5 Ways to Eliminate Thousands Off Your College's Total Cost of Attendance

More often than not, textbooks are ridiculously priced. Sometimes upwards of hundreds of dollars per course.

The smart shopper would do well to heed our advice. Here are five ways you can save on this particular portion of your college costs:

Look online! This might seem obvious but you wouldn't believe how many students just run to the nearest book store. The campus bookstore is often the MOST EXPENSIVE option available. There are many reputable websites on the internet where you can buy books new or used for discount prices. Everyone has a different preference but I typically go to half.com for that sort of thing.
Sell old books. Of course this probably wouldn't apply to a freshman but it's a good thing to keep in mind. Many big schools have two or three or even more book stores and exchanges where you can get cash or credit for used books. Take your books to each location and write down their offers. Then compare your options and offload those books. I've made more than $100 by doing this one semester. That's a pretty high figure but its not entirely uncommon.
Purchase used. This is a no-brainer. If the book is in its complete form and the professor doesn't require a new addition, then go for the used copy. Oftentimes you'll find helpful notes from previous students and the cost is going to be much lower. Don't forget to look for any damage that might get you further discount.
Rent your books! This is a newer option for many students. Lots of campus bookstores offer loan options for certain books. This can dramatically reduce textbook costs as long as you can return them at the end of the semester without much damage. However, we don't always recommend this method if the loan requires you don't write in the book. You can even rent your books online on sites like Chegg.com.
Go digital. The best decision I made in college was to go paperless. You can find a lot of textbooks and required readings on your kindle or ipad for a fraction of the cost. You'll be grateful when you don't have to lug around a heavy bag to classes. If you can develop a system to take notes digitally then you're really in luck. I know a few guys who never took anything to class but their iPad.

As with anything that costs a lot of money we encourage everyone do your research. Buying textbooks can seem like a lot of trouble when it comes to running around town comparing costs. It's worth it in the long run.

To take savvy steps to increase your chances of receiving aid regardless of income, while implementing long and short term strategies to lower college costs or comparing and negotiating aid offers as well as to avoid costly but routine mistakes, visit http://www.eapen.com/, a network of critically acclaimed experts in college admissions and financial planning.

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