What You Should Know About Homeschooling and College

As children grow out of their little pants and are ready to begin their teens, many parents wonder if they should continue with the homeschooling program. They fear that colleges may not give equal opportunities to a child educated at home.

Many fears of this kind were put to rest when 2 homeschooled boys got admission into Harvard. Harvard does not require a high school diploma for gaining admission to their degree program. Many colleges are more interested in the knowledge and behaviour of the homeschooled children rather than their high school diplomas. In fact, other things being similar many colleges prefer homeschoolers because of the diversity and richness they bring to their college life.

Admission requirements may vary. While some colleges require the child to appear for the SAT, others may need a general equivalency diploma. And some may not care for any tests at all. The criterion may vary depending on the college that you wish to apply to. But, college courses really do not require any high school background or special training.

It is common to come across parents who frantically try to shift out their home school children to high schools because they fear unavailability of college admissions. But college admissions are open to all educated individuals, regardless of whether they are educated at home or at a public school.

Homeschooling and the family

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost 1.1 million children underwent homeschooling in 2005 alone. That’s a lot of children. Once upon a time, homeschooling used to be a radical statement – something like a declaration of independence. It was the conservative Christians who advocated homeschooling in the ’80s and legalized it in every State. But the typical homeschooler of the day is not religiously motivated.

Recent surveys indicate that parents are actually quite fed up of the public school systems where much of the learning is superficial and compulsory. They are also concerned about negative school environment ranging from drugs and abuse to negative peer pressure. As a result, we have a surprising mix of people who form the homeschooling world of today. They cut across all religious and regional borders. Their main aim is providing meaningful and productive learning through a method that strengthens the bond between the various members of the family.

All these families have one thing in common – a long enduring commitment to the sanctity of childhood. The children in these families are accorded a primary position. Many believe, and rightly so, that homeschooling allows parents to bring up children in a more natural and nurturing environment. Public schools can make one nervous, diffident and downright mean. Children who get schooled at home are protected from these damaging negative influences till they reach an age where they can handle it.

Homeschooling draws the whole family into the almost religious task of schooling. Everyone is put to work. The parents together form a bond with the children. Any experience can be turned into an educational experience. Both the parents are aware of exactly what is going into their child’s head. Parents also have greater control on the kind of religious and moral values that the child imbibes. Even watching a movie together can become a learning experience. Trips to the libraries and other places become educational as well as recreational.

A homeschooling family is primarily dependent on the income of one earning member. That means that often spending has to be curtailed and proper planning of expenditure is a must. This helps to bring the family members together and everybody gets involved in the process of saving money.

Having a parent at home to supervise, to nurture and care for the children brings with it a lot of love and caring. Even your husband chips in and there just is no room for boredom. Yes, problems do crop up, and there are a lot of misgivings in your mind. But when you know that your kids can always count on you, and your kids know it too, then homeschooling becomes a richly rewarding experience.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs

For more information and resource links on homeschooling visit: Online Homeschooling

The Vedic System Of Education

A Gurukul is a type of ancient Vedic school in India in which students go to the house of their teacher, or the guru, to live and study under his care. The students are all treated the same no matter what their social castes are or how elevated in society his family is. The students not only study, but also render menial services such as cleaning, washing clothes, collecting wood and water, etc. Even when Lord Krishna appeared on earth He underwent the same austerities while living at the house of His guru, Sandipani Muni, along with His elder brother Balaram in a place now known as Ujjain. The ashram is still there and millions of pilgrims go to visit this sacred place.

This system of education is the oldest on earth for it has existed since the dawn of Vedic civilization. According to modern chronology its roots can be traced back 10,000 years to the time of the ancient civilization. The curriculum ensures the development of the physical, mental and spiritual conditions of the student.

At the Gurukula, the student learns about self-development in all possible areas that he will go through different stages of life, such as householder life, professional life, etc. What is astonishing is that students also learn about ecology and world preservation for they become fully aware of self-sufficiency, farming and cow protection.

ISKCON Gurukul: Srila Prabhupada had a vision which is being accomplished by his disciples nowadays. This vision was to provide education not only to members of our society but to whoever interested in getting their children trained in the best possible environment for devotional service to the Lord. In our Krishna consciousness movement, the Gurukula plays an extremely important part in our activities, because right from childhood, the boys and girls are instructed about Krishna consciousness.

Thus they become steady in their pursuits in life and they are not prone to become materialists. Students learn to become Krishna conscious and live up to Brahminical standards. They become well conversant in the revealed scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. While growing up, the students develop different qualities and as such they get to know to which social class they belong: brahmans, ksatriyas, vaisyas or sudras. The girls don’t go to gurukul. They stay at home and learn cooking, sewing, etc. They also learn dances such as kathak and Bharat Natyam. Girls are meant to be protected at every stage of their life and they are not the ones who run a family or who take the leading roles in society. That is one of the reasons why it is not necessary to send them to gurukul.

