New freshman - do I need to purchase textbooks before semester starts?

Question

I will be a new freshman at a community college this year in September. Just wondering if I should purchase textbooks before the semester starts.

There is a bookstore website that shows which textbooks are used for which courses.

Do professors usually begin using textbooks on the first day? Or can I wait a little bit before buying?

I want to be 100% certain that the professor will tell us that they will use which exact textbook.

Answer 1

Wait until the first day of class just to make sure that you really need the book. Many professors have a copy of the text in the reserve section of the library, so you may not need to buy it at all. Ask the professor.

Also, ask if it is ok to use an older edition of the book. Many textbooks come out with a new edition almost every year, so the information doesn't change much from one edition to the next. You can often find old editions on-line for only a few dollars. Last fall I bought my Anthropology book for 8 cents on Amazon Marketplace. It cost more to ship it that I paid for the book, but the total was less than $5.

Answer 2

The bookstore will tell you what books for what courses....

You should purchase it before hand so you can get them at invoice cost and not MSRP......

For example...you can get a $220 book for only $42 online....

Like amazon.com or abesbooks...

Answer 3

You usually have a class period or two to get your books, but you might need to check on-line and see if your professors have a syllabus up already.  One of mine already has it up and it is on Semester Book, so I can buy that text book with certainty.  Many colleges are going more and more to electronic communication and less handouts in class so be prepared for that aspect of college.  

Answer 4

Search Half.com or Amazon.com by ISBN and edition number to get used copies and save a ton.  Bookstore used books are still a rip off.  You should always buy used, but avoid the bookstore if you can.

You can often work without the book for the first week or two (and occasionally the whole semester) if the professor doesn't test early, only tests lecture notes, or keeps a copy of the text available in the library.

Seaching by ISBN and edition is the best method because sometimes professors/authors write 2000 pages worth of material and compile various section together into texts of different topics.  This happens a lot in math and makes a specific text vary hard to isolate.

Answer 5

Most professors don't require books the first day.  As a matter of fact, in most classes all you do the first day is go over the syllabus and discuss what you will need.  However, usually the next time you have class, the professor will give you a reading assignment, but there really isn't any big rush to get it done right away, you have a little bit to get it done as it is just so you can get the background information for what you will be learning.

I get my books online, what I do is I get the ISBN's and then use a website like campusi.com to find the cheapest book available online possible.  If you do get the wrong book, you can always return it and then purchase the correct one.  My suggestion is go ahead and get the books before class starts.

Answer 6

You should be able to get a copy of the syllabus and it will list the books you need. If you are going to a campus then the bookstore will know which book/s you will need. Be cautious not to get all the suggested books until you are sure you will need them. Get the required books as soon as you can. Some professors will start in the book from day one and you should be prepared.

Answer 7

You can, but I would wait until the class starts.  They will only go over the class syllabus and nothing else.  Buy your books after class begins because the professor will state exactly which books are required and which aren't.

Answer 8

yes, you should purchase them as early as possible, because they sometimes run out if you wait, aaaaaaand...

...if you get there early enough, you might find a used book for a cheaper price!

If a professor changes a textbook for some reason, or tells you that you really won't need it for whatever reason (i.e. they aren't going to use it often) they will tell you early on, and you'll probably be able to return the book/s to the bookstore for full credit within 2 weeks of purchase date, but make sure about return policies first if you are uncertain about a particular class.

It's much too late now, but in the future I would advise you to look into purchasing your books online -- it's usually way, way cheaper.  College bookstores are sinful in how they charge. :(

Answer 9

Well some professors do start using the book the first day.  However they give you a deadline to when you should have your first book.  Normally by the second week of class you have to have your book.  If your worried about getting the wrong books you can always take your schedual to the campus bookstore and they can help, or just wait until class starts.