My school says to only buy books from their bookstore...

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2014

It could potentially be an issue. One publisher allowed the school to custom build online content and it was packaged with it. I think it was Cengage and it was for their custom lab manual though. All the data used to come on a CD but then they decided to switch to the online content. It was good for one year.

Then there are different level of access codes for a handful of the classes.

The better way to approach it is to ask the instructor if you will need an access code for that semester. Usually you can purchase the access codes separately though.

ToTheStudent · Jul 16, 2014

Interesting, I know sometimes I never once used the access codes that we "needed" in fact I almost never did. But maybe you can find a former student from your specific school and ask them! Definitely wouldn't want to not get them and actually need them for course work.

DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2014

My school said the same thing, that we had to buy from the book store. My textbook "kit" contained 12 textbooks that I would need for all three semesters of the program. They told us we had to buy from bookstore for a couple of reasons. Each semester each student's kit was pre purchased for them, the bookstore ordered no more and no less (so if a student bought elsewhere there was an extra kit of books the school had to deal with). Like you mentioned, the kit contained all access codes AND the CDs that came with the book (we used these in homework). When I priced out the 12 books individually the kit was not much more than purchasing the books separately, and the extra money (like $40) I justified by thinking of the time it saved me shopping around and shipping costs.

My school wanted us to buy the kit, because when they could guarantee the number of textbook kits purchased each semester, the textbook company would reciprocate and charge less for test bank, online access and teacher guides for the school - which in turn kept student fees and tuition lower.

I would wait until your boot camp, see what your professors have to say and then make a decision. Usually I see the bookstore as a blood sucking, soul stealing institution, but in the case of my nursing school, I looked at it as a way to support my program.

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2014

Also, emailing the instructor about the syllabus usually had a positive reaction.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 16, 2014

$$$$$$$$$$$$$

rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN · Jul 16, 2014

There was one book/code issue during my first year. It was a fundamentals book and an online access called "My nursing lab" that was used for testing and classwork. They also suggested getting it in house, because "you wouldn't want to be without it and it would cost more if you got it separately".

Well the book store only offered it separately and it was 160.00 for the book and 75.00 for the online access. I purchased it new, as a package, from amazon for 110.00. Big savings and I didn't feel bad about it. I would want to support my program but I choose to do it now when I am working than when I was a starving student. Funny thing is there was only 2 of us that purchased it from amazon, 24 that purchased it from the bookstore.

All (or most) books have online access of some sort that offers more information, practice tests, and animations that assist with learning. Many times there are alternate online accesses that are bundled with books that programs use for homework or testing. Just ask specifically what online access you must have and make sure you have it, no matter where you buy it.

Money is usually the driving force.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jul 16, 2014

what a racket! Basically the publishers are guaranteed to sell new books every semester and the students are forced to comply. Unless it was a real deal financially I would protest to the Dean. Had a friend who made big money writing textbooks and "editing" them every year. Usually no real changes, just a fee for her to get for stating the text was still up to date. A real racket in my opinion.

Spinmass, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jul 16, 2014

The school that I completed my pre-reqs at bundled access codes and books together at the book store. You could not get the correct access code w/o going through the Book store. Several students did not head the warning and bought the book someplace else and had a real issue when it came time to complete the online homework. Those students ended up needing to buy an additional access code and it cost almost as much as the bundle.

aspiringrn1987 · Jul 16, 2014

My school said the same thing, that we had to buy from the book store. My textbook "kit" contained 12 textbooks that I would need for all three semesters of the program. They told us we had to buy from bookstore for a couple of reasons. Each semester each student's kit was pre purchased for them, the bookstore ordered no more and no less (so if a student bought elsewhere there was an extra kit of books the school had to deal with). Like you mentioned, the kit contained all access codes AND the CDs that came with the book (we used these in homework). When I priced out the 12 books individually the kit was not much more than purchasing the books separately, and the extra money (like $40) I justified by thinking of the time it saved me shopping around and shipping costs.
My school wanted us to buy the kit, because when they could guarantee the number of textbook kits purchased each semester, the textbook company would reciprocate and charge less for test bank, online access and teacher guides for the school - which in turn kept student fees and tuition lower.
I would wait until your boot camp, see what your professors have to say and then make a decision. Usually I see the bookstore as a blood sucking, soul stealing institution, but in the case of my nursing school, I looked at it as a way to support my program.

We get a kit with like 5ish books, but we also need 10 other books that I can clearly see are not custom books and I can see which ones come with an access code and which do not. I don't see how, using an ISBN number, I could find incorrect books on other sites and they are cheaper everywhere else. On top of that, I don't think any books in the kit are custom because the ISBN for the kit comes up on amazon, half.com, valorebooks, etc. When I had a custom lab book for Chemistry the ISBN was not searchable on any other sites.

elkpark · Jul 16, 2014

Schools depend on the income from the bookstore. I taught, in the past, in an ADN program at a community college in which the nursing course syllabi (which were not really "syllabi," but were more course outlines, 25 or 30 pages) were sold in the bookstore. We faculty had to prepare our course outlines and take them to a local printer, which made the copies (we're talking just photocopies here, no one was setting type or anything ...), shrinkwrapped them, and delivered them to the school bookstore, which sold them to the students for some outrageous price ($25 or something). I missed the deadline for getting my syllabus to the printer once (they required an ridiculous amount of lead time, 3 weeks or something), so I took my syllabus to a copy shop in the nearest city (which I went to all the time anyway); they copied and collated it while I waited, and I brought it to class and asked the students to reimburse me for the cost of the copying, which came to something like a couple dollars per student. The students were thrilled, needless to say. The next time around, I skipped the local printing company entirely, got the syllabus copied at the city copy shop, and the students happily reimbursed me the small amount. Word got out, and I got spoken to by my program director that this wasn't allowed, that the school needed and planned on the profits it made in the bookstore from selling the outrageously overpriced syllabi (and I'm sure the local print shop was making a huge profit as well, considering that the city copy shop would do the same job for 1/10 of the price ...)

RainMom · Jul 16, 2014

Try to speak with a current/former student. For my program, I wanted to purchase online, but the school would not even release the titles or ISBN of the books used so I had no clue what I needed. I never opened the cds & we didn't use the online resources for homework; it was simply an additional source for studying.