I am starting my first semester Aug. 20th and I've been trying to work on my textbooks here and there but I feel like I'm not getting anywhere! Our bookstore has duplicate items on our list and almost everything says "with access" so I decided I would email the instructors. 13 books & required items btw. Lo and behold! Instead of needing 8 access codes, I only need 3 which was, notice I say was, a huge relief because I was told we could get the ebook package edition (2 of the 3) or just the hard copies. I was all for the hard copy books because they were at least $100 cheaper. Well, that isn't the case anymore. Apparently, our required materials are the package editions because the hard copies don't come with the access and homework codes. One package is $160. The other is $222. The "other" access code we need is for a virtual lab homework $110.65. These can only be purchased at our college. Go figure. After exchanging emails with one professor, she realized the bookstore had forgotten 3 more items off her syllabus. Totaling 7 texts and 1 misc. for just her class. I am so frustrated with all of these costs! Right now, the cost is sitting around $1500-$1600. I've exhausted search engines, book comparison sites, etc. I've already spent around $200 on just supplies, scrubs, stethoscope, etc. on top of school shopping for my 2nd grader. Not to mention the doctor visit for all the shots, drug screen, physical, etc. I know the first semester is always the most expensive but I just really need to vent. I'm sorry for complaining and I am grateful for being accepted but I had to get it off my chest! 😓
I am renting what I can. Funds are a bit tight right now, especially since it's around back to school and my son needed a new wardrobe because he's a bean-pole. I was told I could get some older editions but I am very apprehensive about that. I don't want to miss anything. When it comes down to it, I'm doing what saves the most money.
If you go 1 edition back you won't miss anything. I got previous editions of a few and literally the only thing different was the page numbers
Also talk to others in your program. Usually you won't use all books up front so you can buy what you need now then get the others. For first semester I bought GI fans take and pharm and that was plenty. There was another book assigned for the semester but was really unnecessary since the topics were the same that were covered in the funds book. Furthermore I did most of my learning/studying from the Davis Fundamentals content review book that I bought in addition to what was required
Textbooks are expensive. Yep. One of the downsides to nursing programs. I do wish those costs were stressed more to people prior to beginning programs - especially since many, if not most, college students don't have $800++++ to shell out for textbooks.
E-books might be the way of the future but I've always been one to write and highlight and tape and tab my textbooks. Yes, there is a lot of paper in texts, but this is one way I learn best. Sigh. Since going back to school last fall for my BSN, I've busted out the highlighters and colored inks once more. :)
I do know people who, once they know the IBSN or ISCN or whatever letters those are (it's like the textbook product number or something), take the number and "shop around" on places like Amazon, etc. Some students save money this way. Sometimes the bookstores really do have the best prices. It's just the way it is. It is expensive, though, I do understand .
Were I in a 4 year college, about this time, I'd be forming an open group interested in reform. I'd attempt to nicely engage the institute of higher learning with this group (of hopefully many hundreds of students, if not thousands--as things are sooooo out of hand I think such a group would become popular) in an attempt to start to limit the maximum cost/class.
I'd go so far as to consider to threaten a campus-wide boycott of particular professors and/or particular classes. Yes I know that this would not work for linear nursing classes, but even friendly dialogue may reap rewards. Remember even though "Cost of College Degree in the U.S. has increased 1,120% in 30 years report Says (actual article title, just searched) many of those professors, these days, are not much more than indentured servants. It's not like their salaries have increased 11.2x over 30 years, in reality for many, their salaries are not salaries at all, they often are adjunct professors (usually not true in Nursing) being paid only by course, and their total earnings sometimes are not much more than subsistence wages. Many may be receptive to friendly persuasion by such a group.
This forced e-book, forced app purchase, forced this and forced that, may in fact be in violation of federal laws related to monopolies. Even hinting at that may get reform.
My first degree was earned by working in the summer and going to school in the Fall/Spring and that was easy to do.
By the time my second degree occurred this could not be done and I took out a small loan.
By the time my 3rd degree occured I had to take out a large loan even though the degree was an ADN.
"Sick" is the word that comes to mind, along with "plunder."
A few tricks of the trade that I've learned.
Adall.com is great. Look specifically for books that are for overseas markets. They will say: "Not for sale in America" or well, nobody came and put me in prison and frankly I do not think such an imprint is even valid. That's like saying: "You are forbidden to buy meds in foreign countries and bring them to the US." I do that with my statin med and my BP med, so why could I not do the same for books? I have found nursing books in Great Britain, current editions too and have imported them at low cost.
As others have said: buy older editions.
One last trick: Ask professors for next years' class syllabii. Often you can get this. Buy your books at the very end of semester, January and June when there is a glut of books and prices are low. Sell them in reverse order, when prices are high. I made $ on several of my more expensive nursing books that way.
