Help me be a hero! School cheats with books

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My school Georgia State University, the teachers don't have their syllabuses, nobody knows what book to get, except for this web based registration thing that says "buy books". They let you buy from THEIR bookstore, without revealing ISBN and use obscure editions so that you have to buy from them. For ENGL 1101, the online app said I needed 3 when I only needed 1 says teacher, so that's $60 gone. Also, no where on their site do they say "you must have not opened plastic wrap to return". And when I open the box, so far, only the $130 math pack is wrapped in plastic, all the others are free. ??? This is BS. So how do I get resources to make them
a)reveal ISBN so we can shop around
b)Not use new editions every year for no reason
c)Not make us buy books we don't need
d)Say we can't open plastic wrap or no return when most the books aren't even plastic wrapped!

Can't you just wait until the first day of class to see what books the prof says you are going to need for the class?

I'm also suprised that the independent textbook stores around you don't try to keep up with that info, just to stay in business. Have you asked them?

I had the same when I started uni, there was a list of books we thought we had to have. I went to second hand shops and got the books the previous students had got rid of or the older additions. Also ask the actual lecturers of the courses which books they recommend, in science particularly they usually have texts that they like and stick to every year regardless of the reading list. It is also useful to see if the lecturers have written books as that will contain the material they will most likely teach - also earns good will with them if they see you with their book. The library should have copies of all the recommended texts as reference books as well as loaned copies so you could go there instead of buying - I completed my A levels entirely on library books.

I go to GPC online and I am taking English 1101 myself. But I had hassles online this past summer quarter myself. I ordered a book online from the Decatur Campus, and the maintenance guy haden't even posted Summer session yet. I went and ordered the book, and it was under spring semester, 2007. So the guy cancelled my order. So I got my aunt involved, and called him herself, because the session was just a few days away. And she was told that the book would be delivered a day later. Well, it never showed up. So I called the book store and talked to him. He got really really nasty with me. It was crazy. He tried to give me my aunt's credit card number, yet I found it unacceptable. So I called my aunt about it, because he lied to her. And I called a few other friends, who went to the bookstore themselves to pick it up for me.

If you feel that they are going to give you a hard time, talking to the supervisors. And if they give you riff, keep going until you can talk to someone about your situation.

I havn't got advice for you. But at the uni in my town, the students run in to this sort of thing all the time. We have professors that recommend all these books and half of them remain unopened. I think it is just a way to make more money. But what else is new.

I always thought it'd be good to get it early and cheap.. Though basically I got new books from their own bookstore -_-

Come on guys I want to be an activist

dude just wait until first day of classes when they announce the book list, then go get them from the library..

No one has ideas how to stop them from their BS of "no return if no plastic wrap" and shipping most things without plastic?

Buy some plastic wrap.Syran wrap might work but I prefer the shrink wrap that you buy to insolate your windows.You can wrap it then use a blow dryer on low to shrink the wrap to fit.or.....

Find other students to picket out front of the store and hand out flyers with the information about the policy and the fact that they are sending out books without plastic wrap and then not allowing you to return it.Keep the message basic and easy to read...your audiance probably has a 3 min attention span.What ever happen to the concept of the "free market"?
This crap has been going on since I went to college,20 years ago and pisses me off as well.It is unethical.Maybe that is the real lesson of college......"Life is full of unethical people who are going to try to 'pick your pocket' every chance they get"

If you want to get 'politically active',you should consider starting a group for the "ethical treatment of student consumers".Besides this issue you might want to look into a new policy that is being considered at several universities.They are considering charging more for classes in the science/engineering/technology fields because they claim that such classes are more expensive do to increase costs of those professors and science lab equipment.They claim it is also justified because these degrees will result in higher paying jobs(yeah,if they dont out source them or bring in cheaper labor from other countries....which they are already doing in US,claiming that the US doesnt have enough workers trained in these professions!! !!(and how is that going to be increased if you raise the cost of getting an education in these fields?)The end result will be more people from other countries being brought here to fill the jobs( willing to work for less money)and only the wealthiest Americans being able to afford to send their kids to major in these fields...resulting in the further eroision of an already shrinking middle class in America.Be afraid,be very afraid.(not kidding,this s**t scares me).

1. Find a small business that has a shrink wrapper and give them a couple of bucks to shrink re-wrap the books.
2. When you buy books next time and they aren't wrapped have them mark the receipt as such, this will circumvent any return requirement regarding wrapping.
3. Buy the books individually with a credit/debit card so you can dispute the charges if they refuse a return.
4. Go on eBay and buy a shrink wrap machine and start a business re-wrapping books a $5 a pop, there must be a lot of business available there it 2 people on this board have had problems.

Haha

science and engineering are more expensive because they require labs. duhh.

But they already charge "lab fees" for this,duh.

Dude, I feel your pain. I too have purchased books only to get to class & have the teachers tell me that I won't be needing that book, & then you're screwed.

I;'m sure what happens is the professors are pressured bythe higher ups to decide on the books they will use for teaching in their semester. Things ALWAYS change between the time they make the decision & the time they make the syllabus & the time the class begins.
My advice to you: which works for me: wait until the first day of class to purchase ANYTHING. I know it feels like you're unprepared, but really, its ok. The teacher should address what is needed for the duration of the semester ON THE 1ST DAY OF CLASS. If he/she doesn';t there is nothing wrong with inquiring about the necessary materials at the end of the class session. In fact, the professor should be enthusiastic that you asked. Inquiring indicates you are serious about acheivement

well I got a great idea how I am gonna save money on school books (for collage)
I'm not going

^^^^