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Has anyone rented a textbook and had a problem returning it due to "excessive" highlighting? I'll have to buy my books at the campus bookstore this semester because class schedules aren't released until shortly before orientation the last week of August, and I'm thinking about doing rentals where possible. My concern is that I'll get slammed with "excessive highlighting" and they won't take my book back, then charge me for a new book. Anyone have any relevant law school experience with this?

I think it varies by bookstore. Ask some people at your future school. Or just don't have a book for a week and buy a used one on Amazon or Half. It ends up costing about the same.

I highlighted the shit of my rental books. No problem but could be different at other schools

kalvano wrote:I think it varies by bookstore. Ask some people at your future school. Or just don't have a book for a week and buy a used one on Amazon or Half. It ends up costing about the same.

I'm too paranoid to go that route, but I can see how it would save money.

jbates14 wrote:I highlighted the shit of my rental books. No problem but could be different at other schools

I probably should have mentioned that my "campus bookstore" is a Barnes and Noble, so I wonder if they would be more lenient than a smaller bookstore.

Just two examples, but the official policy of both of the cheap book renters (that I've used without issue) is that I can't highlight "more than one third of the text". won't be a problem for me because that's a ridic amount of highlighting.

I found these answers in the Rental FAQ section of their websites, might help you to do the same?

livefromannarbor wrote:

kalvano wrote:I think it varies by bookstore. Ask some people at your future school. Or just don't have a book for a week and buy a used one on Amazon or Half. It ends up costing about the same.

I'm too paranoid to go that route, but I can see how it would save money.

Paranoid about what?

kalvano wrote:

livefromannarbor wrote:

kalvano wrote:I think it varies by bookstore. Ask some people at your future school. Or just don't have a book for a week and buy a used one on Amazon or Half. It ends up costing about the same.

I'm too paranoid to go that route, but I can see how it would save money.

Paranoid about what?

About not having a book the first week of classes (at least for this semester). I don't want to go into the class not having done the first day assignments (unless I'm missing something here).

Fiero85 wrote:Just two examples, but the official policy of both of the cheap book renters (that I've used without issue) is that I can't highlight "more than one third of the text". won't be a problem for me because that's a ridic amount of highlighting.

I found these answers in the Rental FAQ section of their websites, might help you to do the same?

The website says "no excessive highlighting," but doesn't quantify it. That's really why I posted the question - I don't have a clue what excessive translates to for law school books, and wondered if anyone had problems with such an issue.

livefromannarbor wrote:

kalvano wrote:

livefromannarbor wrote:

kalvano wrote:I think it varies by bookstore. Ask some people at your future school. Or just don't have a book for a week and buy a used one on Amazon or Half. It ends up costing about the same.

I'm too paranoid to go that route, but I can see how it would save money.

Paranoid about what?

About not having a book the first week of classes (at least for this semester). I don't want to go into the class not having done the first day assignments (unless I'm missing something here).

Fiero85 wrote:Just two examples, but the official policy of both of the cheap book renters (that I've used without issue) is that I can't highlight "more than one third of the text". won't be a problem for me because that's a ridic amount of highlighting.

I found these answers in the Rental FAQ section of their websites, might help you to do the same?

The website says "no excessive highlighting," but doesn't quantify it. That's really why I posted the question - I don't have a clue what excessive translates to for law school books, and wondered if anyone had problems with such an issue.

You are completely foolish to pay full price for textbooks. If this means not having done the first day assignments, then oh well, don't do it. 3L year I know some people who missed the first week. You aren't missing out if you don't do the first week assignments, but you will be missing that extra money.

buy the books from bookstore and order from half. take the books back to bookstore after 1 week. dont highlight for 1 week. easy.

I didn't buy books at all 3L year. The library had them on reserve, so I just went and scanned them at the beginning of the semester. And then proceeded to never actually read them. But I had them in the off chance I decided to do the reading for that day of class.

Buying textbooks at full price is a huuuuuge rip off.

I have no intention of paying full price for textbooks. My alternative to renting is buying used at the bookstore, but I appreciate your feedback. I personally don't feel comfortable going into class not having done the first assignment (especially given that doing the assignments won't be at the expense of my cash - you're right, I do need that).

JohannDeMann wrote:buy the books from bookstore and order from half. take the books back to bookstore after 1 week. dont highlight for 1 week. easy.

Admittedly, I hadn't thought of that. That may be a viable option. Thanks for the suggestion!

Most law school libraries carry the required textbooks for every class on reserve (meaning that no one can check the books out of the library). You can just go to the library and do the readings there for the first week. Or just scan the readings for the first few weeks while you wait for the prices to fall on Amazon/Half.com/etc.