But nowadays in the ISKCON society there is gurukul for girls where training is given to them. This is because we have devotees all round the world and most of us don’t come from a family of vedic background. So the gurukul is there to give training to such children coming from these families.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. You can find the best marketplace for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books at these sites for Gurukul art, Gurukul gifts from India, and gurukul books.

Places Where Golf Colleges Can Thrive

There are three major reasons that someone might take an interest in learning more about golf colleges. The most obvious reason is that the individual is a college student who is interested in pursuing an education in the field of golf. The second major reason is that the individual already has a degree or experience in golfing and wants to get a job at a golf college. And the third reason is that the individual works in some aspect of the industry that would be interested in marketing to people at a golf college; for example, someone who works as a writer for golf magazines may want to know more about the interests of people attending a golf college. For any of these people, it is going to be important to pay primary attention to those golf colleges that are located in areas where the school is likely to do well over time.

Golf colleges can be opened almost anywhere. In fact, many different golf colleges have started to spring up in recent years because more and more people are starting to realize that this is a degree program which might be worth pursuing. Any location that already has existing golf courses or where there is enough land for a new golf school to build a golf course of its own is going to be a place where the golf college could theoretically gain a following and do well for itself. However, it’s not wise for those people interested in golf colleges to bank on the hopes of a new school. Instead, it’s best to look into those schools which are located in areas that have a long standing tradition of golf history.

While a school may do well in any location, the goal of a golf school is to make sure that the individual who graduates from it is going to be able to get a good job in the industry. To be able to guarantee this, a good golf school must be located in a city that already has a thriving golf industry. The places that are best for golf colleges are those places where people would be likely to go on a golf vacation. Any destination that is already known for its golf is going to be a place that is going to offer opportunities for employment in the golf industry after graduation. People seeking to attend a good golf school will want to look not only at the schools but also at the amateur and professional golf industries in the area.

The top areas for golf schools today are those areas that people will automatically recognize as being places which are great for golfers. Although there are plenty of these places throughout the nation, there are four areas that really stand out: San Diego, Phoenix, Myrtle Beach and Orlando. These four major cities are destinations where people regularly go to golf. Golf colleges that are located in these cities are going to offer what students and potential employees or business partners are seeking from a golf school. The people who are working at these colleges are going to be people who probably have an extensive amount of experience in the local golf industry. This means that these people will have the skills that are necessary to make golf colleges run well but more importantly it means that they are going to be great networking contacts for anyone on a golf school campus who wants to be integrated into the local golf scene. These are factors that should not be underestimated when choosing a niche college that is focused on a specific career path.

Andy West is a writer for SDGA. San Diego Golf Academy is one of America’s premier golf colleges with locations across the United States.

A Quick Guide Highlighting the Benefits of Homeschooling

Why let Tim and Lisa learn at home than send them to school? Well, first of all, you don’t have to wake them up at 7 every morning and bundle them off to school with umpteen numbers of instructions, and wait with an anxious heart till they return.

Homeschooling gives you more control over the influences that affect your child. The growth and development of your child is removed from the realm of the unknown. You and you alone can decide what your child needs to do or learn. Tailoring the curriculum to suit the needs and interests of the child is one of the most obvious benefits of homeschooling

Individual attention is another salient benefit of homeschooling. For instance, if Lisa needs more time to learn Math, then she can reduce the time for her English lessons. There are no fixed hours of learning per subject. This means that a child has the advantage of assigning more number of hours to the subject that seems tough WITHOUT any additional pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.

The schooling of the child becomes an extended family activity. Parents get involved in every step of the learning procedure. Field trips and experiments become family activities. Thus, the child receives more quality time with his parents. The entire family shares games, chores and projects. Family closeness becomes the focus here. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making choices and decisions.

Competition is limited when it comes to homeschooling. The child does not need to prove his ability with regards to other children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning program to pique the child’s interest.

It is also possible to intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour with Algebra can be followed by a trip to the nearest museum. Learning becomes fun. Parents can also tailor the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see objects in action.

Homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and religious learning of the child. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate their beliefs and ideologies into the child’s curriculum. There is no confusion in the child’s mind either because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.

Lastly, more and more parents are getting disillusioned with the public school system. They believe that their children are being pushed too hard or too little. Other worrying issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling when it comes to their own children.

Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time, the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After all, nobody can understand or appreciate your child more than yourself.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs

For more information and resource links on homeschooling visit: Online Homeschooling

My Guide to Grading In Homeschooling

Grading in homeschooling is done by the teacher-in-charge. In most of the cases, this means mom! In this situation, grading can get a bit tricky because it can be a little difficult to grade your own child.

There is no benchmark against which you can evaluate your child’s performance. In most cases, you also have no awareness of how well other children are doing. So, obviously the traditional method of grading is perhaps not the best method to follow.

When grading a child undergoing homeschooling, it is more important to assess whether the child has understood the subject that is being taught. Inherent in this is the fact that if the child has not understood something, you will go over it again. This will work in your child’s favour in 2 ways.

