You asked:

When should I buy my textbooks? Is the college bookstore the best place to purchase them?

Unfortunately, you’ll need to buy new textbooks every semester. Book lists for classes are often posted online early. Otherwise, on your first day of class, you’ll find out which ones you need when you get your syllabus -- which usually lists required and recommended reading. Some (annoying) professors make your first reading assignments due on day one, which means you’re already behind -- so get your textbooks pronto. That said, getting textbooks is the biggest pain. The school bookstore is a zoo at the beginning of every semester, and textbooks are ridiculously expensive. Students have no choice but to buy the books, so bookstores charge as much as they can.

Buying your books elsewhere saves time and money. This is especially easy for literature classes, since novels are readily available from other sources. As for your biology textbook, not so much. Try searching for special textbooks online at DealOz, which lists available sellers and prices for each book. Amazon or Barnes & Noble also offer paid memberships for additional discounts. Or do a search on Half or BigWords for used books. Oh, and make sure you look into return policies. An even bigger waste than bookstore-bought books are those you buy on the cheap but never open after dropping a class or finding out that “required” reading is not quite a necessity.

If you must resort to the bookstore (and it happens to us all), remember that you can sell good-condition books back at the end of the semester -- just don’t expect to get more than pocket change.

Name: Liz Cruger
School: College of William and Mary
Year: Senior
Major: Psychology and English lit
Her deal: This is Liz’s second year as an R.A. for freshmen. She is also involved in several campus activities, including pep band and the belly dance club.

TALK IT UP

Have a better answer? Share it here.