Originally Posted by oxelhs

I've already paid for my first year, and aren't books part of that payment?? If not, how else do you purchase books?

No...books are NOT included in tuition or anything, because you have the option of buying them or not, and you can buy them from wherever you want. Generally, you buy them from Titles (the school bookstore), but there are many other ways of finding books that I won't go through here--I believe someone posted an article on MI not too long ago. The book list and prices are on the Titles website, and your prof will tell you what you should buy in the first class.

Edit: Here's the article Jeremy posted: http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...4.html?t=30624

If you're in science, expect to pay approx $500-600 for books and lab coat/goggles/lab books in first year...depending how many of your books you buy brand new.

Edit #2: Here is the link to the course listings on the Titles website: http://titles.mcmaster.ca/text/departments.htm

Ahh, I see, thanks for clearing that up. Well, looks like I'll be paying even more money now

what is an iclicker? and is it better to buy your books before the class or wait until the first class/week then buy your books?

Originally Posted by dram

what is an iclicker? and is it better to buy your books before the class or wait until the first class/week then buy your books?

It's a remote that you use for multiple choice inside the class. Not all class uses them, only classes that have it listed in their book list.

Wait until your first class, your teacher will go over the book list with you and notify you of any chances or give you advice on what you should do.

Originally Posted by jhan523

It's a remote that you use for multiple choice inside the class. Not all class uses them, only classes that have it listed in their book list.

Wait until your first class, your teacher will go over the book list with you and notify you of any chances or give you advice on what you should do.

wouldn't it be harder to find used books then though?

Originally Posted by knguyens2

wouldn't it be harder to find used books then though?

Some people say yes, other people would say no. It really depends on the course. There are always plenty of people looking to sell their books though, it's all a matter of knowing where to look. Titles might run out of used books early, but there are other ways of getting them.

Originally Posted by nerual

Some people say yes, other people would say no. It really depends on the course. There are always plenty of people looking to sell their books though, it's all a matter of knowing where to look. Titles might run out of used books early, but there are other ways of getting them.

Not to mention cheaper ways.

Originally Posted by nerual

Some people say yes, other people would say no. It really depends on the course. There are always plenty of people looking to sell their books though, it's all a matter of knowing where to look. Titles might run out of used books early, but there are other ways of getting them.

so what do you recommend, waiting or getting it now? Everywhere i read, people say they do find with an old book that's like 1 edition behind.

Originally Posted by knguyens2

so what do you recommend, waiting or getting it now? Everywhere i read, people say they do find with an old book that's like 1 edition behind.

That would be the cheapest. Chapters may be moved around and some information may be missing but it's nothing too important. You can use the index to find topics that you are covering in class and you can use the internet to fill in anything that you don't understand or need clarification on.

Definitively wait, there are tons of used book out there. Titles isn't the only place where you can buy used books. Just use your resources: MacInsiders Marketplace, Facebook Marketplace, and any other place where you can find textbooks. There's an article on the front page of MacInsiders, just scroll down.

Originally Posted by knguyens2

so what do you recommend, waiting or getting it now? Everywhere i read, people say they do find with an old book that's like 1 edition behind.

Personally, I would say to get them now and not wait. I'm assuming that you're taking most of the courses you listed in your original post and for all of those courses you will definitely need your textbook. You'll have online quizzes and assignments that your textbook can help you with and also sometimes profs can't cover everything in class so you'll find a question on a test that was never covered in class or talked about briefly. If you wait until the first day of class, your prof will just tell you that you need the textbook. Then you'll head to titles and it'll be packed there with long lineups.

Originally Posted by manda112

Personally, I would say to get them now and not wait. I'm assuming that you're taking most of the courses you listed in your original post and for all of those courses you will definitely need your textbook. You'll have online quizzes and assignments that your textbook can help you with and also sometimes profs can't cover everything in class so you'll find a question on a test that was never covered in class or talked about briefly. If you wait until the first day of class, your prof will just tell you that you need the textbook. Then you'll head to titles and it'll be packed there with long lineups.

okay i've been on the fence about buying them before or after class starts but after this ^ post i'm gonna buy them earlier. i really dont wanna get caught in yet another line up for hours.

i'm going this wednesday to pick up osap and i guess i'll go to titles then. anyone know if the student id credit card thing works before school starts? and if so, since interest is charged on the last day of each month, will i be charged for august? i dont get osap til later in sept..............

Originally Posted by SROS

okay i've been on the fence about buying them before or after class starts but after this ^ post i'm gonna buy them earlier. i really dont wanna get caught in yet another line up for hours.

i'm going this wednesday to pick up osap and i guess i'll go to titles then. anyone know if the student id credit card thing works before school starts? and if so, since interest is charged on the last day of each month, will i be charged for august? i dont get osap til later in sept..............

Make sure you don't go on Sunday: http://titles.mcmaster.ca/geninfo/storehours.htm

As for interest, talk to the people at titles they should know.

thanks bud, will do.
i'll at least buy the required books, cause those recommended ones seem a little much :/

Originally Posted by SROS

okay i've been on the fence about buying them before or after class starts but after this ^ post i'm gonna buy them earlier. i really dont wanna get caught in yet another line up for hours.

I'd rather spend 15-20mins in a lineup than waste hundreds of dollars on books I wouldn't end up needing, or buying stuff for a course I would end up dropping. I know you can return them if they're unopened, but stuff can happen...there was another thread on here where a guy was leaving the store and his book got caught on the car door and the plastic ripped off or something, and it turns out he had bought the wrong book. Also, courseware is non-returnable.

Originally Posted by nerual

I'd rather spend 15-20mins in a lineup than waste hundreds of dollars on books I wouldn't end up needing, or buying stuff for a course I would end up dropping. I know you can return them if they're unopened, but stuff can happen...there was another thread on here where a guy was leaving the store and his book got caught on the car door and the plastic ripped off or something, and it turns out he had bought the wrong book. Also, courseware is non-returnable.

ahh goodness, this is not gonna be good lol. all thats stressing me out it is waiting til after classes start and finding out that titles has ran out of whatever book i need and then having to go through the whole used book meet-up/negotiations stuff. also, if they have the wrong edition or whatever.

but i dont know, im the type of person who learns from the text book (especially if i get lost, which i usually do) so i thinkkk i'll be buying all the books anyway. the required ones at least.