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Are you kidding?Jun 13 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Books
The Bottom Line Of course you should buy used books. IF the information inside is the same, then what is the difference? College students NEED to do this!
Should YOU buy used books?! I can't believe that there is any doubt on whether or not you should purchase used books. But if there is I hope to put all doubt to rest. Buying a used book is nothing like buying a used car. A used car can have hidden problems. If there is anything wrong with a used book, it doesn't matter. As long as the pages are still in tact and it's not highlighted to the point that it looks like a coloring book, what's the difference. Didn't you buy the book to read it and not to look at how pretty it is? Being a college student, I can tell you that buying my books is a very anxious and stressful time for my peers and me. For use, the sale of textbooks is the perfect monopoly. Textbooks are the Microsoft of books. Every student HAS to have them. Most college students aren't too apt to let other students borrow a book for an entire semester because of so called frugality. It's called being cheap! The only way to save yourself, or whoever is paying for the books, money is to purchase used books. Ways to purchase used textbooks What's good about buying a used textbook this is that when and if you are able to sell the book back, you get the same amount as someone who is selling back a new one. 1.Bookstore Buying used books from the college bookstore is an easy way to divert some of the costs from buying textbooks. If the class was offered the previous semester and by the same professor, then the college will probably offer the used textbook at a percentage of the original cost. However, it is not good to buy the used textbook at the end of the spring semester unless you are absolutely sure that the professor will not be changing books or editions. 2. From another student Since colleges buy books back at a ridiculously low percentage of the actual cost, most students feel as though they are being robbed by the school. An effective way to get the books you need is to ask someone to buy the book from them at 5-10 dollars more than the bookstore will buy it from them. Some students know this trick and say that they will only sell it to you at the price that the bookstore sells it but tell them that if no one buys it from them, they have made zero profit and if they sell it to the college, they lose money. 3. Online There are many websites online like www.booksintocash.com that now bring college students together from across the country to buy and sell used textbooks. Once you ensure that the books are the same, you are allowed to haggle with the person via email until you settle a price. This is becoming a popular way to obtain needed textbooks without paying the full price. Example John buys his chemistry text book brand new from the college for $80. McKinley then buys the same book from the bookstore (used)for $50. Sarah buys the book used from her friend for 10 dollars more than the amount that bookstore will pay for it. She pays her friend $35 used. When it comes time to sell the book back to the college for $25; John paying 55 dollars to use the book for the semester. McKinley pays 25 for using the book. And Sarah, wins the whole ordeal by paying 10 dollars to use the textbook for the semester Therefore it is cost effective to buy the textbooks you need from another student. Enough Said! When not to buy used Well obviously if you after trying all the methods I listed without any success, you have no choice but to buy the book new. Also, I would not recommend that someone buy a used book if it has been overly marked up, torn or. If the book is highlighted to the point that it resembles a 5 year olds coloring book, I would find another one of buy new. Too many markings on a book can become a small distraction when you're reading. Another reason to buy new is if you are trying to start a library of books on a particular area. For example, if you are trying to keep all of your Pyschology textbooks, because that's your major. Students like to keep the books of their major and so I would say that you might want new textbooks. Workbooks Workbooks such as SAT, LSAT, or MCAT preparation manuals should not be bought used. You should go ahead and buy them new because of two reasons. They are constantly updated with more recent versions of previous exams. This is good because it shows you which direction the exams are heading toward. Also, since most of these books are paper backs, they tend to be less durable and one year of use can do a lot of damage. Novels etc Many college students are forced to read books that they do not interest them. Many times, the college will not buy paperback books back at the end of the semester. The best thing to do is try to find the book used at a local bookstore or ask around and see if someone else owns a copy. Most people will gladly let you borrow a copy of a paperback novel that is just sitting on their shelf. What if I'm reading for leisure? As previously stated, I think that all college students should try to buy as many used books as possible because books are VERY expensive. I think that graduate students and people who have more focus or a career can should go ahead and buy them new and start a collection of reading materials. If you just enjoy reading, GO TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. You can read all the books you want for Free. However, some public libraries don't get new releases first and sometimes lack enough copies of popular new titles from Stephen King and the like. So if you can wait, go to the library. IF you can't then you have no alternative to buy it used. My Opinion I am not a big fan of buying books because I am young, constantly changing location and don't want to lug them around from place to place. The public library is the best way to obtain books that I want for leisure reading. It may be beneficial to older individuals who want to start book collections to buy them new for visual appeal but its what's between the two covers that really counts. But for me, as long as the book is the same, what does it matter. Information from books is just that, information and aesthetic value of the cover or pages is irrelevant. As long as the used book can be read, why not save yourself some money and buy it used.  |
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