This is a list of courses that I've registered for, I would like to buy the most essential books now to start reading early. Can anyone tell me what books are commonly used in these courses. Please and thank you!

BIO1M03
BIO1A03
CHEM1A03
CHEM1AA3
MATH1LS3
MATH1LT3
KINE1Y03
KINE1YY3
ECON1B03 (I heard the text for this course is comepletely useless)
PHY1L03

Originally Posted by Lin~

This is a list of courses that I've registered for, I would like to buy the most essential books now to start reading early. Can anyone tell me what books are commonly used in these courses. Please and thank you!

BIO1M03
BIO1A03
CHEM1A03
CHEM1AA3
MATH1LS3
MATH1LT3
KINE1Y03
KINE1YY3
ECON1B03 (I heard the text for this course is comepletely useless)
PHY1L03

If you look up the course outlines for each of these courses (MI should have most if not all of them) it will tell you the textbooks there. If you're buying early, you're doing so at your own risk. Sometimes versions change, sometimes they choose a different book entirely. Sometimes this matters and sometimes it doesn't.
Also, you may find that you don't need the textbook at all for many of your classes.

You can look up the textbooks required for each course on this McMaster website:
http://www.bookstore.mcmaste r.ca/c...urs ematerial

Most of the 1st Year textbooks are essential. For example, the ones for BIO1M03, BIO1A03, CHEM1A03/1AA3 (same textbook for both courses) and KIN1Y03/1YY3 (same textbook for both courses). The textbook for Math1LS3 was helpful if you struggled with certain concepts, but I didn't make much use of it. I found that buying the courseware assignments + taking good lecture notes were sufficient for getting good grades on the tests and exam. I didn't take MATH1LT3, ECON1B03 and PHY1L03, so I can't comment on them. Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by -Ish-

You can look up the textbooks required for each course on this McMaster website:
http://www.bookstore.mcmaste r.ca/c...urs ematerial

Most of the 1st Year textbooks are essential. For example, the ones for BIO1M03, BIO1A03, CHEM1A03/1AA3 (same textbook for both courses) and KIN1Y03/1YY3 (same textbook for both courses). The textbook for Math1LS3 was helpful if you struggled with certain concepts, but I didn't make much use of it. I found that buying the courseware assignments + taking good lecture notes were sufficient for getting good grades on the tests and exam. I didn't take MATH1LT3, ECON1B03 and PHY1L03, so I can't comment on them. Hope that helps!

I disagree that most are essential. I'd say definitely not for chem or kin. I can't comment on bio because the profs have changed, but they definitely weren't essential when I took it. In retrospect I shouldn't have bought any of them.

Originally Posted by nerual

I disagree that most are essential. I'd say definitely not for chem or kin. I can't comment on bio because the profs have changed, but they definitely weren't essential when I took it. In retrospect I shouldn't have bought any of them.

If you put it that way.. you could be fine with not buying any of the textbooks & just studying off your lecture notes. And I do really mean that. No sarcasm.

But Kin was essential - especially when it came to the online quizzes prior to the Labs. The questions came straight from the textbook & there were a few times when we were working on Labs based on material that we hadn't even touched in class.

For Chem - the textbook was good for the questions it offerred in each chapter. And there were a few times our Prof (Landry) made reference to diagrams & concepts in the textbook. However, Chem would probably be another one that I didn't make much use of. But, if I did, it was probably because of the referencing Landry made.

BIO1M03 textbooks were also essential - again for the online quizzes prior to the Tutorials, which were often irrelevant to the material being taught at the time. The textbook for BIO1A03 was useful because it was probably the only textbook that I found explained concepts really well with the pretty pictures and diagrams.

Another thing to keep in mind.. When I was in First Year I wanted all my textbooks new and of the latest edition. It's highly unlikely that you will use these textbooks again. You may think that you'll review them over the Summer Break or for MCAT, but you won't. You'll buy next year's textbooks/textbooks relevant to MCAT if you do plan on studying. And, many of the old editions of the textbooks hold the same material as the newer editions, but with chapters skewed around or a few paragraphs added to each chapter. But honestly, how much can a course change within a year.. not much. There were new KIN books and PSYCH books that I bought last year. But, I found out later in the semes that the older editions had most if not all of the same info in these newer editions, with much of it in exact wording. So SAVE money!

Originally Posted by -Ish-

If you put it that way.. you could be fine with not buying any of the textbooks & just studying off your lecture notes. And I do really mean that. No sarcasm.

But Kin was essential - especially when it came to the online quizzes prior to the Labs. The questions came straight from the textbook & there were a few times when we were working on Labs based on material that we hadn't even touched in class.

For Chem - the textbook was good for the questions it offerred in each chapter. And there were a few times our Prof (Landry) made reference to diagrams & concepts in the textbook. However, Chem would probably be another one that I didn't make much use of. But, if I did, it was probably because of the referencing Landry made.

BIO1M03 textbooks were also essential - again for the online quizzes prior to the Tutorials, which were often irrelevant to the material being taught at the time. The textbook for BIO1A03 was useful because it was probably the only textbook that I found explained concepts really well with the pretty pictures and diagrams.

