Cheapskate Book Conundrum Forum

[Scotusnerd]

Here's a hypothetical:

Let's say that a student named Cheapskate is all excited about going to law school. He's been accepted to a school that's top in his local market, and is quite looking forward to starting his 1L year with good grades. He wants to be a gunner, and wants to get the textbooks early and snoop through them...and of course, get a great deal on them used. Unfortunately, Cheapskate has a problem: each 1L section seems to use different textbooks, and his section will only be officially determined one week before school starts. Obviously, Cheapskate would prefer to buy books in an economical manner, but not at the cost of the book arriving three weeks after school starts.

What's Cheapskate to do to save some money and perhaps get his textbooks a bit earlier?

[dingbat]

Tagged

[nealric]

Buy hornbooks, not textbooks early. Get expedited shipping on the textbooks. Problem solved.

[Scotusnerd]

Buy hornbooks, not textbooks early. Get expedited shipping on the textbooks. Problem solved.

The problem is that a lot of other people are going to want textbooks at exactly the same time. The risk for an inaccurate or late shipment goes up exponentially the week before school starts. Also, expedited shipping is expensive! I've seen prices up to $40. Is there any way to deal with that in such a way that it is economical?

[rad lulz]

Buy hornbooks, not textbooks early. Get expedited shipping on the textbooks. Problem solved.

The problem is that a lot of other people are going to want textbooks at exactly the same time. The risk for an inaccurate or late shipment goes up exponentially the week before school starts. Also, expedited shipping is expensive! I've seen prices up to $40. Is there any way to deal with that in such a way that it is economical?

There's basically no way around this problem bro. Sorry.

[kalvano]

Get your free year of Amazon Prime for students. Shipping expense problem solved.

[JollyGreenGiant]

Could always use library textbooks for the first week or so.

[Scotusnerd]

Get your free year of Amazon Prime for students. Shipping expense problem solved.

Ooh, didn't know about that. I'll check into it.

Could always use library textbooks for the first week or so.

Do you think that a bookstore would let you purchase all of your needed books and then you return them as your 'real' copies trickle in?

[izy223]

Get your free year of Amazon Prime for students. Shipping expense problem solved.

that exists? how do you sign up?

[kalvano]

Get your free year of Amazon Prime for students. Shipping expense problem solved.

that exists? how do you sign up?

Google "Amazon Prime student trial," though it appears they've shortened it to six months instead of a year now.

[dolfan0516]

Get your free year of Amazon Prime for students. Shipping expense problem solved.

that exists? how do you sign up?

Google "Amazon Prime student trial," though it appears they've shortened it to six months instead of a year now.

After the 6 mos are up, they should give you a discount price of like $35 for a year. So worth it. I buy stuff from there now that I did not buy online before just because I can get it within 2 days for free with the cheaper internet prices. Plus it includes Amazon Instant Watch!

[thatlawyerwoman]

What is important, getting a head start on reading case law or saving $40.00? This sounds like a no brainer to me. But what is even more alarming is that what is listed below...and you got into a top tier law school.

Here's some words of wisdom, attorneys do not have to be smart academically, although your move upward is progressed faster, but as attorneys, we must have the ability to make such elementary decisions. Otherwise, what do you share with your client? You can't ask them to answer their own questions and pay you to sit in your fine leather wrapped chair!!!

It is time to be an adult-

Here's a hypothetical:

Let's say that a student named Cheapskate is all excited about going to law school. He's been accepted to a school that's top in his local market, and is quite looking forward to starting his 1L year with good grades. He wants to be a gunner, and wants to get the textbooks early and snoop through them...and of course, get a great deal on them used. Unfortunately, Cheapskate has a problem: each 1L section seems to use different textbooks, and his section will only be officially determined one week before school starts. Obviously, Cheapskate would prefer to buy books in an economical manner, but not at the cost of the book arriving three weeks after school starts.

What's Cheapskate to do to save some money and perhaps get his textbooks a bit earlier?

[bartleby]

What is important, getting a head start on reading case law or saving $40.00? This sounds like a no brainer to me. But what is even more alarming is that what is listed below...and you got into a top tier law school.

