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! 😓
For college, I got a majority of my books off eBay for very cheap. For ones that need access codes, I don't know if that would work if the codes are one use only. If not, you could give it a shot.
My first semester of my nursing program (junior year of university), I paid around $500 for books. I had no idea that it was okay to buy an older edition of something and just bought what they recommended. I only ended up really using 1-2 on the book list. At the end of the semester, I quickly sold most of the books. I still have the Diagnostic Labs book I have no opened that cost me $40 :[.
Buy used editions of your books, rent, or ebooks. They are much better deals. You won't miss much for the first semester. I think I could have definitely gone by without the huge Taylors Fundamentals book.
My first semester of my nursing program (junior year of university), I paid around $500 for books. I had no idea that it was okay to buy an older edition of something and just bought what they recommended. I only ended up really using 1-2 on the book list. At the end of the semester, I quickly sold most of the books. I still have the Diagnostic Labs book I have no opened that cost me $40 :[.
Buy used editions of your books, rent, or ebooks. They are much better deals. You won't miss much for the first semester. I think I could have definitely gone by without the huge Taylors Fundamentals book.
Our fundamentals is the require $222 package/ebook. It comes with coursepoint, prepu, and the etext. It we don't use it, I shall have words with the instructor. -mom on a budget
Rent rent RENT... I never spent more than $150 on books in a semester. You use them then send them back at the end of the semester. I used Amazon and never had a problem. Now that I've graduated I'm
Very grateful I don't have stacks of textbooks sitting in my room forever more.
Rent rent RENT... I never spent more than $150 on books in a semester. You use them then send them back at the end of the semester. I used Amazon and never had a problem. Now that I've graduated I'm
Very grateful I don't have stacks of textbooks sitting in my room forever more.
My first semester cost about $1500 too not including my stethoscope, which was a little over 200.
Personally, I would have HATED if my school was pushing e-books. Call me old fashioned (at the ripe old age of 22) but I think flipping though a book for specific information is easier than doing the same in an e-book. We had the option for e-books, but I never took them even though it was cheaper.
Plus, we were required to bring our textbooks to clinical. Everyone needed their own careplan book, Drug and IV drug book, but we would split the other books up among us. Some would bring the medsurg text, some would bring the maternity/peds book (if applicable) etc so we had 2 or 3 copies among the 8 or 9 of us at clinical. I personally woul not want to bring my tablet with me to clinical and risk it getting broken or stolen.
Not to mention using ebooks requires you to own an e-reader or tablet, and if you don't already own one, there's another 150 dollar (minimum) expense.
In fact, one classmate had her care plan book on her iPad mini and after a few of us had money stolen out of our backpacks (that were in the locked staff break room only accessible by a 4 digit pin) at one clinical site, she left her tablet at home and brought her book.
EDIT: I would advise against renting unless you know you'll only need that book for the semester and you have no interest in that field as a career. A lot of my books I needed for multiple semesters and I didn't sell my peds book back after I graduated since I want to be a peds nurse so I kept it as a reference. Renting the same book multiple semesters in a row would cost more in the long run. Not to mention all the books may not be available in the bookstore every semester since Nursing 1 and 3 were only held in the fall and nursing 2 and 4 in the spring at my school. I rented my mental health text book, my community nursing book, and any books I had for electives.
I'm required to purchase a $190 Skyscape App for my digital device, 2 new edition books with access for close to $300 and a....wait for it...$750 Software package from ATI (that apparently includes books we'll use for all 4 blocks).
I'm having a panic attack.
I personally wish we got that ATI package. Ours was $300 cheaper and I am really missing some of the awesome content that comes with the $750 package. A $190 app, though???!
Yikes! Sorry you have to pay so much. I found some of mine on craigslist, amazon, and half.com. They were all pretty much brand new.
Do you have a local NSNA chapter? My local chapter had a sale at the beginning of the semester. I got a brand new care plan book for $5. They also have a FB page, which would be a good place to ask others if they would sell or loan you some books. My experience is that nursing students stick together and really try to help each other out.
That's awesome you have the flexibility to contact your professors to see which books and access codes are mandatory.
Even so, that's a hefty bill and I commiserate.
My school just started obligatory book/resource bundles that contain "special editions" for our school specifically and we are required to buy that specific bundle from the school bookstore.
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.
This is brilliant. Now that I think of it, if you guys make a joint Amazon account and get it through kindle, you can definitely save a fortune. It's the 2015 version of making photocopies.
But anyway, I can relate. Once upon a time, I had my parents paying ridiculous textbook costs for me (for public universities! When I did my first year at a community college, because I was 17, my textbooks actually cost more than tuition, partially because of science lab materials and costs, many of which were kits specifically made for the school). Nowadays, post-bacc with an adult job, I'm paying for my own textbooks, and they're still ridiculous. And since I have a bachelor's, I'm not eligible for aid. It's all sorts of fun. And by fun I mean ridiculous torture, even for me, making a lot more money than the average student (as a working RN, pursuing a Biology degree).
Specializes in Post Acute, Med/Surg, ED, Nurse Manager.
I would find a way to get the new package through out the college. Generally you need ebook access in class for all of your texts. We buy our books at the beginning of first year and use the same books for 2 years. it is spendy up front but the college pretty much as the best deal. Plus using old editions leads to trouble with assignments and reading. Talk to financial aid see if there are any programs you qualify for as a mom, and nursing student. There are resources available to help with books generally.
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For college, I got a majority of my books off eBay for very cheap. For ones that need access codes, I don't know if that would work if the codes are one use only. If not, you could give it a shot.