When are we suppose to buy textbooks? (1 Viewer)

[Jonneeh]

Dumb Question xD

 

[Omie Jay]

whenever you can. as soon as you can.

 

[funnytomato]

from what I've been told, you'd better buy them after first few lectures, i.e. early march
just to make sure all the textbooks listed in ur info booklets/on the internet are actually needed

 

[Jonneeh]

Umm i might be looking in the right places but cant find anything for my UNSW courses.

When i type in the course codes on the "UNSW Bookshop" website a couple of items pop up. Does that mean for that course i would have to buy say 5 Text books?

EDIT: Do i only need to buy the ones that say "Prescribed" is it worth getting the "recommended" ones?

 

[Omie Jay]

just the prescribed one is required, but yeah it's also a good idea to see after the first lecture, what the lecturer says in terms of books being needed or not.

so far the only subject which i havnt bought the txtbook (cos wasnt needed) was MATS1101 and ENGG1000 (unsw)

 

[Jonneeh]

just the prescribed one is required, but yeah it's also a good idea to see after the first lecture, what the lecturer says in terms of books being needed or not.

so far the only subject which i havnt bought the txtbook (cos wasnt needed) was MATS1101 and ENGG1000 (unsw)

Alright thanks, ill wait till uni start before buying them. But do stocks ever run out?

Cant seem to find any books for BIOS1201 formerly known as BABS1201.

 

[AussieVesti]

Just a reminder, university book stores are ALWAYS packed in the first week. If you have money to burn and can't bothered to wait in line when the time comes, buy textbooks online. I have two textbooks prescribed for Semester 1 and I bought them off Book Depository instead of the Co-Op Bookshop to save about 50% off the cover price. It really is a balance between whether you want to avoid buying something you won't need in the end compared to the convenience of purchasing early.

 

[Omie Jay]

mm not sure, some of mine arent up either.
just keep checking everyday i guess, you'll definitely be notified about which books you need by the end of your first lecture.

 

[deterministic]

http://community.boredofstudies.org/showthread.php?t=254506

 

[meilz92]

whenever you can. as soon as you can.

^ don't take this stupid advice.

First, actually go to your classes and in the first lecture, lecturer should tell you whether textbook is really a necessity or not. For example, if he says the final exam is based off lecture notes, do you really need the textbook? or, if lecture notes are basically derived from the textbook, do you need the textbook? This was the case for one of my subjects last year and I saved $150 by not buying the textbook. I got 83 as my final mark.

So basically, go to your lectures for a week or two and make your own judgement as to whether you need the textbook or not.

 

[myst1fy]

^ don't take this stupid advice.

First, actually go to your classes and in the first lecture, lecturer should tell you whether textbook is really a necessity or not. For example, if he says the final exam is based off lecture notes, do you really need the textbook? or, if lecture notes are basically derived from the textbook, do you need the textbook? This was the case for one of my subjects last year and I saved $150 by not buying the textbook. I got 83 as my final mark.

So basically, go to your lectures for a week or two and make your own judgement as to whether you need the textbook or not.

+1

yeah

 

[UncoKane]

I made this mistake in my first year. I bought every textbook for everything and didn't use most of it. Wasted sooo much money. If it says "recommended" don't buy it. The exams will be mostly from lecture notes.

 

[terminator69]

Wait until at least a few weeks into session to see if they actually reference the textbook or you think you'll need it for study. I bought a maths textbook for $130 last sem because some cunty from the publisher gave a speech about how it was mandatory. I never used it.

 

[Chemical Ali]

never.

they usually have a few copies in the uni library, might be older edition
or 'group study' i.e. scrounge off your friends' textbooks

disregard textbooks
acquire currency

the only exception is if you're in a course where the textbook is the course, like in my 1st year biology classes the course == what is in the allocated textbook chapters, in this case it is worth getting

BUT

DON'T ever buy one first hand, look at all the notices posted around the uni, there will be people selling them 2nd hand at up to like 80% off

 

[ajdlinux]

For some courses the textbook will be mandatory, for others it will be merely recommended, meaning that you'll buy it, never look at it, and half of it will be in the reading brick anyway.

That said, I've bought quite a lot of textbooks simply because I think it would be nice to have on the shelf later on.

 

[Lou283]

Def wait. Some textbooks are not needed just suggested and if you need anything in the first week the library is where you should rush to not the book shop. Also be careful of buying second hand as sometimes they change the version or the actual book from the semester before so even if it's the right book for the right class it might not be the right one for your class this semester. Best to wait a week and then try and buy online as you can because I have stood in the bookshop line for over an hour before.

Also if it's not on coop-bookshop online it probably just means the lecturer hasn't submitted it yet to them.

 

[Aquawhite]

I don't even know what textbooks I need, whatsoever. I imagine I could go into the campus bookstore to find out, but as far as what is required/compulsory I will have to wait until the first lecture.

I hope textbooks aren't too expensive.

 

[Lou283]

I don't even know what textbooks I need, whatsoever. I imagine I could go into the campus bookstore to find out, but as far as what is required/compulsory I will have to wait until the first lecture.

I hope textbooks aren't too expensive.

You can get an idea here: http://www.coop-bookshop.com.au/bookshop/action/DataSubjSelect