Do you wait until after first class to purchase texts?

[Hilltopmom]

Curious if others wait until after the first day of classes to buy or rent textbooks?

 

Or do you buy and then return if they wind up not being necessary?

 

I don't want Ds to buy a bunch of new books so he has access to the codes, then it turns out he could've just gotten used ones with a code access or rented instead.

 

But if you wait until classes start, it may take too long for used books to arrive.

 

He already knows the prof for a fall class with book, he could just email the prof ahead of time & asks if he needs the new code version, I suppose.

[JanetC]

If there is a code, I check the price of the code while shopping and compare new versus used+code.

 

Textbook publishers are required to offer "just the code" as an option.

[Kassia]

My kids say to never, ever buy books until the first day of class.  Sometimes the instructor has to assign a book for the class, but will tell students on the first day of class that it's not needed or available online or there's an older version that's acceptable.  Like you, I worry about the timing of waiting if the book is needed in the first week.  My dd is DE now and there was a textbook assigned and, sure enough, the instructor contacted the students by email right before class started saying it wasn't required.  

 

 

[Bootsie]

We go on a case-by-case basis.  Literature classes we generally buy ahead. A very expensive, new edition book we may wait and see.  You can check the publisher's website and see how much they will charge for a code for the book (and how much it costs to buy the book directly from the publisher).  Some publishers now offer a 2-week free trial of the code-protected material so that students can do homework (and often access an online version of the book) while they wait for a book to be sent directly from the publisher    

[G5052]

Or email the professor, if possible. Some professors don't work during the summer, but some of us do.

 

I'm teaching three classes this summer and four in the fall. I'm already getting emails about buying the books and software for the fall.

[Hilltopmom]

Or email the professor, if possible. Some professors don't work during the summer, but some of us do.

 

I'm teaching three classes this summer and four in the fall. I'm already getting emails about buying the books and software for the fall.

Ok,,that's awesome. I'll havehim go ahead & do that.

Thanks

[Ravin]

If they are clear about what edition they want and that it's required (as opposed to 'recommended') I would buy online to get the best deal and order ahead to have some leeway with delivery time.

 

If there's a code, or edition isn't specified or a book is "recommended" etc. I'd wait until getting direct feedback from the professor.

[luuknam]

If the same prof recently taught the same class, I try to find the syllabus, which might have an answer to the "do you need the access codes or not" problem. If I can't find the answer, I'd email the prof.

 

For the record, I usually buy recommended books as well as required books, so I'm not a minimalist. I've encountered students who don't read the required readings and don't buy the required books for some of their classes, and scrape by with Cs or maybe an occasional B and who are okay with that. Those students obviously wait until after the first class(es) to see if they really *have* to buy the book in order to pass the class. 

[Pawz4me]

DS21 waits. Usually it works out okay, but he was sweating it out at the beginning of last semester when he really needed a book a couple of days before it got to him. Thankfully he found one to borrow.

 

DS18's university has its own rental program which I suppose he'll use at least to see how well or not it works (students are automatically opted in and the fee included on their account; opting out requires action). It's a flat fee per semester regardless of how many books are needed. So he'll have all his books before classes start. I haven't figured out how codes work with that or if they have to be purchased separately.

[J-rap]

It's hard to know, because sometimes you get the better used book deal if you buy them earlier.

 

One time, my dd was going to try and use a two-year-old textbook (which she had gotten from a friend for free) instead of the brand new, most recent edition.  They had to show their textbooks to the professor, and hers was not approved, since apparently the newest edition had a lot of changes in it.  So, she had to get the brand new one at of course an exorbitant price.

 

However, she never took it out of the package, and used only the two-year-old text for the entire class semester.  It was perfectly adequate and she got an A in the class.  She sold the brand new one to a student the following semester, although of course could no longer get full price for it.

 

 

[gingersmom]

My daughter has already begun buying her books and will rent others in late July/August. She is emailing one teacher before buying.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

It was hard buying them after the first class-dd's school does all text books by mail (there is no bookstore) so waiting for shipping became a problem in some cases.  For those courses she is confident won't be dropped she buys the books ahead of time.  That said, her professors tend not to drop books after they publish the syllabus, they might add but not usually drop.  

[bettyandbob]

My DD won't buy books before first class.

1. Instructors are required to list a text whether or not they plan to use one. They say whether to buy it in class the first day.

2. Likewise, instructors say whether they plan on using the computer codes for assignments or not, thus determining whether you can buy used.

[elegantlion]

I do buy before the first day of class, but I'm in a major that does not use a lot of expensive books with codes. I've also been a student long enough to know someone to ask about how a certain professor does books. 

 

I have successfully emailed professors several weeks ahead and be told which editions will work. 

 

For the classes in which I've needed codes, I found that used texts of that edition + the code sometimes had no cost savings. For one class the code included a ebook, but I hate reading on screens and just kept the book. 

 

I'm also extremely picky about the condition of my books, if you buy early, you get a better selection. 

[DebbS]

When the professors publish their syllabi prior to the first class, my kids will purchase the books that have assigned readings in the first few weeks and hold off on the rest.

[creekland]

My guys e-mail questions to profs if they have any, and I always buy books well before the first class.  There are much better deals earlier than there will be later.  Middle son also liked to get a jump on reading about the subject before the first class.  Once in a while there's a book they never actually used or used much, but it's been rare.  I don't worry about it.

 

This thread had me realize this is the first semester in eons I haven't had to buy books!  Middle son will get what he needs for med school and youngest will get what he needs in Jordan.  I don't need to be shopping and finding best deals like I've done every other semester for years.  Times change.  I guess I have mixed feelings about it - nice not to have to do it, but a reminder that everyone is getting older. (sigh)

[Guest]

It depends on class.  My sons find the profs who have their books listed very early are very serious and use the materials they ask for. Ds already has acquired a few books for next term, and will have them read by term start. 

 

As others said, codes are sold seperately. Pretty easy to buy a used text and read it before term starts, that's helpful if the student is involved in ecs.

[luuknam]

As others said, codes are sold seperately.

 

 

It's been a few years, but in my experience used + code is more expensive than new. So, YMMV. 

[MarkT]

At our local community college they actually keep non-circulating copies of each text book at the library so for the first few days, if you did not have the text yet, you could use your phone to take pictures of the assigned problems (STEM oriented).