.
Go to Amazon, half.com and lots of other places online to get the books cheaper.</p>
<p>Is it okay to buy books that aren’t the same version? For example, my English 45a class requires The Canterbury Tales. Do I have to buy the same author/version that it requires, or can I pick up any book with the same title?</p>
<p>Depends. Some classes give assignments by page numbers. Particularly with texts, the problems may be different. On the other hand, if simply reading a book “up through chapter x”, then the exact edition isn’t so critical. When in doubt, ask.</p>
<p>And one more question: If Ned’s has a book set listed for a course I’ll be taking in the Fall, is it alright if I buy the books now? Or could the lists change before August?</p>