How To Save Money on Textbooks For Your Online Classes
If you have attended either an offline or online college, you should be familiar with the high cost of books. It seems as if the prices of books keep rising every year. It is not uncommon to see a college level math book which costs $150. When you combine the cost of books with your tuition, earning a degree online can put you in a financial strain. Unfortunately, taking online classes will not protect you from the high cost of books. However, there are a number of things you can do to either get your books very cheap, or get them for free.
Recent statistics show that the typical college student will spend $1,000 each year on books. An undegraduate student may pay well over $3,000 for books prior to earning their degree. Even though online classes allow students to learn in a virtual environment, they are often required to purchase books which are just as expensive as their offline counterparts. Before you go to a bookstore to look for books, you will first want to look at other places where you may be able to get books for free. There are a large number of virtual libraries that can provide references to literature without charging students.
While new textbooks are not likely to be found online, there are a large number of expired books available. Often, these books will have the same information as the newer versions. This is especially true in the case of math, history, or literature. Though new discoveries are made in math on a regular basis, most college students have not reached the level where they will be working in these advanced areas. Because of this, an older algebra book will have the same information as a new algebra book. Much like math, history is a subject which rarely changes. While new discoveries may be made everyday, students won’t need to purchase the latest books unless they plan on pursuing a career as historians.
One of the best places to find old textbooks is the Internet Public Library. This library offers a large number of links to books and magazines. Another good source of information is Bartleby. This website offers thousands of books at no cost to the student. If you are attending an online college, it is likely that your instructor will want you to buy a new book. However, since you are attending their class from the comfort of your own home, there is no way for them to know what type of book you’re using. As long it is on the same subject they are teaching, you shouldn’t have many problems.
The books at Bartleby can be downloaded onto your laptop or PDA, and you will also have the option of printing it out. One excellent website where you can find free books is Project Gutenberg. This one website provides over 16,000 ebooks which can be downloaded for free. These books cover a large number of categories, from math to science and history. As the internet continues to advance, up to date books will be uploaded very quickly, allowing students to get recent information for free. In addition to getting books online, you could also find a student in your area who has taken the same class in a previous semester.
They may have books sitting around which they are not using. They may sell them to you for a low price, or they may even give them to you for free. This is another great way to save money on the cost of books. If you are attending an online college, it may be difficult for you to find students in your area who have taken the same classes. However, a good way to find these students is to use message boards. If you are not able to find the textbooks you want for free, you will want to get them at the lowest possible price. One place where you can purchase low cost textbooks is CompareTextbook.com or Half.com. Amazon or Alibris are some other good places which sell textbooks at discount prices.
Whether you are attending an online or offline college, it is important to make sure you purchase books for the best possible price. Paying $150 for one book doesn’t make much sense, especially when you consider the fact that most books are updated every semester or so, and students are required to purchase the new editions.
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