Rent Vs. Buy

Beginning this fall, the University Bookstore will join Boomer and Sooner Textbooks in offering popular textbooks for rent.

University Bookstore Textbook Manager Christina Chapman says that books will be available to rent for half of the cost of the new book, the same price that Boomer and Sooner offer.

“The pro initially will be that you’re not spending that much money up front,” Chapman says.

Although the idea of renting books rather than buying them may seem like a good idea, Randy Ratcliffe, owner of Ratcliffe’s Textbooks, says that parents and students should research and pay close attention to the rent agreements presented to them in order to escape paying hefty late fees if a book is not returned by a specified date.

What We Think: If it’s an elective outside of your major, go for it. For major-specific classes, you might consider buying the book in case you need it later.

Buy Now vs. Buy Later

While most students plan to have their books before the first day of class, there are some who prefer to wait until they have a syllabus and have heard from the professor what they will need. But this can cause problems when students actually purchase their books.

“For convenience, the earlier, the better,” Chapman says.

She added that students who want to buy mostly used books will have a much larger selection if they buy their books early.

However, buying early can result in wasted money when, on the first day of class, your professor announces you don’t actually need that $200 book you just purchased. For this, Ratcliffe offers a simple solution.

“One of the best things students can do is ask advice from upperclassmen,” Ratcliffe says.

What We Think: Buying now is a sure bet that you’re going to get everything you need. And if you discover you don’t need a book, bookstores offer a time period (usually about two weeks after class starts) when you can return your unneeded books for a full refund.