School-specific textbooks

What I've found is that they are condensed versions of an actual general textbook. For instance, my Chem textbook is a "special edition" of a Gen Chem textbook, edition 4. I think they're made that way so you cannot buy elsewhere. I haven't found my "special" textbook anywhere else.

Usually the special editions are just the pages of a larger textbook your professor will end up going over in class. In my experience with classes that do this like Microbiology, the professor can usually lead you to a less expensive book that will have the same information but also a ton you won't necessarily need or cover in class. Talk to your professor or students who have previously taken the class. Good luck!

Good day, TikiTak:

We had the same deal at the community college I'm attending; some courses use "HACC custom" textbooks; and I found those classes to be frustrating as it was hard to narrow down what made the book custom, and would I be able to get a non custom book from Amazon or other sources cheaper in terms of keeping book costs down.

Thank you.

One class I am not taking is a study skills class that has a book that is custom to the school from what I heard, and the cost is over $120. It's frustrating to students that take the course because of the cost of that book but it isn't found anywhere else but at the school's bookstores.

I'd be talking to students who previously have taken the class or even ask the professor themselves if the non-special edition would suffice.

If you can or if another classmate will allow you to look at their text book, ask to do so. Pay attention to the name of the book, the publisher, and the table of contents. Snap a pic with your phone if you can. Look at the chapters, read the information about the book. OR just go to the book store and inspect the book.

Sometimes these "Custom" books are just several chapters from several different books spliced into one book. My developmental psych book was like that. However, each chapter told me what book it came from by a "This chapter is taken from...". That information might just be in the front or back of the book info as well.

Othertimes, books are a specific book, with just the chapters you will use in them. You can use the publisher and book name to match up the general table of contents with the actual book and just get that so long as the information is right. The chapters might not match up.. but the same information will be there. You can take a picture of the first couple chapters in your required book to help match them.

Thanks everyone! I hate that they go so far out of your way to prevent students from saving money. It looks like I might have to suck it up and buy the school-specific books. I appreciate your answers!