Lastly: Screw these Bastions of Forced Plunder! Really, consider places like Straighterline and Western Governors University. I'm taking an Anthropology class right now at SL and the smart professor chose the prior (not the current) version of the book. On addall it cost me a whopping and soooooo unfair.....hehe....one penny. (Though shipping cost me $3.95)
Textbooks are expensive. Yep. One of the downsides to nursing programs. I do wish those costs were stressed more to people prior to beginning programs - especially since many, if not most, college students don't have $800++++ to shell out for textbooks.
E-books might be the way of the future but I've always been one to write and highlight and tape and tab my textbooks. Yes, there is a lot of paper in texts, but this is one way I learn best. Sigh. Since going back to school last fall for my BSN, I've busted out the highlighters and colored inks once more. :)
I do know people who, once they know the IBSN or ISCN or whatever letters those are (it's like the textbook product number or something), take the number and "shop around" on places like Amazon, etc. Some students save money this way. Sometimes the bookstores really do have the best prices. It's just the way it is. It is expensive, though, I do understand .
I used a websites called bigwords.com that is a textbook comparison website. Our bookstore definitely does NOT have the best prices. It averages $20-$30 more on almost every book that I need. It's kinda stupid if you ask me.
Ya, I about passed out.. no joke, I actually got very dizzy when I saw the grand total of my texts... and I haven't even purchased scrubs yet
I was definitely on the verge and I needed to have a seat. The good thing, I guess, is that I only have my texts to get. All other requirements have been purchased. I only bought one pair of scrubs because I only have class 3 days a week so in going to wash in between.
What school? Ours "required" the Ebooks ($750). Which was a load of garbage. I ended up getting used copies (or renting) of everything I needed for less than $300.
Were I in a 4 year college, about this time, I'd be forming an open group interested in reform. I'd attempt to nicely engage the institute of higher learning with this group (of hopefully many hundreds of students, if not thousands--as things are sooooo out of hand I think such a group would become popular) in an attempt to start to limit the maximum cost/class.
I'd go so far as to consider to threaten a campus-wide boycott of particular professors and/or particular classes. Yes I know that this would not work for linear nursing classes, but even friendly dialogue may reap rewards. Remember even though "Cost of College Degree in the U.S. has increased 1,120% in 30 years report Says (actual article title, just searched) many of those professors, these days, are not much more than indentured servants. It's not like their salaries have increased 11.2x over 30 years, in reality for many, their salaries are not salaries at all, they often are adjunct professors (usually not true in Nursing) being paid only by course, and their total earnings sometimes are not much more than subsistence wages. Many may be receptive to friendly persuasion by such a group.
This forced e-book, forced app purchase, forced this and forced that, may in fact be in violation of federal laws related to monopolies. Even hinting at that may get reform.
My first degree was earned by working in the summer and going to school in the Fall/Spring and that was easy to do.
By the time my second degree occurred this could not be done and I took out a small loan.
By the time my 3rd degree occured I had to take out a large loan even though the degree was an ADN.
"Sick" is the word that comes to mind, along with "plunder."
A few tricks of the trade that I've learned.
Adall.com is great. Look specifically for books that are for overseas markets. They will say: "Not for sale in America" or well, nobody came and put me in prison and frankly I do not think such an imprint is even valid. That's like saying: "You are forbidden to buy meds in foreign countries and bring them to the US." I do that with my statin med and my BP med, so why could I not do the same for books? I have found nursing books in Great Britain, current editions too and have imported them at low cost.
As others have said: buy older editions.
One last trick: Ask professors for next years' class syllabii. Often you can get this. Buy your books at the very end of semester, January and June when there is a glut of books and prices are low. Sell them in reverse order, when prices are high. I made $ on several of my more expensive nursing books that way.
Lastly: Screw these Bastions of Forced Plunder! Really, consider places like Straighterline and Western Governors University. I'm taking an Anthropology class right now at SL and the smart professor chose the prior (not the current) version of the book. On addall it cost me a whopping and soooooo unfair.....hehe....one penny. (Though shipping cost me $3.95)
Oh I am definitely going to check that l out. Thank you! I think we should be able to buy whatever format we can afford. Requiring etexts is definitely not fair. If we want the hard copy, we have to buy it separately.
Some students in my class figured out that for each ebook, you had certain number of electronic devices that could access it. This meant that if one person bought the books, 2 or 3 other computers could access it. One person purchased the ebooks, then shared them between 2-3 people (and the other people paid for 1/3 of the cost of the book). Each purchased access codes separately. This way each person only paid a 1/3 of the actual cost of the books and still had their own access codes. We did this throughout the nursing program.
Access codes are the new money maker. My school used Elsvier products and access codes for HESI and online examinations. Not cheap.
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BeachsideRN, ASN
1,722 Posts
If you go 1 edition back you won't miss anything. I got previous editions of a few and literally the only thing different was the page numbers