Here's some words of wisdom, attorneys do not have to be smart academically, although your move upward is progressed faster, but as attorneys, we must have the ability to make such elementary decisions. Otherwise, what do you share with your client? You can't ask them to answer their own questions and pay you to sit in your fine leather wrapped chair!!!

It is time to be an adult-

Here's a hypothetical:

Let's say that a student named Cheapskate is all excited about going to law school. He's been accepted to a school that's top in his local market, and is quite looking forward to starting his 1L year with good grades. He wants to be a gunner, and wants to get the textbooks early and snoop through them...and of course, get a great deal on them used. Unfortunately, Cheapskate has a problem: each 1L section seems to use different textbooks, and his section will only be officially determined one week before school starts. Obviously, Cheapskate would prefer to buy books in an economical manner, but not at the cost of the book arriving three weeks after school starts.

What's Cheapskate to do to save some money and perhaps get his textbooks a bit earlier?

lame

[delusional]

Here's a hypothetical:

Let's say that a student named Cheapskate is all excited about going to law school. He's been accepted to a school that's top in his local market, and is quite looking forward to starting his 1L year with good grades. He wants to be a gunner, and wants to get the textbooks early and snoop through them...and of course, get a great deal on them used. Unfortunately, Cheapskate has a problem: each 1L section seems to use different textbooks, and his section will only be officially determined one week before school starts. Obviously, Cheapskate would prefer to buy books in an economical manner, but not at the cost of the book arriving three weeks after school starts.

What's Cheapskate to do to save some money and perhaps get his textbooks a bit earlier?

The only new textbooks I have bought have been the ones that were not available used. First of all, although sellers have up to two weeks on Amazon (if memory serves), most prefer to ship ASAP. In the rare case that a book doesn't arrive, you can borrow from a friend, read the cases online (if the assignment is only cases), or get the book from the bookstore. My school bookstore, at least, allowed books to be returned until the end of add/drop. Even for 1L required courses. (I am not addressing the ethics of this method, just the practicalities.)

[petite chouette]

Do you think that a bookstore would let you purchase all of your needed books and then you return them as your 'real' copies trickle in?

I don't see why not, as long as you got it back by the time limit for returns... everyone used to do this in college.

[YYZ]

Another alternative if you're really eager to get started is to find student prepared outlines for the potential professors you might have next year. They are most likely out on Outlinedepot.com. You can see the cases that the professors teach and then either read the full versions of the cases online or free, commericially prepared case briefs that you'll find online. If you just get the textbooks, you won't know if the professors start the year in the beginning of the book or farther back in the book.

[cinephile]

Another alternative if you're really eager to get started is to find student prepared outlines for the potential professors you might have next year. They are most likely out on Outlinedepot.com. You can see the cases that the professors teach and then either read the full versions of the cases online or free, commericially prepared case briefs that you'll find online. If you just get the textbooks, you won't know if the professors start the year in the beginning of the book or farther back in the book.

I second this. Old professor-specific outlines are amazing. You'll be able to read and follow along as the professor recycles the same hypos from years ago and if you're cold-called, you don't even have to think - just regurgitate the outline. We had orientation welcomers who contacted us at some point during the summer. If you have a 2L contact, ask them if they or their friends could forward you outlines from these professors.

[YYZ]

Another alternative if you're really eager to get started is to find student prepared outlines for the potential professors you might have next year. They are most likely out on Outlinedepot.com. You can see the cases that the professors teach and then either read the full versions of the cases online or free, commericially prepared case briefs that you'll find online. If you just get the textbooks, you won't know if the professors start the year in the beginning of the book or farther back in the book.

I second this. Old professor-specific outlines are amazing. You'll be able to read and follow along as the professor recycles the same hypos from years ago and if you're cold-called, you don't even have to think - just regurgitate the outline. We had orientation welcomers who contacted us at some point during the summer. If you have a 2L contact, ask them if they or their friends could forward you outlines from these professors.

I agree. During your 1L year, if you see your professor referring to an outline at the podium while teaching, you should definitely find the most recent student prepared outline for that course. This probably means that he/she teaches the same material each year. If the prof calls on you, you will most likely know the answers to the tougher questions by knowing the info in the outlines. Plus, these outlines are helpful when you're preparing your outline for the course prior to the exam.