The aggravation of it all

[kariace]

So... I have been struggling trying to pay for my college books for the past 5 weeks because my professors are so darn picky on keeping up to date on the "latest edition".

My books costs me about $663 in total. So instead of me paying $100 for all 6 of my books online, I have to break my pockets because of some newest illustrations and a caption or two 😠.

I had to beg my parents and relatives for money (I even asked my 11 year sister for some of her allowance money). It was pretty embarrassing, considering me and my parents barely get along and I asked relatives who I haven't spoken in years, plus a little girl who loves all the change she can get.

But guess what? Today (just now), I felt like checking my fafsa award letter to just to see how much I may be getting back as a refund check and lo and behold it said I have a 1,000 book scholarship. I didn't even know my fafsa was updated, or where that scholarship even came from.

Yes, I did apply for that scholarship back in like March, but I was never notified by the scholarship representatives or my school, telling me that I had recieved it. Like how long have I even had that?

Imagine my frustration at the fact that I went through all this embarrassment and shame for nothing. More so at my school for not telling me that they changed my award letter and did not notified me about it or the scholarship.

I'm not as angry as I was before I started venting on this post. So that's a plus. But still...

[jena5111, ASN, RN]

Just because an instructor tells you to purchase the most recent edition of a text does NOT mean you MUST do so.

I graduate from nursing school in December without EVER having purchased the most current edition of a textbook.

For fundamentals, I found a previous edition text for $7.99 at Half Price Books--missing the companion CD, but I never use those anyway so no problem. I scored the edition behind current (eighth instead of ninth) of our med-surg book from a different Half Price Books location for $10. It's a hardcover near-new book with zero highlights/marking beyond the first few chapters. I found my mental health text at the same Half Price store for $9.99 months later. I rented my peds/OB text from Amazon for around $30.

The only modification: Your syllabi will contain slightly different page numbers for reading assignments since these are usually based on the current edition. No big deal. Just line up the topics with the chapters in the previous editions and you're good to go.

Nursing school can be pricey, but I've never stressed over textbook expenses. These days, you don't have to. I realize not everyone has a Half Price Books store in their neighborhood, but check out local used bookstores if possible. You can also check out prior editions at your school's library in some cases.

[AspiringNurseMW]

Just check to make sure it's an actual scholarship. My school "advances" everyone automatically $1000 as bookstore credit when they are expecting a refund from grants /loans.

If I could afford it I much rather buy my books through Amazon or used from older students, but that bookstore credit ends up being my lifesaver.

Although, I have to say I don't remember how I found this out, but I definitely knew before I went buying any books on my own.

[ThePsychWhisperer, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

My instructors are also bound and determined to use the newer editions of textbooks, and they're almost as determined as I am not to use the newest editions of said textbooks. Instead of buying my books, I rented them all from Chegg.com and turned an $800 bill into a $117 one. I refuse to buy a new edition of a book because they moved a paragraph, or added some obscure graph to page 1024. I also refuse to buy books I'll only use once. Many book groups (i.e.-elsevier) give you the option to buy access codes for books, or as I found out yesterday, sometimes have the online accompanying material for free.

[RainMom]

Each book, as you know, has an IBN number. If you go to a search engine and type in the IBN number, you will see that there's lots of choices when it comes to books. Even new books can be "used", books can be downloaded onto your computer, rented for the semester--lots of choices.

Not at my school. The school bookstore would not release ISBN numbers because they wanted you to buy their books. I got around that for prereqs because the bookstore website would give the book title & usually a picture so I was still able to find older versions online. However for the actual nursing program, you couldn't get the books off the website & when I called asking for titles or ISBN, they refused to give any information. Unless somebody knew a recent grad, you couldn't find out what books the program used & were stuck spending about $1100.

[SweetCorn]

I rented all my textbooks besides my med/surg books, which I purchased.

You can get Amazon Student service which is essentially Amazon prime which gives you free shipping both ways.

Any school that doesn't provide you an ISBN before a course starts is screamin' shady to me. Is it accredited?

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Publishers change editions and instructors are required to use the new editions, whether they want to use them or not, whether they Re significantly different or not. Publishers won't sell old editions to bookstores when the new ones hit the shelves.

As for the ISBN numbers, instructors can give them to you if the bookstores won't, assuming the instructors have their copies.

[Jules A, MSN]

Publishers change editions and instructors are required to use the new editions, whether they want to use them or not, whether they Re significantly different or not. Publishers won't sell old editions to bookstores when the new ones hit the shelves.

As for the ISBN numbers, instructors can give them to you if the bookstores won't, assuming the instructors have their copies.

Two of the schools I went to actually posted it in the syllabus with the book requirements. Loved that!

[RainMom]

I rented all my textbooks besides my med/surg books, which I purchased.

You can get Amazon Student service which is essentially Amazon prime which gives you free shipping both ways.

Any school that doesn't provide you an ISBN before a course starts is screamin' shady to me. Is it accredited?

Actually it is a good school & accredited; very good nursing program with an excellent reputation & great instructors. I felt very prepared going onto an acute care floor as a new grad. NCLEX pass rate of 95-100% for several yrs. Only one student in my class didn't pass after multiple tries & she was the one who was believed to have cheated but no hard proof.

I think the bookstore is an entity unto itself, lol.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Can you find anyone else to blame for your situation? You are an adult and your finances are your responsibility. If you are embarresed to ask your parents for money I have a solution.. GET A JOB.