| Your tuition money probably won't take care of such | | | | your dorm, club, fraternity, or sorority) and see if they'll |
| loose ends as lab fees for specific courses, late | | | | lend you their textbooks. (We know you already know |
| registration charges, drop-and-add fees, library fines, | | | | this, but if you borrow somebody's book, treat it with |
| motor vehicle registration and parking fees, and various | | | | kid gloves. Treat it better than you'd treat your own |
| other course-related hits your budget will have to | | | | book. Cherish it. Nurture it. Protect it. Don't write in it, |
| absorb. Individually, these fees may seem manageable- | | | | don't dog-ear pages, don't read it in the bathtub, don't |
| $25 here, $10 there-but over the span of a year, they | | | | mark your place by leaving it open, face-down, and |
| can add up fast. | | | | ruining the binding, and don't abuse the goodwill of the |
| Your best bet here may be the preemptive strike: Find | | | | person who lent you the book. And don't forget to |
| out about the existence of such fees, particularly in lab | | | | return the book when you've finished with it.) |
| classes, before you register or during the first week of | | | | Buy used books whenever possible. As you can |
| school, so, if need be, you can drop the class and take | | | | imagine, used books are gobbled up fast, so buy early. |
| it later, when you've budgeted for it. (The fee might be | | | | (This means that you should sign up for advising and |
| mentioned in the schedule of classes, or you could find | | | | preregistration as soon as possible, so you'll know |
| out from your professor or the department.) | | | | what courses you'll be taking. If you register late, you |
| And then, there's book money. Books are expensive, | | | | probably won't find a huge selection of cheap used |
| even though, in the grand scheme, they generally | | | | books to choose from.) |
| account for only a tiny fraction (probably less than 5 | | | | At the end of the semester, you can recoup some |
| percent) of a student's total college expenses. One | | | | money by selling your own books either back to the |
| state school, the University of South Carolina, | | | | bookstore or to other students. You won't get the full |
| estimates that students will spend about $495 a year | | | | price back, but you can recover at least some of your |
| on textbooks. | | | | costs. (Note: If you think you might be selling the book |
| Are you helpless? Is there no hope for saving money | | | | one day, plan ahead. Take the steps mentioned above |
| here? Don't be silly! Of course there's hope. First, you | | | | to care for the book; in particular, don't write in it-you'll |
| can shave a huge chunk off your total cost for books | | | | lower the resale value.) |
| and supplies by buying the things you could get | | | | Buy only what you really need. Finally, be sure to find |
| anywhere-notebooks, pens-at an off-campus discount | | | | out whether each book on your course list is required |
| or warehouse store. | | | | or recommended. If it's just recommended, you may |
| Save even more by buying as many used books as | | | | be able to get by without buying it. (Bookstores are |
| you can and by being creative. For example, if you're | | | | supposed to label these distinctions plainly, but they |
| assigned the Oxford edition of Pride and Prejudice, | | | | don't always do it. If you're not sure, ask a clerk to |
| you could pick up a cheap used paperback at an | | | | check the professor's ordering instructions.) Tip: Some |
| off-campus bookstore and, assuming the basic text is | | | | professors put copies of the books on their list on |
| the same in any edition, just read the Oxford edition's | | | | reserve at the library. Which means that you may be |
| introduction (to note any important points of criticism | | | | able to avoid buying some books altogether. (But be |
| your professor may discuss in class). | | | | aware that this could be risky if you count on getting |
| Borrowing. If you're lucky enough to find willing lenders, | | | | access to the books in the reserve room just when |
| this is also a great way to save. Ask around-befriend | | | | you need them most-like a few days before a big test. |
| and/or plead with older students in your major (or in | | | | |