What are the pros and cons of buying the previous edition of a textbook to avoid the high prices of the latest edition. Does anyone have any experience with this? For example:
“Porth’s Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States” 9th edition costs $240.55 new but the 8th edition costs $216.56 (90%) less. If you want a used textbook the 9th edition costs $73.29 but the 8th edition is only $15.02 (80% less). Here’s a side-by-side comparison (http://whichedition.com/books/porths-pathophysiology-concepts-of-altered-health-statesninth-edition,3869/) with publication dates, page counts, and publishers notes for both editions.
Ask the prof if it is okay before you do it. With the textbook, it can be hard to follow passages if the location (page #) has changed, and a problem if the chapter review problems are different.
The only lower price I see on Amazon is for a textbook rental. Is that what you mean about getting the same ISBN for less?
I think you’re right that there are content changes that may not show up in the publisher’s notes. I think the only way to be sure an older edition would work without at least some complications would be to do a page by page comparison. I wish that were practical or affordable!
My kids rented textbooks – if it isn’t a book you need to own for future grad school prep/studies, you can usually do that. This isn’t a new problem, by the way – we used to wrestle with if 30+ years ago, too.
Just ask the prof, as intparent said. And no one checks page by page. But:
I see that ISBN dates to 2013. So already older. (The 8 is from 2008. I’d forget it.) Amazon has used under $100. See the publisher site lww where they offer it for $138. You need to check if there are additional resources (CD or online key) this doesn’t include, whatever supplier you use. You can call the publisher.
You checked options through your college, right? Cuz I see some offer it less than 200.
We’ve ordered via Amazon and from publishers, (had no issues with the latter, but this was some time ago.)
Cool, my oldest kids are in high school now, but I definitely remember the annoyance of the textbook market from my college days. We didn’t have the renting option back then.
@intparent I had a network of students to buy and sell used books where I got more than the bookstore would give me for buy back and bought used from students at more than bookstore would give them but less than my price at bookstore for used.
Our battle 30 years ago was prof using a new text every year, and that would happen. But the online code and CD is a big blow to used books savings.
@lookingforward No, my grad school day are over, thankfully. I was just looking for some feedback on using older editions as a strategy for students in general. I’ve got three nephews/nieces in college.
Yes, my D2 went to a small school and had anetwork of older students she got cheap books from, too. Amazon Prime helps – you can wait til the first day of class when you have the syllabus to see which texts are going to. be used a lot, too.
student’s just have to ask the prof for each class if they need the online content. If so, renting may be best option. Very few undergrad books that you need to keep.
