Am I the only one who sees this as wrong?

College Life
#1

<p>I am looking well into the future, and on my future college's bookstore, I am seeing what kind of books I am getting for next term. All I see is "Access Code" this and "Remote" that and "Custom for X College" and "Solutions Manual Package." Is this really necessary? Like in the philosophical sense.</p>

<p>I know I will have to inquire within at my future college, but this seems ridiculous that I can't go out and go on Amazon and get a similar learning experience and similar knowledge gained from the same textbook. Is the "custom" version really that "custom" in your experiences? What could possibly be changed from one edition to the next?</p>

<p>I know I've posted one thread in the forum recently, but this boggles my mind.</p>

#2

<p>Schools get kickbacks from textbook makers when they make these "custom" editions. It's all done to get more money from students.</p>

#3

<p>Don't ever ever ever EVVVVEEEER purchase student solution manuals. Some instructors do post their solution manuals for their students, if not just download it, but NEEEEEEEEEEVER buy it.</p>

#4

<p>You're right, it's all about the money, and we can't do anything about it.</p>

#5

<p>Yeah you shouldn't buy solution manuals when cramster, tutoring, or your professors can usually do them for free. I'm sure you can go to Amazon and buy the textbook (or even buy a previous edition, they might have just changed around a few HW problems). Don't use the college bookstore. While it's convenient, it's way overpriced.</p>

#6

<p>Hint: Find a way to get the teachers' edition if you can. ;) Yeah, technically it's cheating if you have a prof. that makes exams from the textbooks, but it's not like you paid for an essay or copied full content from Wikipedia or anything like that. It's right there for anyone to buy from the publisher or from Amazon; there's nothing "illicit" or plagiarist about it. It's like a study guide that you don't really have to "study" from (just memorize) because all the answers are right there! :)</p>

#7

<p>I agree about not buying the solution manual. I don't know about your college/university, but my CCC has the solutions manual on reserve at the library, so all I have to do is fill out a form to check out a solutions manual from reserve (since it's behind the front desk, only staff can get it) and then return it when you're finished with it. I love getting the teacher's edition when I do that (seriously, the library staff always gives me the teacher's edition of the solutions manual, even though they have the student edition as well). XD</p>

#8

<p>With a math minor i have taken many classes where i really needed the solutions manual. Doing tutoring i would always recommend for students to buy the solutions manual (odd problems worked out completely) and Teachers Editions of books (the isbn #'s for these can be found on the publishers website.) You can order them all online, i usually order from places like cheapbooks or textbooksrus but honestly all of the online places are about the same price. </p>

<p>Your custom books have to be bought, they often have special sections or addendum from your local school that are pet topics that your professors stress. You might also have to pay for special access codes to allow you into online resources used by profs. I always email the prof and ask if it is necessary, sometimes they say that it is not.</p>

<p>If you are a student that likes to work every problem (like i do) and not just the ones assigned, to make sure you understand and remember them then it is worth it for sure. That being said there are plenty of really smart people ( i am not one of them) that only work a few problems and completely understand and remember stuff for tests.... If you are one of these students then i dont think you really need the extra stuff.</p>