Book Cost Soundoff....

Cosper123 · May 4, 2008

Yeah the first semester was the hardest hit with about 1200 in books.

If you are able to get them separately for cheaper then do so. Also, if you plan to get a PDA(which I highly recommend), I'd not buy the book versions. You can get your drug guide, medical dictionary, etc. in a PDA version.

Also if you get a PDA just get a cheap one with low memory. You can buy a SD mem card for much cheaper and just slip it in. Where 100mb could cost you a couple hundred dollars more, a 1 GB (1000mb) card will cost ya around 20-30 bucks depending on where you get it.

Your PDA programs can actually come out much cheaper than the book, too. And even better, some sites like skyscape.com will give you a discount if you write them directly telling them you want to purchase multiple programs or set up a discount site for your school. They set up a discount site for our school that offers our students 25% off.

I purchased one program for 35 bucks that would have costed me 60 in the book version, and another for 50 bucks that would have costed me 65 if by some miracle I could have found the used version.

Also where actual books are concerned, try discount sites like half.com. Basically avoid the university bookstores as much as you possibly can, you tend to get ripped off the worst there.

Shop around and do a little research, it always pays off :)

LMRN10 · May 4, 2008

Required books for me for first semester were about $700...I did not get the optional books, but I did spend money on some PDA software. but for the books, $700.

AmericanRN · May 4, 2008

$750 here for 1st semester but there are several books that we will be able to use for a few more semesters.

We have 8 qtrs altogether and the 7 & 8 qtr students have not had to buy books at all. They spend their bulk amount of time at the clinical sites.

Jules A, MSN · May 4, 2008

I buy all mine that I can used online and haven't spent more than $500 a semester. Most semesters in the $300 range.

gillytook · May 4, 2008

I paid around $900 for the books first semester, but $250 second semester and nothing for third. I may have to spend around $100 for my last semester, but that includes an NCLEX study guide. That original purchase included my med/surg and refence books that I will use all four semesters and posibly even in my career as a nurse. I would probably get more use out of them if I had purchased the PDA versions. I am currently in the process of doing that as money will allow. I too agree that Skyscape has great deals. Also, they link their titles so that when you look up the drug you can go directly to the nursing diagnosis or lab values. They include both the PDA version and the computer version in most cases for the same price so that I can look up the information when I am sittting at my computer.

NursKris82 · May 4, 2008

I was blessed to have a nurse I worked with who had just graduated give me $500.00 worth of books. Than, I had to spend another 3-400.00. I also bought some of the suggested, some were helpful, others not so much.

occc2010rn · May 4, 2008

At the campus bookstore I would have spent $900 +, so as soon as I got my list I bought them from amazon and 1/2.com for $412. including shipping and handling:anpom: