How much did you pay for books your first year?

[sch1109]

I was just trying to get an idea of what to expect. Thanks!

[BacktotheBeach, ADN, BSN, RN]

I am starting this fall and we were told the 'bundle' of first year books was $900. I believe some of this carries over to 2nd year also.

[sunkissed75, CNA]

Seriously check out alibris.com! You can get your books super cheap there!! For my Health Assessment class I ordered the previous edition for only $3.00....plus $20 for shipping!! What I have found is the previous editions are exactly the same...page numbers might be different though. Funny thing is...my teachers are still using the older editions to teach out of!!!!

[cmonkey]

Bookstore says $1200, Amazon says $500. Guess where I'm shopping?

[MJB2010]

We had to buy a "box" of books, they did not list or tell us what books were included. It was $1500 and half of the books I never used during the program. Problem was, if you wanted to shop elsewhere (which they forbid) you would have had to get a list of the books from someone who had purchased the box, and get a list from them. Two people out of 75 were successful in doing so, they bought books as they were needed, and borrowed if we needed them immediately. It was one of my biggest complaints with the school, the whole book scam. They said it was required that we purchase the books from them and only them.

Something else I was not prepared for was the class dues and and NCLex prep course fees that were required and we were given little notice when they were due. Financially it was a strain.

[BacktotheBeach, ADN, BSN, RN]

We had to buy a "box" of books, they did not list or tell us what books were included. It was $1500 and half of the books I never used during the program. Problem was, if you wanted to shop elsewhere (which they forbid) you would have had to get a list of the books from someone who had purchased the box, and get a list from them. Two people out of 75 were successful in doing so, they bought books as they were needed, and borrowed if we needed them immediately. It was one of my biggest complaints with the school, the whole book scam. They said it was required that we purchase the books from them and only them.

There is a law taking effect July 1, Federal Texbook Disclosure, which requires colleges to provide titles and isbn's of all books needed. This should greatly help the shopping elsewhere dilemma.

[MJB2010]

That law is REALLY going to help students at my school! They use the textbooks as a profit maker.

[AllThingsPink]

I believe I paid $800.

[frogs4131]

I paid close to $1000- my first semester for my required books and my SimMan codes that were pre boxed. I bought my other "suggested" books on Amazon, half.com and Ebay and saved a ton of money. I bought my required books new because they come with book codes for their websites which have study guides for the chapters and test questions. My second semester I paid about $200 on books.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Since I attended a nursing program at an expensive private trade school, the cost of my bundle of textbooks was rolled into the tuition.

[CuriousMe]

Books are one of the budget items on my financial aid from school, so I used that money to buy my books.

The only negative of this, is that I only get that money the first day of class, so there's no chance to buy ahead of time from a cheaper online source.

[lovenursing1218]

$800 for first semester, then 100-200$ for every semester since (four semester program.)