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| No. 40 | 
Nov 05, 2009, 03:55 PM
 Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore
Barnes & Noble has great prices, too. Lately B&N has been a better deal than Amazon. Especially if you join their member club (it's $25 a year). My books were still cheaper through them, even with paying for the membership, than what the school and Amazon were charging. Free shipping for orders over $25, too.
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Nov 05, 2009, 09:50 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore
I normally buy used books when I can and save a lot of money. But I just went to my orientation for the program and they said we have to have the ebooks along with the text book and online codes, etc...basically if you buy the ebooks it's almost as much as buying the package with new books and ebooks combined. They are basically forcing us to spend more money and buy new books. I think it's bull...but I'll do it anyways since I don't want to be without something they require....
| | No. 42 |
Nov 05, 2009, 11:40 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore
It really upsets me when I hear schools taking advantage of us by forcing students to buy books/equipment through a certain mechanism. I highly suggest that any prospective students starting in the spring and beyond take the time to ask current students "the real deal." Schools take advantage of newbies because they know we're scared of what we don't know. I went for it too. Like my uniform pants...horrendous fit for all of us really. I think they were 36.00. After paying that much I refused to pay another $20 to get them altered like many of my classmates. However, months later people started coming to clinical in "store bought," "unoffical pants." I felt so stupid. I wish someone had told me. Please do what you feel comfortable with, but ask the right people if you care about what you do with your money.
| | No. 43 |
Nov 06, 2009, 09:17 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore
I started buying my books online 1 1/2 semesters ago... WHAT A DEAL!! Half.com has become my best friend when it comes to buying new books. Sometimes I pay only 1/3 of what the campus bookstore is charging! For example, my first semester (Fundamentals) books were offered in a bundle by the campus bookstore for $700. Um, ew.  Buying them separately, online through Half? $320. Money talks guys, and I saved so much compared to my classmates. 
One downside though. The bundle the school offers includes the eBook editions of all the books in the bundle, which I unfortunately did miss out on. I made it through this semester fine without them, but with med-surg coming next semester I think I'm going to spring for it so I can easily search for info for careplans etc. 
Anybody have any experiences with the ebooks? I'm hesitant about it because I'd be paying full price and I've been REALLY spoiled by buying online.
| | No. 45 |
Nov 06, 2009, 11:17 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore Originally Posted by HelloRose  I started buying my books online 1 1/2 semesters ago... WHAT A DEAL!! Half.com has become my best friend when it comes to buying new books. Sometimes I pay only 1/3 of what the campus bookstore is charging! For example, my first semester (Fundamentals) books were offered in a bundle by the campus bookstore for $700. Um, ew. Buying them separately, online through Half? $320. Money talks guys, and I saved so much compared to my classmates.
One downside though. The bundle the school offers includes the eBook editions of all the books in the bundle, which I unfortunately did miss out on. I made it through this semester fine without them, but with med-surg coming next semester I think I'm going to spring for it so I can easily search for info for careplans etc.
Anybody have any experiences with the ebooks? I'm hesitant about it because I'd be paying full price and I've been REALLY spoiled by buying online.
I really don't find ebooks that much more helpful. I'm in my second year of nursing school and I never bring my text books to class so an ebook will not "lighten my load." I guess it depends on how your instructors teach, but it serves me no purpose. I only use my texts at home. So I don't find ebooks very helpful. One of the textbook publishers that we use came to lecture on the benefits of ebooks and gave out FREE software for 3 texts that we were using. Although the features were nice, I've only explored the ebooks a few times. Once again, I didn't find them helpful because it didn't fir my style. I guess if you travel a lot (i.e. long bus, train commutes) where you choose to read on your way to and from school/work...but are you going to whip out your laptop on the subway? I guess a PDA (if available) would be great.
