Sell Books Back or Keep Them?
December 12th 2007 14:13
I wrote at the beginning of this school semester that amazon.com was my best friend because I got most of my books there for cheap, as well as getting some for free.
But what happens at the end of the semester? Is it really worth it to sell the books back to the school bookstore? Yes and no.
In my opinion, it depends on what books you want to sell back, and how much you spent on them to begin with.
I'll use myself as an example. I'm an English major so I have lots of novels, but not a lot of textbooks. Most of the "textbook" style were of the norton anthology variety which are basically a bunch of short stories or novels packed into one. (I actually hadn't sold any books back at this school until this semester). I sold three back a few days ago. One was a book from a multicultural class meant mostly for teachers, one was The Scarlet Letter because I already had another version, and the other was this handbook guide to boring stuff like definitions of "plot" and "setting."
I have no intention of selling back the other books, because I'm an English major (soon-to-be- degree holder) and I may want to read some of the stories in those books. If I had had more books about science, or if I had bought the psychology book (from the amazon post) I would have sold those back because those weren't my major.
Basically my rules would be:
Sell it if...
1) it's not your major and you have no intention of taking another class in that subject.
2) you are graduating and have no use for the books anymore
If they are books from your major (esp. if you're an English major) keep them!! You may be able to use those books for another class. And if you sell it back and then have to buy it again you've just wasted a lot of money.
My other thought would be to ask around and swap books with other people in your major. I just gave a copy of The Norton Anthology of Women (which I used for two different classes) to a girl, who was taking one of the classes in which I had used it, for next semester.
I won't lie, campus bookstores are a rip-off. But if you know for sure you won't ever be using the book again, you might as well sell it back. That's just my thought.
But what happens at the end of the semester? Is it really worth it to sell the books back to the school bookstore? Yes and no.
In my opinion, it depends on what books you want to sell back, and how much you spent on them to begin with.
I have no intention of selling back the other books, because I'm an English major (soon-to-be- degree holder) and I may want to read some of the stories in those books. If I had had more books about science, or if I had bought the psychology book (from the amazon post) I would have sold those back because those weren't my major.
Basically my rules would be:
Sell it if...
1) it's not your major and you have no intention of taking another class in that subject.
2) you are graduating and have no use for the books anymore
If they are books from your major (esp. if you're an English major) keep them!! You may be able to use those books for another class. And if you sell it back and then have to buy it again you've just wasted a lot of money.
My other thought would be to ask around and swap books with other people in your major. I just gave a copy of The Norton Anthology of Women (which I used for two different classes) to a girl, who was taking one of the classes in which I had used it, for next semester.
I won't lie, campus bookstores are a rip-off. But if you know for sure you won't ever be using the book again, you might as well sell it back. That's just my thought.
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
This is good advice. I did the same, kept my novels (I did a communications course) and only sold the ones I knew I was unlikley to ever need.
Tracy
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by Ashley
College of Cash
And I'm also glad to hear that other people were paying attention to what they were doing! I see some students here who spent $100 on one book only get like $10 or $15 back. I'd rather just keep it or sell it to a friend for that price. That way neither of us are really getting ripped off.