Textbooks: Rent or buy?

As a college student, I’m always looking for ways to save money. With textbooks getting so expensive, deciding whether to buy or rent them is something I give a great deal of consideration to. There are a few aspects I take into account. The first element I think about is if I will need the textbook for every class, or if notes are going to be provided. If the course is going to be heavily based on the book, I will most likely rent it. I will also be more likely to rent a book if a professor suggests it.

Buying a book, I find, is more cost-effective if I know for a fact I am going to need it for multiple classes. For example, the biology book I needed in one course turned out to be the same one utilized in another. Professors have recommended to me that purchasing a book is only truly necessary if it is related to your major and you know you’ll get a decent amount of use out of it.

There were two instances last semester I was surprised to find out I didn’t need a book for the class. One professor said we could do the assignments with her notes instead of the book. If I had waited a week, I would have known not to rent them. I had to lug the heavy textbooks all the way home with me to send them back.

Overall, I know students have to make some tough financial decisions about how to best spend their money for school. I would suggest emailing your professors before classes, or speaking with them during the first week to ask how much they will be using the textbook. With that information, a student can make an informed decision regarding whether renting or purchasing the book would be most cost-effective.