<p>My parents got the payment info today and nearly passed out. We're getting no financial aid and 52,000 a year is a lot. As far as I'm aware that number doesn't include books. How much do they cost? Do you need them for every class? Is there a cheaper way to get them rather than buying them brand new?</p>
<p>You can rent textbooks from different places and you can also buy them used from places like Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Chegg.com is good for renting but I would suggest buying the core books (like if you are a biology major, buy the biology book rather than renting it).</p>
<p>You can usually buy them used at Waterstreet Books, Williams’ bookstore. Are you sure the budget doesn’t include books? Often there is a place for those kind of expenses on the budget the school sends.</p>
<p>Also:</p>
<p>bigwords.com compares all the prices of textbooks, renting or buying. My sister says it’s the greatest website for a college student with not much money.</p>
<p>Our son got a campus job in the dining hall which helps to pay for books. Ask about campus job opportunities. First jobs go to those on financial aid, but our son got a job a few weeks into the semester and we were most appreciative. Also, he spends very little out of pocket money; just about everything social is covered or free so the money he makes goes towards books which, for him, seemed to be $400-600 each semester. If you go to buy books early, you can get used books; you can ‘sell’ books back to the bookstore after each semester.</p>
<p>For birthdays and holidays, friends and family gift with cash and an occasional Subway card; that money goes toward books and maybe a dinner out on Spring Street. Most of the time, the kids seem to gather on campus to participate in a lot of free activities. Laundry, books and a dinner out with friends now and then seems to be about all our son spends on, so far! The tuition is staggering, but it seems to be in line with just about every other LAC. The initial shock is rough on us parents, that’s for sure!</p>
<p>Williams estimates text books will average $800 per year. I believe the cost of books is included in the estimate Williams sent out last week. If you intend to major in the sciences you can expect to spend more on books.</p>
<p>I probably should start a new thread or something for this question, but since Mycroft brought it up, I’ll ask it. As far as campus jobs go, do they offer them in the admissions office? And if so what kinds of things would you do…answer phones, give tours?</p>
<p>I’ve heard that admissions office jobs is filing piles of paper that comes streaming in into applicants’ files and doing other misc things for the office. There is an application and interview process to becoming a tour guide that comes around during Winter Study and is very competitive</p>
<p>The price of books per course varies depending on the course. Here are some ways to save.</p>
<p>My son has saved a lot buying used books on-line. He also seems to prefer the convenience of going to the mail room. </p>
<p>I know he’s used amazon and abebooks. He also has bought used “international” editions of technical texts and saved a lot. If you find an “international” edition check with the professor to see if it’s the same version.</p>
<p>He’s read on-line versions at no cost of some material no longer covered by copyright .</p>
<p>OTHER COURSE EXPENSES: Another course related expense you might encounter is studio fees if you were to take an art studio course. There might be fees for music instruction. My son hasn’t gotten lab fees for physics labs. It’s possible they exist for other labs. Plus, there’s the cost of reading packets. Costs like these appear on term bills.</p>
<p>Other course expenses can be safety goggles and lab manuals, which caused about $15 total as a one-time expense (for intro bio/chem classes with labs).</p>
<p>Most freshman jobs seem to be working in the dining halls. The jobs seem to be rather flexible and the kids I’ve spoken with don’t complain. It appears that the kids get the easier, perhaps more pleasant jobs…unloading the dishwasher, stacking things, organizing. Schedule seems to allow for flexing for tests and pay is minimum wage for Massachusetts which is $8.75 per hour. This is based on my observations and conversations with our son and his friends who also work. Next year, he hopes to have different opportunities on campus rather than working in the dining hall.</p>
<p>The minimum wage in Mass is actually $8.00/hour, so the dining halls pay more. There is a sort of pay scale that is dependent on if you are able to do school work during work time. See [Williams</a> College :: Office of Financial Aid - Student Employment Classifications and Pay Rates](<a href=“Williams College”>Williams College)</p>
<p>That link also links off into some other helpful information about student employment/finaid.</p>
<p>Textbooks - well that depends a lot on what major you are. I’ve often been able to find all the books I’ve needed for my classes (mostly Div I/Div II) in the campus library or I’ve been able to request them through Inter Library Loan. DO NOT even consider buying them at Water Street Books - they’re a real rip off. Just use online used books stores if you really need to buy the book or else just get your books from the library.</p>
<p>As far as Campus Employment goes - I’m not sure how it works for students not on financial aid. I got an email in May before freshman year asking me to indicate my job preference. The folks who didn’t turn it in ended up working at dining halls, but the majority of students certainly don’t work there.</p>
<p>The most coveted jobs are the “monitor” positions - Sawyer Circulation (NOT Stacks!), Language Lab - where you can study while on the job. You get paid less but you can work more hours.</p>