Very Basic, yet Important Question

<p>When should we order our textbooks for the fall semester? I am so new to everything that goes into a college education... any help would be greatly appreciated! :)</p>

<p>You can order them now if you want. You can get them either at the Penn State Bookstore or off of places like Amazon.com if you want to save money.</p>

<p>What is the latest time that we can order them? My loan funds won't be disbursed until late Aug. I have some money in my bank account now that I could use and then use the loan funds to replace that, but I don't know if that's OK to do or not.</p>

<p>Well, you'll want to allow a week or so for shipping if you order them online. If not, you could always pick them up at the bookstore whenever your classes need them.</p>

<p>Where do you find the information about which books are required for your class?</p>

<p>you can order your books using this online form: <a href="http://psu.bkstore.com/bkstore/TextbookSelection.do?st=435%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://psu.bkstore.com/bkstore/TextbookSelection.do?st=435&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>All you need to do is enter your course information and the bookstore will get the books you need and hold them there on reserve for you. Although this only works if you want to use the school bookstore rather than Amazon.com. I'm not sure how you would find out which classes require which books short of calling or going to the bookstore and finding out.</p>

<p>You can also check out the Student Book Store on College Avenue. It looks like their prices are lower than those in the HUB. Here's the link:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.thestudentbookstore.com/ePOS/this_category=199&store=520&form=shared3/gm/main.html&design=520%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.thestudentbookstore.com/ePOS/this_category=199&store=520&form=shared3/gm/main.html&design=520&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>According to the Student Book Store, books can be ordered online and either delivered to your home or held for pick-up when you arrive on campus.</p>

<p>I dislike how some classes have you pick one of two required books (both are in the required category, but you only have to pick one of them). How do you know which one is best to pick?</p>

<p>Wow. Thanks for the info. You guys know so much stuff.</p>

<p>At the campus book store there are computer terminals and you swipe your ID and a list prints out of your classes and sections and the books you need (be sure you get the right one for your section)
There will be "optional" ones that are usually study guides and such. My son's first term we ordered everything on the list from the Student Book Store and it came to over $600. Talk about sticker shock.
But it does get cheaper:
He tried the study guides but never used them so doesn't get them any more.
Gets used books whenever possible.
As you progress you will use some books for several classes so yes you should sell them back but only if you are done with that sequence.
Also keep you receipt because if you change a class or get a wrong book you can return it for what you paid but only up to a certain date; after that you only get the resell price (even if you really didn't use it).</p>