Second Hand College Texts Online?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around finding affordable second-hand college textbooks online, with participants sharing their experiences and recommendations for various platforms. The scope includes practical advice on purchasing textbooks, comparisons of prices across different regions, and insights into the availability of specific editions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their successful purchases of textbooks from abebooks.com and seeks further recommendations for specific titles.
  • Another participant suggests Amazon and Abebooks as good sources, noting the presence of cheaper Asian editions that may differ in quality.
  • A participant from Ireland mentions the benefits of purchasing from Amazon due to lower overall costs compared to local shops.
  • One user recommends half.com for buying and selling textbooks, claiming it often has cheaper prices than Amazon.
  • Concerns are raised about the high cost of education in the U.S., with a participant expressing surprise at the lack of students studying abroad for more affordable options.
  • Another participant points out the significant difference in tuition fees for overseas students at UK and Irish universities compared to home students.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the usefulness of various online platforms for purchasing second-hand textbooks, but there are differing opinions on the quality and pricing of certain editions, particularly Asian editions.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention specific pricing and availability issues, as well as regional differences in textbook costs, which may affect the recommendations provided.

Who May Find This Useful

Students looking for affordable college textbooks, particularly those considering international education options or exploring various online purchasing platforms.

sponsoredwalk
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Hey dolls and guys, do you have any good sites to buy cheap college texts second hand on?

I was lucky enough to get the two volume Introduction to Calculus and Analysis by Courant/ Fritz for 17 dollars second hand and, wait for it, Boyce/DiPrima 6th edition Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems worth $101 for $1! on abebooks.com

I'm sure you've come across some good sites that help the poorer of us out. I'm specifically looking for the Blue Hardcovered Apostol Calc & Liner Algebra for around $30-$50-ish, not the $80 to $130 that version goes for.

Any helpful suggestions mucho appreciato :!)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Amazon/Abebooks (most abebooks resellers sell on amazon anyway)
A lot of the really cheap copies are asian editions, these are printed locally on very cheap paper and designed to reduce piracy of expensive western textbooks. Same content but beware if you expect to get a $200 hardback textbook for $5.

For more specialized titltes, Amazon.co.uk is also a good bet, textbooks are one of the few things that were cheaper in the uk - because students weren't paying $100k in fees they objected to paying $200 for a book - and with the current pound/$ rate it's even better.
 
Thanks a lot for the response, yes I've noticed amazon.com to have the odd amazing little deal here and there.

It's very true about the rates too, I'm living in Ireland and including the shipping I got two very expensive books for less than the price of one of either of them in a shop here -

btw, $100k is ridiculous! I'm surprised so many students don't go abroad for their education, Ireland, England and parts of Europe have some amazing colleges and wouldn't be as expensive.
 
I bought/sold almost all my books on www.half.com It is owned by ebay. I have found that the prices on half are usually cheaper than amazon, but sometimes it's just about luck
 
sponsoredwalk said:
btw, $100k is ridiculous! I'm surprised so many students don't go abroad for their education, Ireland, England and parts of Europe have some amazing colleges and wouldn't be as expensive.
Remember UK (and Irish) unis charge overseas students a LOT more than the fees home students pay.
 

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