Where do you primarily buy your textbooks?

Amanda Malucchi, junior criminal justice major: “I use Chegg.com because they are usually cheap and easy to return because I just mail them back with free shipping.”

Armen Nalbandyan, senior biology sciences major: “I’ll go anywhere for international versions or just to get the cheapest price. I really don’t want to pay $100 to $200 per book – especially because I’m a biology major, and a majority of my books are in the $200 range.”

Grant Meyers, junior computer science and math major: “I go through usually four or five different search engines trying to find international versions or the soft cover versions.”

Jessica Downey, senior western intellectual history major: “Amazon because they are cheaper. That is the main reason.”

Do you use the Hornet Bookstore to buy books?

Amanda Malucchi: “I used to go to the bookstore, but they are super expensive and the line is always really long when I go to pick them up.”

Armen Nalbandyan: “No, nor do I plan to. Price. Simple as that. Why pay $200 for a book when you can pay $100?”

Grant Meyers: “Their prices are generally higher. If I forget to buy it, I still show up to class and use the bookstore as a last resort.”

Jessica Downey: “They are a huge percentage more expensive, I don’t know why, but they are significantly more than online.”

Are other sources for purchasing textbooks helpful?

Amanda Malucchi: “I tried Amazon.com once, but they lost some of my books and I just never got them in the mail. So, I probably won’t use them again.”

Armen Nalbandyan: “No, not really. I do my own research, primarily on Google. Sometimes they give you those sites like Amazon, who may have cheap international versions for half off or more.”

Grant Meyers: “Usually Chegg.com or BigWords.com has cheap books, but I typically choose from the top five options on Google.”

Jessica Downey: “I usually choose whatever is cheaper. I use Amazon because they have older version books for a much lower price.”

Do you prefer to buy new books, old books or to rent books?

Amanda Malucchi: “I usually rent them or I buy them used if there aren’t any available to rent.”

Armen Nalbandyan: “I wouldn’t rent it, because I prefer writing on my books. But if it is a class I don’t particularly care for, I will buy the book online and then sell it back for almost the same amount I paid for.”

Grant Meyers: “Renting doesn’t save money at all. If it were an actual quality textbook, I’d want to keep it, or it will save me like $15 or $20 bucks. It’s nothing amazing. It’s not really worth it.”

Jessica Downey: “I prefer used. I have rented in the past, but now I regret it because they were really good books and I wish I still had them.”

When do you choose to purchase your textbooks?

Amanda Malucchi: “I like to get them before school starts just so I have them ready.”

Armen Nalbandyan: “I like to wait a week or so. If I need a textbook right away, I have the library to make copies if I need them. You’ll never know – some professors have it written you need the book, but when you get to class, they don’t really care for using it.”

Grant Meyers: “Yeah, two or three classes so if the teacher says ‘I don’t really use this textbook’ or they are posting the majority of the notes online, saving me 50 to 60 bucks to spare.”

Jessica Downey: “Usually I get them before class.”

Russell Preston can be reached at [email protected].