College Textbooks...

[RineyX21]

For those of you who are in college or have already graduated, what do\did you do with your textbooks after completing a class? Do you sell away all of them, or keep a few that you found useful in the future?

For me I tend to be critical when it comes to keeping my books, since they're so expensive. If they pertain to my major, they're still useful as a future reference.

But I tend to 'throw away' my general ed stuff to get some of my money back.

[Kkun]

Depending on whether they've updated the edition of the text or not, I sell mine back to the school bookstore and make some cash.

[mitsuki lover]

I kept some of mine.For example I still have my American Lit. book.

[FadedOne]

I keep a few taht are good for future ref(my Old & New Test texts for example. great refs). However, I also try to get as much money back 'cause dangit, those bookstore people are highway robbers. it's really better to buy & sell to other students & cut out the evil middle man.

[soul alive]

In my future profession, it is very important to build up a library of reference books. So I tend to keep all of my architecture textbooks, with very few notable exceptions.

For non-architecture classes, I'm split between keeping and selling back. If I really liked the book I might keep it, but usually I need whatever cash I can get from selling it back.

[Doubleshadow]

I keep ones I think will be good for references and give the rest away to a books for Africa program. This is not just philanthropy, it is also a way to get out of selling them back to the bookstore since the money they give for a buy back is virtually nothing.

[b0redx3]

i keep them in case, for some unknown reason, i would need it again.

[uc pseudonym]

Though I can think of possible future uses for many of my textbooks, I generally don't think it is likely enough that they are worth keeping. My financial situation isn't so nice that I can afford to never get any money back on each semester's books.

[Icarus]

I usually keep my math books, and sell the others.

[Link Antilles]

It really depends on the quality of the textbook. I'm a little of a pack-rat for the better textbooks I have had. For the most part, all of my business related books have been top-notch and great reference sources (ironically, the cheapest too). As for the rest, aside from writing, they have been rather mediocre and I tend to get rid of them ASAP after the class is over.

[Ashley]

I have never sold a book back. Generally, I get so frustrated at the dirt-cheap prices they offer that I'd rather have it sit on my shelf should I ever need it than get ripped off so badly. Having said that, though, I have some real gems in the collection--you know, the big, important books everyone expects you to read in the academic world like Rosseau, Hobbes, Augustine, Thucydides, etc. And this semester, my reading quorum includes such things as the Qu'ran and the Bhagavad Gita, so I'll definately want to hang on to those for future reference in dealing with others of a non-Christian faith.

I also write extensively in my books. I pencil in questions, jot down scripture references, etc. So they'd be of very little resale value, and I'd be losing a ton of my brain. XD

[Warrior4Christ]

Our bookshop doesn't offer to buy back books. Can't you sell them privately or semi-privately? Second hand ones can be sold for about 2/3 to 3/4 of the new price for a good condition book. I use a site called textbookexchange.com.au to buy and sell second hand textbooks.

That said, I tend to hang onto them in case I need them in the future.

[Mithrandir]

I have a semi-large collection of my old college texts (from the 90s). I was sure I would use some of them for reference material, and some of them I have. Pretty much only major texts, though. The other ones aren't where I can see them, right now. The management texts from my masters program, though, I keep handy. I'm still writing papers for that, and they make excellent reference materials.

[Dante]

I keep all of my physics texts from College, being in a field where knowledge is the key ellement behind what we do (you can't just be good at physics, you always need a large reference section to draw your research off) so yeah.... I got around to getting bookshelf recently and I enjoy the massive selection of books I keep on it... I've also picked up my father's habit of purchasing books not required for class, but they end up coming in handy anyways for my classes.

[revolution]

Most of my textbooks from my art classes I keep especially the art history classes. I have most of the english books but I got rid of the technology (microsoft office and the like) books. I figured that there would be a new edition of those coming out every semester. Either way whether I am purchasing or getting rid of the books, tears are streaming down my cheeks because of the prices.

[mitsuki lover]

I have never sold a book back. Generally, I get so frustrated at the dirt-cheap prices they offer that I'd rather have it sit on my shelf should I ever need it than get ripped off so badly. Having said that, though, I have some real gems in the collection--you know, the big, important books everyone expects you to read in the academic world like Rosseau, Hobbes, Augustine, Thucydides, etc. And this semester, my reading quorum includes such things as the Qu'ran and the Bhagavad Gita, so I'll definately want to hang on to those for future reference in dealing with others of a non-Christian faith.

I also write extensively in my books. I pencil in questions, jot down scripture references, etc. So they'd be of very little resale value, and I'd be losing a ton of my brain. XD

What no Calvin?
Sorry that was so obvious I had to say it when you said you had Hobbes in your old textbook library.
But seriously Institutes of the Christian Religion would be a definite addition to what you seem to have from college already if you don't have it already.
Then you could say you had works by Calvin & Hobbes!

[Ashley]

I'm sure Calvin will be in there sooner or later--I still have core classes to take on Reformation & Renaissance, 19th century, and 20th/21st century literature/ideas.

[mitsuki lover]

Cool.Try to get the Institutes.It's a classic.

[Valkaiser]

I've never let go of a textbook, the programming and math books are especially useful to keep (although online programming resources almost negate the need).

[Agent Anderson]

Since the bookstore usually buys them back for a very small pittance, I try to sell them to fellow students. It's a better deal for me selling, and it's still cheaper for them than if they bought it used from the bookstore.

But some I hold on to, especially if a class changed textbooks right after I took it.


And I'm not giving up my calculus book, I'm going to teach math to my hypothetical future wife from it,
and then I'm going to use it for teaching my hypothetical future grandkids when they're in preschool.

[Roy Mustang]

I have kept a few. Like my Photoshop book and my HTML book, so that I can look stuff up, if I get stuck on something/


The other books that I don't feel that I need, I give them to goodwill and hope that they will be useful to other people that don't have much money to buy books like that.


Wingzero22