How to Reduce the Cost of College Textbooks

Published on: 16 February 2019 Last Updated on: 23 November 2021

Textbooks are a painful purchase for any student. Year after year, prices continue to rise, often resulting in textbook fees being added to the pile of crippling student loan debt facing the nation. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can reduce the cost of your books. College Textbooks can make things simple for a student. There is almost never a need to buy a brand new textbook at full price, so explore your options before you commit to anything. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t plan on buying all of your books in one transaction because purchasing them individually will net the most savings.

Forget the Campus Bookstore

Unless you are bound by a tuition stipend or other financial means to purchase your books at the campus bookstore, stay away. This is the guaranteed way to pay the highest prices for textbooks, even when buying used. The bookstore used to be the source for students, but thanks to technology, there are plenty of other ways to get the books that you need for a lot less.

The exception here is for research purposes; in most cases, the campus store is going to have the highest prices. However, there may be a rare occasion where they don’t. Feel free to call or visit and get a list of prices for the books that you need, just for the sake of comparison when you go online to shop around.

Always Buy Used

Unless there is a specific text you will keep forever or absolutely need the brand new edition of for some reason, buy your books used. These are at least ⅓ less than the cost of brand new books, and offer the same information on the pages.

Some are in better condition than others, but most used resellers will provide condition information and pictures of the book you are purchasing so that you can see what you are actually getting. You can find thousands of used copies online at prices that you can afford.

When you are buying used books, check out their resale value and the return policy of the seller you purchase from. Reselling your books after the semester is over is a great way to recoup some money that can go towards next semester’s books. Or, you can take the money and treat yourself for saving hundreds on your textbooks by buying used in the first place. The return policy is important because if a book arrives in unusable condition, you need to be able to send it back. Your class won’t be nearly as informative with a partial textbook, after all.

Rent or Borrow Books

The school or public library might have books that you need for classes. Before you spend a dime, look into these sources for common texts, literature books, and other texts available for you to borrow.

Libraries are a great resource that often gets overlooked. The downside here is that you may only be able to borrow a book for a part of the semester. Ask about their renewal policies when considering this option. College Textbooks can make your life easier by all means.

There is an increasing market in the campus bookstore realm for textbook rentals. This is another exception to the “avoid the bookstore” rule, of course. The most expensive texts are usually available for rental from your campus store, which might be the best financial option.

Before you rent, though, make sure that you know what you are signing up for. Take extra good care of the books so that you aren’t charged for damage upon their return, or forced to purchase them outright (which is what you were trying to avoid in the first place).

You can also rent textbooks online, or download ebook versions of the texts that you need for your college classes.

Sell Your Old Books

You can reduce the cost of your next semester’s textbook bill by selling your old books. Don’t sell them back to the campus bookstore, because they usually don’t offer much. Plus, you might only get credit to use in the store. Instead, consider selling them online or through community marketplaces. Advertise them around campus for other students, too. When you sell textbooks online, you can often choose the price and compare what others are selling. That gives you a better idea of how much you can actually earn.

Feel free to look around and get a few different quotes before you commit. Most re-seller websites that buy college texts will allow you to enter the ISBN and get an estimate of how much you will get for the books you are selling. See where you can get the most money for your books, even if you have to sell them in a few different places.

A Little Research Goes a Long Way

Your college book purchases don’t have to break the bank. Whether you need to reduce the cost on the front end or just make up the difference and sell textbooks to help cut the costs, there are plenty of options available. Just give yourself a little time to explore your options. An extra hour of your time could save you hundreds, no matter what degree you are studying.

Read Also:

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

How Can Critical Thinking Help In Your Daily Life?

