<p>How do you know which textbooks to buy? Where do you find out which books you need for which classes?</p>
<p>Go to <a href="http://www.vanderbiltbookstore.com%5B/url%5D">www.vanderbiltbookstore.com</a>, then to "Find Your Textbooks" in the upper right corner, and take it from there. If you prepay, your order will supposedly be waiting for you in the bookstore by the 19th. The site offers you the choice of new or used, though I personally would rather not buy a used text sight unseen until I determined just how "used" it was. </p>
<p>My d did this in about 5 minutes last night! Came to just over $350 - not bad, especially compared to her sister, who as a bio major always had to spend at least $500/semester on books. Once you're on campus, maybe you can work out a swap with friends who are taking a course fall semester that you plan to take in the spring (or some variation thereof).</p>
<p>$350? I'm jealous. I spent $450! For spring it will be easier to get cheaper books, though, because we'll be able to go to the bookstore and scope out all the ISBN #s and buy them for half the price on amazon.com.</p>
<p>If you were to change courses after the add/drop period, you can return the books, right? It wouldn't make sense not to.</p>
<p>Returning books usually has a short time period (varying from university to university from a few days to a couple weeks). You are always free to try to resell a book and get a fraction of its cost back.</p>
<p>how much do they buyback for?</p>
<p>Best case scenario is usually 50%, but it's pretty easy to get 20-35% of the value back. Yes, textbooks are a huge ripoff everywhere. Eventually though you will be keeping your books for reference as you progress through your major.</p>
<p>Don't open the packaging if you want to return it - Vandy is strict about that.</p>
<p>So I guess you shouldn't open your book till after add/drop period and you know for sure you're going to take the class. That sucks.</p>
<p>"So I guess you shouldn't open your book till after add/drop period and you know for sure you're going to take the class. That sucks."</p>
<p>It says on Vanderbilt's Academic Calendar that the drop/add deadline is Wed, Aug 31 and classes begin Wed, Aug 24. Going a week without using your books? I wouldn't advise it.</p>
<p>"If you were to change courses after the add/drop period, you can return the books, right? It wouldn't make sense not to."</p>
<p>Like I said, you can sell them back at a fraction of the price. You basically get ripped off no matter what you do, so just hope that you at least get to use them for a full semester before you try to sell them back.</p>
<p>Sooo.. you get ripped off if you drop or switch a class. Add/drop period costs money...</p>
<p>"Going a week without using your books? I wouldn't advise it." Usually you can manage. If the book's not shrinkwrapped, which most of them aren't, you're in good shape.</p>
<p>they ran out of chem 102a textbooks. I have to buy a new one. I got one off the internet and it was the right one, except it didn't come with the clicker and the owl. I have to buy a new one :(. Did everyone else get the books that they need?</p>