Everyone is aware of how expensive college tuition is, but many incoming freshmen fail to take into consideration just how pricey their textbooks will be. The College Board reports that for the average student at a four-year public university, the cost per year for books alone is around $1300. Multiplied by four, that’s around $5200 for one's college career, and that’s only IF you graduate on time. I can list so many things that I would rather spend money on than books that I’ll only use for one semester. Here are 15 tips to minimize the cost of textbooks, so you won't have to choose between rent and books.
1. Avoid buying books new from your school’s book store
One of the only exceptions to this rule is if it is a workbook or lab packet with pages that must be ripped out and turned in. Check to see if it is specifically designed for that course, for your school. Otherwise, avoid at all costs.
2. Buy books used
Bonus points if it’s from a store not affiliated with the university (it’ll probably be a few bucks cheaper).
3. Buy an older edition
Often times the newest edition’s price will be extremely inflated, with minimal differences between the newest and a slightly older version. Check with your professor first to see if he thinks this idea is feasible for his class.
4. Rent books from the book store
5. Check your school’s Facebook groups
Every other day I get notifications about students selling books for dirt cheap in OSU Class of 2019’s page. Most college kids don't want to look at their calc book one more time, and are willing to take low-ball offers on it just to get it out of sight. Tip: Join older or younger college years at your school if the book you need isn’t for sale in your group.
6. Search for the PDF version of the textbook online
7. Search your university’s library database for a used edition you can rent
8. Borrow your library’s course reserve copy
Although these can only be loaned for a few hours at a time, take pictures of the pages that you need for the week, and upload them as a PDF onto your computer. Having a PDF scanner app on your phone will be handy for this one.
9. Expand your search to the OhioLINK catalog
This allows any student in the state of Ohio to use and borrow from any institution in the state. So, if a book that I need is at the University of Dayton, but I go to Ohio State, UD can ship it to one of my libraries so that I can check it out. Similar websites exist in different states as well.
10. Use WorldCat, which shows public libraries that have the book
11. Find a “study buddy” that has the textbook, and mooch off of them
Or go halfsies with a friend and share the book. This works out best if your lectures and assignments are due on different days.
12. Don’t buy your books before classes start
Wait until the professor goes over the syllabus to see if the book is actually needed. Sometimes books listed as mandatory for a class turn out to be just a recommendation.
13. Google the ISBN number and see what comes up
You may hit the jackpot.
14. Use search engines that compare the prices of multiple different websites
Cheapest Textbooks, Book Finder, Chegg, and Slug Books are just some of the dozens of search engines that compare different price listings to buy cheap or rent books. Some even offer the same services to sell you books back at a higher price.
15. Buy the online access code separately
It’s increasingly common that access codes are needed for online homework assignments that work in conjunction with the textbook assigned for the class. Instead of being tempted to buy the book AND code new, consider getting the actual book through another means, but buy the access code online, separately, from the manufacturer’s website.
