<p>Hey, when I went to Orientation, I talked to a woman from the bookstore who recommended ordering used books ahead of time as soon as I registered for classes. Now that I have my schedule set up (though it is subject to change), how do I find out what books I should get for each course?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>The bookstore website is really easy to use: Your</a> Customized Textbook List - Binghamton University Bookstore</p>
<p>All you have to do is put in your classes and it generates a textbook list for you. Once that list is made, however, I highly recommend looking for your books on other sites before buying them from the bookstore. College bookstores are generally way more expensive than other sites. I've had good luck with AbeBooks:</a> New & Used Books, Textbooks, Rare & Out of Print Books in the past, and with independent sellers on Amazon. </p>
<p>If you're comfortable with waiting for the first week of classes, you can also ask professors if an older edition of the textbook is acceptable. Textbooks are often revised, but sometimes substantial changes are not made. As an example, I had a sociology book whose only change from one edition to the next was the organization of the chapters. The content was virtually identical. Most professors understand that textbooks are a huge expense for college students, and they may be willing to work with you.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help! I'll definitely check out those other websites, I never would have thought to look elsewhere. </p>
<p>So, correct me if I'm wrong, but is the smartest way to go about this to get the textbooks listed, not open the wrapping or anything, and then check with the professors during the first week of classes to make sure you have the right material?</p>
<p>You're very welcome!</p>
<p>What I've done in the past is hold off on buying books until I can speak to my profs. I explain my financial situation (I take out loans, and that's basically all the money I have, I'll be looking for a job on campus but things really are tight for me financially), and ask if an older edition of the book is acceptable. If they say yes, they generally give a guideline ("Anything after the 7th edition is fine", or "The previous edition is acceptable, but nothing older"). If they say no, I order the cheapest used copy I can find.</p>
<p>The risk with this is that you might not have the book for a week or two after class starts. At my previous university (I'm a transfer student), most books were on reserve in the library. If your books aren't on reserve, you risk falling behind (and I have had that happen, it's not fun). For me, the risk is worth the money saved. It might not be for you, that's something you have to think about.</p>
<p>Even if you order used current editions from alternate sources, you're gonna save money. Since you can already find out what your books are, I suggest comparison shopping now and ordering when you find inexpensive ones. That's what I'm planning to do. Just remember that the bookstore is overpriced. Outside sellers are your friend. I know that there's at least one bookstore near campus that sells used textbooks, MandoBooks.com</a> - The better way to buy your textbooks.. If you want to wait until you get to school to buy them, that might be a place to look. I know a few people who have saved money by shopping there.</p>
<p>Good luck. If you have any more questions, ask away!</p>
<p>okay for instance, my calculus course requires "calculus: single variable by stewart" edition6 2008 .. but i found a lot of edition6 2007 online for pretty cheap. would it be okay if i bought that instead of buying the 2008 edition from the university bookstore? also, it is the same case with the chemistry textbook i need "chemistry principles by zumdahl"; the list of required textbooks asks for the 2009 edition6 but i found some 2007 edition6s .. is it the same or should i spend an extra 100 to be safe and buy it from the university bookstore? i have the money available for books, but i dont want to spend so much of it and i dont want to risk missing a week of class's work just to save a bit of money.</p>
<p>and lastly, approximately how much do you spend on textbooks in one semester? i find it ridiculous that im going to spend approximately 600-700 dollars for textbooks i will only use for 5 months ..</p>
<p>You could try emailing your prof, but I wouldn't buy an off-edition book without asking first. In the case of math texts, they may have updated problem sets and stuff. If you're not doing the same examples as the rest of the class, you're going to struggle. If they're both edition6 and just issued in different years...I would be confused, and therefore wary. I completely understand not wanting to miss a week's worth of work. If you have the money, I might just go for it and buy from the bookstore. I don't want to advise you to do the wrong thing, you know?</p>
<p>At my former university, I was spending $400 to $500 per semester on books. I'm majoring in history, and from what I've been told, our books (that is, books for liberal arts majors) tend to be less expensive than the books that hard science (chemistry, etc.) and math majors generally need.</p>
<p>Well, at this point I still haven't gotten my textbooks, mostly because I've been concerned with getting the wrong editions or having a problem like that. I think I might just wait until I get to school. Do most people order online? I don't want to feel like I'm one of the few who is unnecessarily spending more money for books, lol. </p>
<p>Oh, but I guess I can still try that MandoBooks store.</p>
<p>hey canjet, i have that same problem. i found a lot of books online that were more than 2x cheaper than the university bookstore's used books but im scared that they are the wrong editions. i also noticed that my list of required textbooks was updated recently, so im not sure if they would be adding more books or even take off some from the list.</p>
<p>to any upperclassmen, when is it a good time to buy the textbooks and approx how much do you spend per semester?</p>
<p>hey canjet, i have that same problem. i found a lot of books online that were more than 2x cheaper than the university bookstore's used books but im scared that they are the wrong editions. i also noticed that my list of required textbooks was updated recently, so im not sure if they would be adding more books or even take off some from the list.</p>
<p>to any upperclassmen, when is it a good time to buy the textbooks and approx how much do you spend per semester?</p>
<p>I generally order offline, but for first timers, it might well be better to order from the school - one less thing to worry about. My suggestions might have been a little over ambitious for first-timers, sorry for any confusion!</p>
<p>Yeah, I think considering how confusing/stressful this time can be, the best way to go would just be to wait to get to school before buying books. It might be some more money, but it's most important to get the right books. </p>
<p>I still appreciate the help, orcasand0wls! Thanks!</p>
<p>wait!</p>
<p>there'll be flyers around school.. a lot of kids try to sell the books themselves because buy backs are usually rip offs. most professors don't expect you to have your books til like a week and a half into class so no rush. for english classes, half.com is your best friend</p>
<p>Yeah I have found that it's quite difficult to get the specific editions on other websites. And honestly, I don't think that it's that big of a deal but I personally prefer to go through the bookstore, even though it is a rip off. So hopefully I'll get some things used, doubtfully though. But I definitely plan on selling them back and making some cash back.</p>
<p>I'm just lucky that my books weren't all too expensive. I know a lot of science majors who are spending hundreds more than myself.</p>