The word critical can be described in other terms such as evaluating something or analysis of something. Technically what is critical to help thinking? – it is one's ability to or evaluate or to think clearly and rationally of certain logical ideas and to establish connections between them. It is kind of engaging yourself in reflective and independent thinking. Critical thinking helps you to empower yourself to do more and succeed. Practicing critical thinking means to step away from certain beliefs to indulge or to accommodate new ideas and knowledge into yourself. This skill is a versatile process. Critical thinking also had been a great subject of debate since the early period and still, it exists in the modern period. Basically, Critical thinking requires your ability to find a solution or some reason for some problem. It is all about being an active learner than being a passive recipient of information. The problems are to be solved systematically not by instincts. BENEFITS OF BEING A CRITICAL THINKER Can establish logical connections. Recognize build, appraise arguments. Can easily recognize the errors in reasoning. Have the ability to approach systematically towards any problem Can provide Valid reasons. Tries to maintain consistency throughout. In all the arenas whether its a business or an essay writing, research, finance, and management, education or legal profession .we need to think outside the box. One needs to have a different perception or different ideas. One need to think in such a way that we can arrive at a solution efficiently. IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN ECONOMY : The global knowledge economy is driven by information and technology and it changes quite rapidly. To cope up with the changes and that too efficiently one has to be quick to arrive at a conclusion. CRITICAL THINKING IMPROVES CREATIVE SKILLS TO A GREAT EXTENT : Sometimes critical thinking is not just about furnishing new ideas but how you are representing it to solve the given problem. CRITICAL THINKING IN SELF EVALUATION : For leading a proper and meaningful life we have to structure our lives accordingly. We need to understand, justify and reflect on our own ideas, values, and decided that we make or take. We all can think and can come to some conclusion but what if it is a fuzzy or full of flaws kind of thought? As a result, the conclusion or your answer for the given problem is not a correct one to apply. WAYS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS Value objective reality – Thoughts can only be effective when it is based on reality. Broadminded – Being narrow and fickle-minded restricts one from being creative. Restricted in just a few ideas can lead nowhere in this field. So one has to be open-minded as well as bold. Cultivate intellectual curiosity – The world has so much to offer us that one’s curiosity can never end rather it can just increase. Curiosity is the broad thought of a mind to indulge yourself in reality and you are not afraid to face the unknown to grasp new knowledge. Learning is an adventure which you must set yourself in. Thoughtful consistency is a hallmark of careful and thorough thinking of certain conditions or situations. Practice empathy – until and unless you are aware of the situation or ever had not been in such a condition one should not pass any sort of judgment. A little empathy can facilitate a deeper insight into other’s behavior. The deeper you insight into yourself and others the final decision will be wiser. Critical thinking thus helps you analyze certain situations out of your comfort zone sometimes. Read Also : Online Services To Help Student

