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No Books For College

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by twospiritlycan, Aug 8, 2014.

  1. I feel frustrated that I won't have books for my classes for at least a couple of weeks. I ordered the ones I could afford already, but they won't arrive for at least a few weeks. So I'm stressed out about it and I'm not sure what to do about it. College is already frustrating.
     
  2. Kai LD

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    Ask other students for notes, take notes, use online resources, use the library, talk to your teacher. Sometimes a book is on reserve that you can use. I have already dropped the ball on a few classes I've had to withdraw from. Stay on top, show your teacher you care and you can make it work and get that A.
     
  3. I could just ask the teacher about it?
     
  4. Kai LD

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    You not only can the teacher will probably thank you for making it possible for you to succeed. They don't hold your hands usually in college and so initiative is necessary.
     
  5. BradThePug

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    There are some classes that you do not need the books for. Also, check the library, because sometimes they will have them.
     
  6. asdfghjk

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    Yes, I have point blank asked professors if the book was used heavily, if at all, in this class (because financial aid blah blah blah got screwed etc). If they say heavy use, ask if they feel you could manage with reserve copies at the library or if they could lend you access to the book during office hours. Remind them that this would just be until your books arrived. Unless they are a complete jackass (not rare in academia) most will be willing to work with you. It has been my community college experienced that many are thrilled to help you so long as you follow through!
     
  7. Kai LD

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    This.
     
  8. Budweiser

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    You have more information in the palm of your hand (or sitting on your desk) than is in the Library of Congress (largest library in the world) heck, probably more than 10 of those. Also, I'm assuming your college is required to have hard copy research materials as well.

    I'm pretty sure school books, these days, are a means of revenue and not actually useful to the students. Many of them are manufactured cheaply, new versions are just rearranged old versions, and some are even falsely attributed.

    If you can go to class without having to buy textbooks (I don't know if they'll let you) you can find the information literally everywhere else.

    News Releases | Student PIRGs

    http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/13/books/13textbook.html?_r=3&scp=1&sq=Diana Schemo Loewen&st=cse&

    Disputed Va. textbook wasn't reviewed by history experts
     
  9. Candace

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    Try to jot down lecture notes, along with looking up lecture sides online, and provided by your classmates, if they're willing to do that.
     
  10. Jinkies

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    I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Khan Academy.
     
  11. Budweiser

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    I love Khan Academy!! Like I said, textbooks are obsolete.
     
  12. Kai LD

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    There is one case where the textbook is needed: When the teacher is using page numbers and other means to force you to have the reference. This sucks.
     
  13. MDNA

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    All the good advices already given :slight_smile:
    You could also ask the prof for a copy of the syllabus so that you can see what topics are being taught and look those specific topics up in different books in the library
     
  14. Randy

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    Like all the posters said, use classmates, talk to the teacher, take good notes etc. etc. But um...not all textbooks will be used even though your college bookstore says they're required. For example, I took one NextGen class and the bookstore said textbooks were required. We got to class and the professor was like: "If you bought these textbooks...go return them." So...it may be wise to not buy a textbook until the first class day is over.
     
  15. Rosie

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    I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention this kind of stuff on the forum, but let's just say my classmates and me often got by with a .pdf of the book, and sometimes the teachers even distributed them.
     
  16. Hexagon

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    You could try photocopying pages from classmates.
     
  17. Randy

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    That's what I do sometimes. What most people do not know; however, is that some *.pdf files of textbooks are available through the internet link like normal downloading and not through any illegal means. I just found out that some people make books available in that manner. It takes a lot of patience to do that though, but it's worth it.
     
  18. Kaiser

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    Ooooooo, you're such a rebel!

    But that's what makes me love you, Hexagon, LOL.
     
  19. Tetra

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    In my experience, you don't even need the majority of the textbooks assigned for your courses. In my first year, I spent a good $150 on a biology textbook, and used it for maybe 10 minutes in all. I also have a chemistry textbook I didn't use once, collecting dust in my house.
     
  20. thanks guys. All this info was pretty helpful. I never thought about it like that. I'll have to explain to my professors about my situation when school starts. I hope they'll be reasonable with me. Thank you again for the info you guys have provided.

    ^_^