HELP!! Cheapest place to buy college/grad school textbooks?

[jaybird]

My dot needs to purchase her med school books. She's looking at about a $2000 textbook bill. Has anyone bought textbooks online? Do you know which sites are the most reliable and cheapest?

Sarah thanks you. Her measly bank account thanks you!

[Kelsey1224]

My son buys all his text books online at Half.com (which I understand is a division of Ebay).

You need to be sure that you confirm that you are purchasing the correct edition (since books are revised sometimes almost yearly).

Also, check to see if there is a workbook that goes with the book.

My son pays just a few dollars for his books and they have all been in good enough condition. He was only burned once and that's when what he purchased turned out to be the workbook and not the text.

[juliegirl78]

There are tons of places online--I have never used them but I think they'd definitely be worth a shot as long as she knows *specifically* what she needs and all... Also, I think I have seen online coupons for some of the sites that do this--so it would be worth a Google search or something... Hope it works out that she can find some cheap books! :)

[jaybird]

The problem with used books (i.e. half.com) is that she needs the newest edition for most books. For example, Gray's Anatomy, newest edition at half.com is from 1995, and it's still $139.00. That's 7 years old. Guess I have my work cut out for me doing some digging. UNGH!

[jamrsc]

Don't know if this would help you or not, but my hubby takes classes online thru Univ. of Phoenix and gets all his books from www.specialty-books.com. I don't know if they only sell for U of P or not, but it is worth checking into.

[miccit]

Does the school bookstore have used books. This is where my hubby got some of his. Look in the student union on the notice boards. Hubby got some there also. My favorite ads were the ones that said Hardly used (guess they must have flunked!!). Do you have a Half Price Books near you? They sometimes have them. You can also look in the school newspaper and see if they have anything.

Good luck. It adds up fast!

[Lasher]

i get mine from www.varsitybooks.com, they sell used and new books, usually have good prices.

[erniemarie]

i buy all mine from either www.half.com or www.varsitybooks.com and I resell them at www.half.com

[erniemarie]

i buy all mine from either www.half.com or www.varsitybooks.com and I resell them at www.half.com, you do need to have the ISBN number from the book though to look them up

[flute]

Look for online coupons. http://www.dealdude.com Here are some sites I go to.

www.half.com u could prolly try ebay
bn.com & amazon seem to be 2 of the best.

http://www.allbookstores.com COMPARE prices!! Don't think these are the lowest prices tho! I've found 'em cheaper!

http://www.ecampus.com

http://www.classbook.com/classbook/default.asp
http://www.wizeup.com/

congrats on buying them online. I literally saved half of what my peers had to spend. and you can sell them back to the college at the end of the term too, if wanted! :) There was another site I'm trying to find...but it had ONE BOOK ONE time...


Does the school bookstore have used books. NOT ALL Schools will give used books! MINE doesn't, and I'm gonna be a teacher, I'm guessing docs have to have the latest too

found nother site
http://www.efollett.com/

JAybirdy, what I do...what i'm getting ready to do this week, I get all the coupons I can for EVERY BOOK SITE, I look up all my books at all sites & mark down prices and then I compare & I go w/the cheapesT!! Some coupons you have to have a new membership/sign up for so I sign mike up, me up everything &everyone to save a buck! :)

http://www.bestbookbuys.com/

http://www.freebooks4doctors.com

[jaybird]

www.ecampus.com
www.savei.net/textbook.html
www.classbook.com
www.varsitybooks.com
www.bestbuybooks.com
www.allbookstores.com
www.bestwebbuys.com/books
www.booksamillion.com
www.bookprices.com
I'm going blind.
www.wizeup.com
www.alphacraze.com
www.powells.com/booksforstudents.html
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.textbookx.com
www.bookbyte.com
www.amazon.com
www.college-textbooks.net
I feel faint.

14 books, PLUS 3 she can only get through Washington U's School of Med, and HOPEFULLY her old physiology book is 1999 or newer. If not, she needs another physio book.

Good grief. This will take days and days.

[flute]

Heehee* so why are you doing this & your dot's not?

[jaybird]

Ummm, because Sarah's working 6-8 hours, 6 days a week, finishing up a class, trying to find $8000 additional financial aid to cover the $25,000 tuition, a place to live she can't afford to move into, a roommate or 2, plus shopping for medical professional supplies like labcoats, stethoscopes, bp cuffs, and things like that. And about to have a breakdown. She's sorta busy.

:D

[jaybird]

Have any of you checked for textbooks at www.walmart.com??? OF ALL PLACES!

I'm there now, and the first book I checked, Gray's Anatomy, best price elsewhere is $187, they want $178. And the second book I checked is $10 cheaper.

PLUS if you join ebates.com (or already belong) you can link to walmart.com (or amazon or wherever) and get an additional 2% cash back rebate check on your total purchase.

[flute]

sorry i sounded rude..guess it's NOT an excuse but the a/c's blown & it's hot in here!!! GRRRRRRRR...ohh & i'm just kinda mad!!! someone biotched out mom & that makes me kinder angry! :mad: LOL! sorry again!!!

[jaybird]

You silly. You weren't rude. It was a perfectly logical question...one I've been asking myself the last few hours! ;)

Seriously, flute, before you buy any textbooks, check walmart.com. They've been consistently cheaper than all the other book sites I've checked so far. Only 2 of 14 books were out of stock, and the same 2 books (some legal awareness book and a patient practitioner interaction book) were out of stock at the other 3 sites I've checked so far.