Expert Opinion: Tips To Enhance Your Academic Performance

Are you worried about your grades? Or have you been unable to match your previous academic performance? The question ‘or’ is prevalent among students and has bothered every learner at least once in their lifetime. When you are experiencing a level of failure, it is essential to take responsibility for this performance and start thinking about a plan to change your situation. Whether you are failing your class, have experienced a drop in your grades, or have a tough time achieving set goals, it is never too late to change. Experts like Tutor Hunt are everywhere to help you out with your grades. Fortunately, there are strategies to help you improve your academic performance. At the same time, there are some things that you are currently doing that are adversely impacting your academics that you might benefit from not doing. Here are some Dos and Don’ts to help you improve your academic performance and grades shared by a professional academic writer from the top writing service DoMyEssay specializing in the write my research paper for me requests. Things To Do To Boost Academic Performance Here is how you can become a better student (from expert straight A students). 1. Have An Optimistic Attitude When you are getting low grades, it is natural to feel disappointed with yourself. If it happens over a more extended period, you might start feeling defeated or depressed and are more likely to give up. However, the first step towards enhancing your grades is turning off negative self-thoughts. A positive mindset goes a long way, and being optimistic about your current position gives you better prospects. First, acknowledge that your grades are sub-par and believe that you can do something to improve them. Taking mental control over your situation is the difference between remaining stuck and progressing. Usually, poor performance in school also indicates that your classwork and homework aren’t up to standard either. Before you get your footing, consider getting help from a reputable paper writing platform, PaperWritingService. 2. Identify Where You Are Struggling After transforming your mindset, the next step is to identify the areas where you are struggling. It is best to do this before drawing up your action plan. Find out where you are lagging and why. For instance, are you having poor results in just one class or across all your classes? Is there a particular topic within a subject that you are struggling with? Analyze your performance over the last few weeks or months to look for patterns. You might discover that your performance has been declining steadily or that you’ve had issues with a subject for an extended period. After clarifying this matter, the next step is to brainstorm why you’re underperforming. The factors could be external, such as family issues that affect your performance in school. They could also be internal, such as having difficulty understanding some topics. 3. Communicate With Your Teachers Your teacher is an excellent authority to look up to on academic matters. Consulting them about coming up with an action plan to boost your grades is a good idea. Ask them what they think you need to change or improve. They’ll always have some advice that you can use. Coupled with the other tips mentioned in this article, you will be on your way toward better grades. 4. Make The Learning Process Exciting Sometimes, you might underperform because you are simply unmotivated to learn. This is more common than you think, usually because of the pressure to do well and exams. Such things take the fun out of the learning process. But when the learning process is more exciting, it also becomes easier. If studying feels much like a chore, try coming up with ways to incorporate fun back into the process. One way to do this is by gamifying your studies. Related: Academic Writing for UK Students – Why It’s Important? Things To Avoid To Boost Academic Performance Want to improve academic performance? Quit these following habit today! 1. Too Much Caffeine Many people have a lower attention span nowadays, which affects their concentration. Cases of students drinking too much coffee or caffeine-induced beverages to stay up very late and improve their concentration are not uncommon. However, unless recommended by your physician, this is dangerous and unsustainable. There are other methods to improve your focus and have adequate study time. For the former, you can use exercises like solving crossword puzzles or creating your own using a crossword puzzle maker. For adequate study time, you just need to develop a plan for better time management. 2. Throwing In The Towel Remember that it is always possible to improve your grades, so failure shouldn’t be at the top of your mind. If you are really struggling, get help instead of giving up. It is okay to feel disappointed sometimes but focus on progress. 3. Stay Up The Entire Night Staying up all night to cram for the next test is exhausting and adverse. Your body needs sleep, and a lack of it affects your immunity. Adequate sleep also enhances your concentration and decision-making ability. Exhaustion does the exact opposite. Proper time management will remove the need to stay up all night. How To Build A Routine For Better Academic Performance Building a routine is one of the most effective ways to improve your academic performance. It gives you structure and helps you stay on top of your tasks. But how do you create a routine that works for you? Start by identifying your most productive times of the day. Are you more focused in the morning, afternoon, or at night? Once you know, schedule your most important tasks during these peak times. Identify Your Productive Hours Building a routine begins with knowing when you’re most productive. Are you a morning person, or do you work better at night? Once you figure that out, schedule your important tasks during these peak hours. This way, you’re working when your energy and focus are at their best. Create Consistent Study Sessions Consistency is your friend when building a routine. Try to study at the same time every day. This not only helps form a habit but also minimizes procrastination. Don’t forget to break up your study sessions. You can use techniques like Pomodoro (study for 25 minutes, rest for 5 minutes) to keep things fresh and productive. Prioritize Your Tasks You can’t do everything at once! List your assignments and rank them by urgency and importance. This helps avoid last-minute rushes and ensures that you stay on top of your workload. Consider using a planner or digital tools to track everything and keep organized. Balance Study With Breaks While your routine should focus on study, don’t forget to make time for rest. Include breaks, exercise, and leisure in your schedule. Having a balanced routine will keep you motivated and prevent burnout, which is just as important as staying focused on schoolwork. Stay Flexible Things don’t always go as planned. When unexpected events occur, adjust your routine instead of stressing. Flexibility is key to making your routine work for you. As long as you’re prioritizing your tasks and staying consistent, you’re on the right track! Additionals: Workload Survival Guide for Academics 10 Best Sports Scholarship Programs In The World What Is An Essay? Definition And What Are Its Parts Features To Look For When Investing In Teacher Desks For Your Institution

