|
Home
COLLEGE
UNIVERSITY
An Education in Saving on
Textbooks
Every year students flock to the college bookstore to
purchase the various textbooks that they require for
their classes. Little do these students realize that, in
doing so, they are throwing good money away. As
unbelievable as it may seem textbooks, in some cases,
actually cost as much, if not more, than tuition.
On the surface the college bookstore may seem like a
convenient source for textbooks. Titles are usually
in-stock and students may purchase new textbooks or opt
for the cheaper alternative of used books. In truth the
money saved by purchasing used textbooks from the
college bookstore is only a fraction of the amount that
students could be saving if they shopped online.
More and more online booksellers have begun selling
textbooks at a considerable discount off of the cover
price. In fact, many major booksellers now have special
areas of their web sites that are devoted to selling
nothing but textbooks. Online used bookstores are
another source for college books as they stock a large
number of textbooks, which means sizable savings for
students. There are also web-based retailers whose
inventory is entirely devoted to college books.
Students should avoid purchasing their textbooks at the
first store that they browse. Instead, they should
investigate the alternatives offered by other online
booksellers. Price isn't the only factor to consider
when making an online purchase. Students should also
factor in shipping costs and delivery time when making
their buying decision.
Online auctions are another option for students seeking
a bargain. This option, however, has its pros and cons.
A plus is that students can get incredible bargains when
obtaining books via online auctions. One downside is
that established retailers have channels in place to
ensure that you receive your order within a reasonable
amount of time. With an auction purchase, however, you
are at the mercy of the auction seller's timetable.
One way that students can really save is by obtaining
books for free. Project Gutenberg is one resource that
English majors will find invaluable. At this site
students can peruse a vast collection of classics that
have entered the public domain. In the past students
seeking assistance with their studies had to pay for the
privilege of that help by purchasing study guides. Today
that is no longer the case. Cash-strapped students can
now visit Spark Notes for free downloadable study guides
as well as free downloadable classics.
Students who elect to buy online will no longer be able
to resell their books to the college bookstore at the
end of class, but that doesn't mean that they are stuck
with the textbooks. Many web sites that sell textbooks
also offer students the option of selling their books to
fellow bargain-seekers. This allows students to easily
recouping a portion of their money.
Textbooks normally consume a major portion of a
student's budget, but that doesn't have to be the case,
because while the cost of tuition may be set in stone
the price of textbooks isn't. By taking the time to do a
little research on the best textbook values available
college students can save money now rather than
acquiring debt to be paid back later.
U.S. Universities, by State
Cogswell Polytechnical
College · Concordia University-Irvine · Defense Language
Institute · DeVry University-Long Beach · DeVry
University-Pomona ...
www.utexas.edu/world/univ/state/
College and University Home Pages
College and University Home Pages - Alphabetical
Listing.
web.mit.edu/cdemello/www/univ.html
American Universities
Alfred State College, State University of New York
College of Technology · Alfred University · Allegheny
College · Allen College · Allen University ...
www.clas.ufl.edu/au/
College and University Search
College and University Search on Petersons.com. Search
more than 4000 accredited colleges and universities.
www.petersons.com/ugchannel/code/searches/srchCrit1.asp
|