Another thing to keep in mind.. When I was in First Year I wanted all my textbooks new and of the latest edition. It's highly unlikely that you will use these textbooks again. You may think that you'll review them over the Summer Break or for MCAT, but you won't. You'll buy next year's textbooks/textbooks relevant to MCAT if you do plan on studying. And, many of the old editions of the textbooks hold the same material as the newer editions, but with chapters skewed around or a few paragraphs added to each chapter. But honestly, how much can a course change within a year.. not much. There were new KIN books and PSYCH books that I bought last year. But, I found out later in the semes that the older editions had most if not all of the same info in these newer editions, with much of it in exact wording. So SAVE money!

I guess it depends what kind of learner you are. I took both kin courses and I didn't find them essential. You could still gain all of the marks necessary without the books. The only time I opened it was to look at a diagram that was identical to one in the notes, but better quality in the textbook. Same with chem, all the requisite knowledge was covered in class. I didn't open the textbook at all.
Again, when I took bio it was different, but it was absolutely not essential for either.

Purchasing your books early is up to you but Neural is right... it is at your own risk. at this point in time only about 25% of Instructors have let the Bookstore know what they will be assigning for September.

It's recommended to wait until after you have gone to the first class to buy your books. However the Fall Booklist will be posted on August 9th.

Originally Posted by Lin~

This is a list of courses that I've registered for, I would like to buy the most essential books now to start reading early. Can anyone tell me what books are commonly used in these courses. Please and thank you!

BIO1M03
BIO1A03
CHEM1A03
CHEM1AA3
MATH1LS3
MATH1LT3
KINE1Y03
KINE1YY3
ECON1B03 (I heard the text for this course is comepletely useless)
PHY1L03

Wait to buy books until class starts. In my opinion, the chem textbook and solutions manual was a pure waste of money. Masteringchem is good to buy for it and if I could go back I would have only bought masteringchem. For econ the book is also useless if you have hannah holmes. There was a brown dude who taught a night class for econ 1b03 and I don't remember if he posted slides like hannah holmes or not. I have heard from many that the physics 1l03 and math 1ls3 books are a waste too. I used the bio textbook a bit but it was useless in the end for me since everything tested was from the slides and what was discussed in lecture, but the books for both bios were good for going over some things. I can't comment on kin.

In first term i bought books for math 1a03, psych 1x03, chem 1a03, and physics 1b03. all this turned out to be a waste of $600+. Only useful things i bought were online assignments for math and chem. Actually the book for math 1a03 was good. physics 1b03 book wasnt bad either but there was an online version of it so i wish i didnt buy it.

Originally Posted by Lin~

This is a list of courses that I've registered for, I would like to buy the most essential books now to start reading early. Can anyone tell me what books are commonly used in these courses. Please and thank you!

BIO1M03
BIO1A03
CHEM1A03
CHEM1AA3
MATH1LS3
MATH1LT3
KINE1Y03
KINE1YY3
ECON1B03 (I heard the text for this course is comepletely useless)
PHY1L03

Bio 1M03 and 1A03 book was essential cause some of the profs don't explain the concept clearly in class, and you need it if you missed something in class. Not to mention some of the textbook material will be tested.
Chem 1A03 and 1AA3 book is definitely needed. The textbook goes deeper into the concepts in lecture and it is very helpful. Mastering chem is definitely essential as well.
Math 1LS3 book is useless.
Kine books are VERY useful in my opinion. The kine profs spoke very fast and the book helps to clarify the concepts very well.

^ i dont know anyone except for 1 guy who used the chem textbook. slides were very sufficient. bio everything tested was from the slides.

Originally Posted by Silver

^ i dont know anyone except for 1 guy who used the chem textbook. slides were very sufficient. bio everything tested was from the slides.

I guess different people have diff. learning styles. I feel that the chem textbook is essential for someone like me who does not always understand everything the prof teaches in the lecture. Biology however, was a different story. Dr.Quinn tested many concepts that were exclusively in the textbook and he did not teach them in his lectures or slides.

Originally Posted by gggggg

I guess different people have diff. learning styles. I feel that the chem textbook is essential for someone like me who does not always understand everything the prof teaches in the lecture. Biology however, was a different story. Dr.Quinn tested many concepts that were exclusively in the textbook and he did not teach them in his lectures or slides.

quinn didnt test from the book. his ecology questions were application style that could be answered from lecture slides. thats how i found it anyways. i read the book to for quinns part and it was a waste. he didnt even test on lecture details that much since i found it was mostly application of ecology. its different for everyone i guess tho.

Also, while early reading is great, unless you're having challenges with the material or need extra help, I would recommend enjoying your last "free" summer and getting some rest before the school year begins.

My summers were:

1st year summer: Volunteering + 3 summer courses
2nd year summer: Volunteering full time (8 hours/day) + 3 summer courses + other volunteering
3rd year summer: 2 jobs + volunteering + volunteering + field course

That's not including things like the MCAT etc. There are a lot of summer opportunities for university students and you will have tons of time to get ahead during the year when other people slack.

just out of curiosity, what types of volunteering did you do?

and also where did you go for your field course and what did you get to do on it?

Do not buy the Physics 1L03 textbook, no one I know in that course actually used that textbook.