If you are thinking about using the technology during clinical when trying to choose nursing diagnoses, then buy a "clinical companion" which are fairly inexpensive. They are concise versions of entire texts that fit into your labcoat pocket. Many nursing texts and careplan books publish these. They are actual books that are smaller than textbooks. They are about $15-$25. Whew!! So many options. Talk to your classmates, don't ask them if they like the ebooks because I'm sure they do, ASK if they really use it and why? Then go from there. I think some schools have their own technology culture. In my cohort of about 105 students only about 5 consistantly take notes on their laptop. Ask around! | | No. 46 |
Nov 09, 2009, 07:56 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore Originally Posted by byrd262 I really don't find ebooks that much more helpful. I'm in my second year of nursing school and I never bring my text books to class so an ebook will not "lighten my load." I guess it depends on how your instructors teach, but it serves me no purpose. I only use my texts at home. So I don't find ebooks very helpful. One of the textbook publishers that we use came to lecture on the benefits of ebooks and gave out FREE software for 3 texts that we were using. Although the features were nice, I've only explored the ebooks a few times. Once again, I didn't find them helpful because it didn't fir my style. I guess if you travel a lot (i.e. long bus, train commutes) where you choose to read on your way to and from school/work...but are you going to whip out your laptop on the subway? I guess a PDA (if available) would be great.
If you are thinking about using the technology during clinical when trying to choose nursing diagnoses, then buy a "clinical companion" which are fairly inexpensive. They are concise versions of entire texts that fit into your labcoat pocket. Many nursing texts and careplan books publish these. They are actual books that are smaller than textbooks. They are about $15-$25. Whew!! So many options.
Talk to your classmates, don't ask them if they like the ebooks because I'm sure they do, ASK if they really use it and why? Then go from there. I think some schools have their own technology culture. In my cohort of about 105 students only about 5 consistantly take notes on their laptop. Ask around!
Wow, thanks for the great response! I do take notes on my laptop, but I don't study straight out of the book like many of my classmates. And I've NEVER been able to read extensively on a computer screen, I'd rather have my huge, physical text with a highlighter in hand. The clinical companion handbooks sound like a great alternative, one that I didn't know of before. Thank you again!  | | No. 47 |
Nov 09, 2009, 10:38 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore
I heard it said a few times on the post already but lets not foreget about book rentals especially for GECs. Last quarter i took a psych class that a brand new edition of a book that cost $175. usually i buy all my books on amazon but being as the book was SO new there weren't any cheepies. So i went to campusbookrentals.com got the book for about $50.00 with free shipping to and from. Knew i wouldn't use the book after the class, and saved a bunch of money!
Campusbookrentals.com will give you the option of buying your book if you find it beneficial..they also give about a 2 week grace period for returning the book after the due date and have varying prices for the length of time you need it.
very helpful.
| | No. 48 |
Nov 09, 2009, 10:41 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore
Over the past few years I have bought all of my books used online. My books didn't have the option of ebooks though so I don't know if that feature is worth buying new books or not.
Many students at my school used supplemental books like Reviews and Rationals or Nursing Made Easy and the little pocket sized books for clinicals etc. and these you can find online as well. (Make sure the book will come with it's CD, what condition the book is in and how much shipping will be)
My favorite website is a site that will search out the best online price for you. www.fetchbook.info
New & used books - Find the lowest price - Compare 145 book stores, 60,000 sellers, in a click.
There are other book search engines as well. Search engine that finds the best buys from among 150 million new, used, rare, and out-of-print books for sale. Includes textbooks and international titles. www.bookfinder.com/ The book search engine that allows you to comparison shop more than 40 online bookstores including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Borders. ...
www.addall.com/ | | No. 49 |
Nov 09, 2009, 10:50 PM
Re: STOP - Don't buy your textbooks from the school bookstore
I actually have purchased books online that were in great condition, and then sold them back to my school's bookstore at the end of the semester, and have profited a few times (profit so low it is not worth counting as profit, but at least I did not actually lose money!) The staff at the bookstore was well aware that I did not originally purchase the books from them, and they were fine with it.
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