Students, local employee share textbook tips

As exciting as starting the school year is, many students get concerned with the pricing and hassle of buying textbooks. Texas Tech students and a local textbook store employee shared their advice on what they have learned over the years.

For purchasing textbooks, there are typically four options: buy new, buy used, buy the online version, or rent.

Ethan Calingo, a junior nursing major from Abilene, said it depends on how the person studies. He said he likes online textbooks because it can be a cheaper option, and he has no problem looking at a screen for extended amounts of time. 

Calingo advises students to wait until their class syllabus comes out to buy textbooks and not to get troubled when buying textbooks.

“It’s never too late to buy the textbook,” Calingo said. “Don’t stress about it.”

Buying it before syllabus week could be a waste of money because some classes may never require a textbook, Calingo said.

Callie DeWinnie, a junior kinesiology major from San Antonio, has saved money from making friends with people who are upperclassman. She said they can sell her the textbooks after they complete the course because she has to take the class likewise.  

The specific edition listed on the syllabus is not always mandatory and an older version can be a cheaper alternative to buying a new version, DeWinnie said.

“Rent your textbooks because at the end of the semester, you’re most likely not going to need your textbook,” DeWinnie said. “You’ll just need your class notes.”

Lily Fields, a sophomore animal science major from Fort Worth, said buying books used or renting is the best to save money.

“If it’s a book you’re going to use later on, buy a used version and then rent the other ones,” Fields said.

Even if an access code is required for the class, see if the code is sold separately from the book, Fields said. If the access code can be purchased separately, the book can still be rented in stores or online.

When deciding to either buy or rent a textbook, Kathryn Cicherski, a Varsity Bookstore employee, said she suggests to buy the book if it will help in another class or later in life for a career. If it is for basic-level courses unrelated to a student’s major, she recommends for students to rent them because the book will not be looked at again.

The third day of class is usually the bookstore’s busiest day, Cicherski said. Students wait until they go to each class to see what required materials will be needed.

If classes have a large number of students, those textbooks may be sold out by the third-class day, so Cicherski advises students to reserve those specific books ahead of time when registering for classes.

“Those books will be pulled for you as they come in the door, and they will sit in a bag waiting for you to pick them up when the semester begins,” Cicherski said. “That way, it gives you first dibs on used and rentals. You are assured the cheaper version.”

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