International Versions of Textbooks - Smart way to save? (Specifically A&P)

chicagoing, ADN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

I purchased the international edition for microbiology and had no issues. There may be slight variations in the end of chapter questions, but I *think* that rarely occurs.

For anatomy, you may even be able to use an older edition textbook; just ask your instructor if that would be acceptable.

FirmlyAnchored · Jan 10, 2011

I've purchased a few myself, info. is the same, paper quality kind of flimsy, no buy backs but they are a lot less expensive and cheaper than renting. You'll probably want to keep your AP book anyway. It's ridiculous what some of those books cost!!! I say go ahead and save your pennies, now while you can...

RLtinker, LPN · Jan 10, 2011

I did the same thing with my AP book, Shhh.... Lets see $70 vs $328, let me think, which should I buy. LOL. And yes these are the real prices. Its criminial how much they make us pay for some books. Let say I avoid my campus book store as much as possible. As for the quality.. same book, same information, different cover. As for the older edition of the same book... exact same information just with some rewording.:mad:I know, I have seen all three of these books side by side. Why is it that a the same book sold in Europe cost twice to three times as much in the US?

chicagoing, ADN, RN · Jan 11, 2011

What I would really like to know is why faculty will vote to require students to purchase new editions of the book every year?

RLtinker, LPN · Jan 11, 2011

I think it's usually the newest edition of whatever book it is they normally use. If I remember correctly, that is every three years or so...usually. Not that the information has changed in that time. For an example my AP books last three eds were 2010 (my luck), 2006, and 2003. So its not necessarily a yearly thing. But then....

But then there is my English book, which I had to buy on campus simply because its custom made ($90), and I couldn't sell the book back. Why? Because the book that was new that semester wasn't going to be used the next semester. :eek: Really who changes a book every semester? Did English really change over a 16-week term? The book was actually part of a package that included a syllabus, yes we had to by the syllabus. So I bet it wasn't the main text book that changed, but the syllabus. Unfortunately, its not a class you can survive without the text book, there were assignments from the book and the mid term also came from the book.

Erica87 · Jan 11, 2011

I read a bio from a person who sold international text books and the reasons he gave for them being cheaper was paper quality was not the best but it's still usable and decent. He also said that school costs a lot less in other countries so to be able to sell the books they change the cover a bit and sell them at lower costs. The students there can not afford the high prices because they only make 2 U.S. dollars an hour so they lower the prices to keep the demand high. I guess blame America for being prosperous lol?

SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP · Jan 11, 2011

My A&P books were International Student Version the quality was good enough, didn't notice a difference, every page was the same as a regular book. It was two soft covers instead of one huge hardback, paid $60 vs $200+. I only buy international books unless I don't have the option. My school is doing more "custom" books now.

stefanyjoy · Jan 11, 2011

My community college's "custom" books are actually other books with the college's cover on it. When I have to order a "custom" book from the bookstore I just go in the bookstore, find it and write down the REAL ISBN that is usually located inside the front or back cover. After that you can order it online. It's a SHAM! Seriously the practice of "custom" books among colleges should be illegal. Or the $300 "bundles" they sell -- sham, sham, sham. Get the real ISBN's from a classmate on the first day of class and then just order it online with expedited shipping and save a couple hundred bucks.

With the US dollar now 30% weaker than the Euro I am still not understanding why a 2010 North American edition of a science textbook should cost $200-$300 dollars. :devil: My computer text book last semester cost $200 MORE than the class itself cost! And there is a new version EVERY YEAR!