Being a college student guarantees two things: first, adjusting to a lack of sleep and second is absolutely having to get textbooks.
The reality is that college students need textbooks for class and often times it is a struggle to scrape together enough money to afford them. Depending on which method one chooses to acquire their book-buy new, buy used, or rent, comes down to personal preference and what one's budget will allow.
For many, the Seton Hall bookstore is a convenient option for textbook buying simply because it is located right on campus and one can thumb through the textbook selection, pick out their books and purchase all in one place without having to wait for books to be mailed. Online selection of books is also available through the bookstore. Senior Katherine Conlin expressed that she finds this method of book buying to be the most effective.
"I prefer to get my books from the bookstore because all the textbooks I need for my courses are located in one place through the online inventory," said Conlin. "It cuts out time I would be spending on other textbook sites."
Although the bookstore on campus may be convenient, many students elect to use other resources when it comes to textbook buying simply because they search for the best bargain on the internet through sources like Amazon.com, Chegg.com, and Half.com.
"I find most of my books through online sources outside of Seton Hall. I've been able to save a lot of money buying used textbooks through Amazon and Chegg," said senior Ruchit Patel. "Sometimes I purchase or rent textbooks for half the price of what it would cost at the bookstore."
Patel also added that he does rely on the campus bookstore in certain instances such as when a class requires a Seton Hall edition of a textbook.
When money is the biggest factor, it is best to buy gently used books or to rent them for a much lower price. Yet in some cases it is still less money to buy a textbook from an outside source than it is to rent it from the bookstore. For example, the textbook "Community Based Corrections" 4th edition for the Criminal Justice: 2618 course can be rented from Seton Hall for $53.18, or it can be bought used from Amazon.com starting at $14.97 plus a small shipping fee, and does not have to be returned.
Brett Montana can be reached at brett.montana@student.shu.edu.