Best MBA Colleges in India Attracting the Best of Best Among Students

India is well known all over the world due to the quality education available at comparatively low costs. This is especially true of the best MBA colleges in India whose degrees are valued at an international level. It is true that an MBA degree from one of these colleges can give a boost to your career in the initial as well as future stages. This is the reason that best of the Indian students flock to these colleges. Even if the aspirants have graduated in a stream of science or commerce they prefer to add an MBA degree to their resume and there are many reputable colleges in India whose degrees add a lot of value. Good B schools in smaller cities Of course there are the large and reputable colleges in the larger cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad etc. However, the smaller cities are not to be ignored because there are the gems like XLRI in a small town like Jamshedpur. Many other smaller cities like Pune, Baroda etc. are known for their good management institutes. The faculty members at these colleges have highly qualified with many of them holding doctorates in management. Then again they have a global exposure due to the policy of the B schools of sending their faculty members abroad for seminars, conferences and training sessions. All this puts the management faculty in Indian B schools at par with the international ones. Overall development of students Another reason why students are attracted to the best B schools in the country is that they stand to gain much more than merely theoretical knowledge. Most B schools include case studies in their curriculums and also send their students for internships to various reputable organizations. This ensures that the students get practical knowledge and on graduation are equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle real life situations. Moreover, the overall development of the students on mental, emotional and physical levels is also taken care of with the help of sports and cultural activities. These activities inculcate the leadership qualities and team spirit which become necessary when the aspirants take up senior management roles in the future. The libraries of the best MBA colleges in India are well stocked with management books written by well-known writers and international journals which help them to stay abreast of the international happenings in the field of management. In case you need assistance, you can get college papers with ideas from admission essay writing service. The most important thing is to get a custom paper that will enhance your studies and help you to develop at the individual level. How to find the best B schools in India It is necessary to be careful while choosing an MBA college in the country because of the large numbers of fraudulent institutes whose degrees are not worth the paper that they are printed on. It is always advisable to gain some expert guidance from a reputable educational consultant before applying for admission in a B school. Most of the educational consultants have tie ups with the best B schools in the country and help you to choose the most suitable one from among them. These consultants also help you to choose the subjects with which you have the maximum affinity and assist with the complicated admission procedure. Not only this, these consultants also provide coaching for clearing the entrance exams conducted by most institutes. Read More: Upcoming Educational Trends In 2017 10 Tips For Writing A Dissertation 7 Tips For Writing A Dissertation

How to Reduce the Cost of College Textbooks

Forget the Campus Bookstore

Always Buy Used

Rent or Borrow Books

Sell Your Old Books

A Little Research Goes a Long Way

3 Reasons Why Online Degrees Are Better

How Education Powers a Better World?

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Technologies For Creating A Startup Idea

How to Download Facebook Videos on Android?

7 Rules of Effective Ecommerce Web Design

The 10 WordPress Plugins Every Sucessful Blogger Uses

Follow Us

Recent

Unlock Incredible Savings With SavvyCoupons India’s Trusted Promo Codes

The Importance of Electrical Infrared Thermography Inspections

Sales Manager’s Guide to Choosing the Right Sales Dialer for Your Team

Fast Freight Solutions: Why Expedited Shipping Is A Game-Changer

Related

How Can Critical Thinking Help In Your Daily Life?

Expert Opinion: Tips To Enhance Your Academic Performance

Best MBA Colleges in India Attracting the Best of Best Among Students

How to Reduce the Cost of College Textbooks

Forget the Campus Bookstore

Always Buy Used

Rent or Borrow Books

Sell Your Old Books

A Little Research Goes a Long Way

Share this Article

3 Reasons Why Online Degrees Are Better

How Education Powers a Better World?

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related