And 2% back if you link to walmart.com through ebates!

[flute]

Wal*mart sell college books? Well, once I get my ISB#s (hopefully he'll have them for me tomorrow) I'll check it out!
thanks :)

[jaybird]

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=58294&dept=3920&path=0%3A3920%3A58294

Over 300,000 textbooks! Go figger! I searched for some of the books by title, but there were a few that required specifics & I used the ISBN.

[flute]

Originally posted by jaybird
Go figger!

my thoughts exactly!!

[babygirlnoemi17]

Originally posted by jaybird
Ummm, plus shopping for medical professional supplies like labcoats, stethoscopes, bp cuffs, and things like that. And about to have a breakdown. She's sorta busy.

:D


my moms fiance sells medical scrubs and stethoscopes and a bunch of other stuff including bp cuffs, i think i can talk him into getting a deal for you if ya want. just let me know.:D

[jaybird]

I might take you up on that. She needs lab coats, a Littmann steth (specific model, dual bells), a bp cuff, a goniometer or two of those thingies...she has a list somewhere.

[miccit]

Now I kind of feel bad about complaining about my kids' school supplies for elementary school!! ;)

I hope you find all you need and don't go broke in the process!

[jaybird]

Originally posted by miccit
Now I kind of feel bad about complaining about my kids' school supplies for elementary school!! ;)

I hope you find all you need and don't go broke in the process!

It's obscene, isn't it? On top of a $25,000 a year tuition. You'd think they could give her the books and a freaking lab coat! I feel so sorry for her, she'll be 25 years old and $75,000 in debt. That's a tremendous burden, considering she'll be starting out needing a home, a new vehicle (her car is nearly 8 years old already). But both of our kids got 4 years of college education paid, anything beyond that is up to them, and they both knew this from the onset. It's just tough watching how stressful this is for her.

[flute]

Originally posted by jaybird


It's obscene, isn't it? On top of a $25,000 a year tuition. You'd think they could give her the books and a freaking lab coat! I feel so sorry for her, she'll be 25 years old and $75,000 in debt. That's a tremendous burden, considering she'll be starting out needing a home, a new vehicle (her car is nearly 8 years old already). But both of our kids got 4 years of college education paid, anything beyond that is up to them, and they both knew this from the onset. It's just tough watching how stressful this is for her.

ohh yea I mean doctors really are the working poor aren't they?? Bout as bad as lawyers...
sorry~i hate docs, nothing personal I've just had some treat me badly lately!!

[jaybird]

Sarah's going to be a doctor of physical therapy. It's a doctorate program in PT. She's never going to make the hundreds of thousands of $ that people assume any doctor makes. Her starting salary won't be anything close to what even your worst gp makes.

[flute]

ok ok *backs down
Do let your dot know that her patients are human & deserve to be treated w/respect. (OB made a snyde comment, pediatrician made a snyde comment, doc mom works w/is like a psychiatrist & he's bloody awful, well he was only trying to steal the cent'er's $)

*mumbles about doc firing mother...idiot..

[miccit]

My SIL studied to be a Physical Therapist and my BIL is in college for the same thing now. She has taken a year or two off before going to medical school to teach PE. She is doing this to earn extra money. She didn't have to pay for the first four years, she got a bunch of scholarships (so did BIL). Now, she is working to pay for the rest.

Being a doctor is a lot of hard work. My oldest brother is a pediatrician and one of my step brother is a Physicians Assistant studying to be a doctor.

Is your daughter going to Washington University in Eastern WA?

Wish her luck from me!!

[babygirlnoemi17]

let me know what else is on her list and how much she will be apying for them and i will let him now and see what kind of discount he can give.:D

[jaybird]

Originally posted by miccit
My SIL studied to be a Physical Therapist and my BIL is in college for the same thing now. She has taken a year or two off before going to medical school to teach PE. She is doing this to earn extra money. She didn't have to pay for the first four years, she got a bunch of scholarships (so did BIL). Now, she is working to pay for the rest.

Being a doctor is a lot of hard work. My oldest brother is a pediatrician and one of my step brother is a Physicians Assistant studying to be a doctor.

Is your daughter going to Washington University in Eastern WA?

Wish her luck from me!!

Sarah's going to Washington University in St. Louis. They have the #1 ranked PT program in the country. Also the highest tuition I think! She waivered for months/years between that and becoming a physician, but it wouldn't surprise me if she went on to become an md. She is going to specialize in pediatric physical therapy.

And flutey, without being biased, Sarah is the most compassionate person I know. To everyone, strangers, and she never sees a person by color or religion or socio-economic background. She doesn't have a prejudiced bone in her body. I admire her, not many people can say that, including me.

babygirlnoemi...I'll talk to her and get back with you.

[flute]

Originally posted by jaybird
And flutey, without being biased, Sarah is the most compassionate person I know. To everyone, strangers, and she never sees a person by color or religion or socio-economic background. She doesn't have a prejudiced bone in her body. I admire her, not many people can say that, including me.

Well I'm glad. Cus of BS, I'm demanding anotehr ped for Isabel. I have to be able to talk to the doc w/out him telling ME i'm probably going on WIC wtf??

And, have you been looking for coupon codes like I told u?? I lucked out I have only 1 book to buy for the first term :) Now, hopefully the other 4 terms will be as gentle to me! LOL

http://www.************.com/ and BBS has coupon codes too :)