Firstly, the child knows that if he or she fails to catch on, the topic will be repeated till it is mastered. Secondly, the child also knows that once the topic has been mastered, he or she will get full credit for his hard work. Getting full reward for the hard work put in is a great motivational factor, especially for kids.

When assessing your child’s abilities, do not allow emotions to overcrowd your rationale. Do not yield to the cries and tears of your child if he or she resists certain topics or subjects. If mastering these skills is necessary, then you as the teacher (and not as the parent alone) have to go over the topic over and over till it sinks in.

When dealing with tougher concepts, the child may get restless and may even show frustration or belligerence. When the child is still young and unable to understand the importance of his lessons, it is your responsibility to see to it that the child develops the skill set necessary for future growth.

In case you belong to a state that requires yearly tests, this will help you to judge your child’s ability vis-a-vis his peers. Even if it is not mandatory, you may want to test your child every year. These tests will reveal the variations in the child’s learning pattern. It may show up unexpected areas of strength and hitherto unknown areas of weakness. This enables you to structure your teaching to cover the areas that are weak, and build upon the areas that are strong.

In case your state requires a home school report card, keep a record of the yearly development and scores of your child. Include pertinent areas like punctuality, discipline etc in the report. You may also need to keep a record of the number of working days and attendance schedules.

While grading your child, make sure that you use as many external tests as possible. There are several websites that deal with the various age groups, and allow free downloading of question papers. This is an excellent and cost-effective method to assess your child. Homeschooling, if done in the proper manner, will boost the child’s confidence because he will be studying to satisfy his natural curiosity. The scores therefore will reflect his true intelligence.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs

For more information and resource links on homeschooling visit: Online Homeschooling

Don’t Become A Home School Burnout

When a parent takes on the responsibility of educating his or her child, home school burnout is one of the more common issues they have to deal with. There are many reasons that lead to this burnout: an illness, a new baby, added responsibility, changes in routine etc.

The symptoms of burnout vary from lack of patience to overeating and crying without any apparent reasons. Surprisingly, a burnout need not be such a bad thing. It is a wake-up call – an indicator that things are not going well and that you need to reschedule. Reversing or avoiding a burnout is possible if you get fair warning.

Firstly, lower your expectations. Do not be a perfectionist. Take the good days with the bad. Next, when something does not seem to work, look for alternative methods. Flexibility is a key factor. If tension starts mounting, take a break. When necessary, change the style of teaching. For instance, small children love to take on their spellings when they quiz an adult.

Avoid overkill. Do not pack too many activities for the sake of socializing your child. A worn out mom means a grouchy kid and that means no happiness. Get support from your spouse or a neighbour or a support group. Don’t try to achieve everything by yourself. Homeschooling means ‘happy schooling’ – don’t forget that.

Home school – Field trips

If you are going over a particular subject with the family and feel that a field trip would be beneficial, then that’s what you should do – go for a trip. If you are attached to a support group, you can plan to include other children too.

Here are some guidelines that will help you plan:
1) Collect the rates
2) Allowed ages
3) Special highlights
4) Size of the group
5) Timings
6) Eating facilities

Inform your support group of all these details well in advance so that the necessary circulars may be sent out. On the appointed day, arrange to meet with other parents and children in a particular place. Plan the mode of travel and reach the place at least 10 minutes in advance.

The field trip is not just fun. So, let your kids bring their writing material. Allow them time to stare and admire. Do not hurry them along. Collect data beforehand so that you can clear doubts. Get help from a guide, if necessary. And most importantly, have fun and enjoy the time you spend with your children.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs

For more information and resource links on homeschooling visit: Online Homeschooling

Disadvantages of Public Schooling

When we consign our children to public schools, we feel satisfied that they are receiving ‘quality education’. But, are we really getting our money are worth? More importantly, are the children gaining anything from this kind of a learning procedure?

Socialization is hailed as one of the greatest advantage of schools. This is the place where the child picks up the rudiments of social skills that help him survive. But in truth, a regular school-going child can interact only with his peers. He may bully younger children or fear older ones. He does not know how to behave with an adult. This is because in the school environment he interacts only with his peers. A homeschooling environment brings in a more natural social environment.

A regular school going child cannot read literature. He cannot keep silent or think in depth about any one thing. The artificial busyness imposed upon him by the school disallows quiet contemplation. Rowdy and destructive behaviour, as seen among peers, is more noticeable in school-goers.

There is little long-standing knowledge among regular school goers because most things are learnt for the exam. There is no correlation of facts with life. The child may know a lot, but understands very little. This is where the homeschoolers beat the regular school goers. Ultimately, homeschoolers emerge more adept at facing the outside world.

Financing homeschooling

When people talk about teaching their children from home in the absence of any definite or structured curriculum, it is perhaps natural to think that homeschooling is cheap. But this is far from the truth. Although homeschooling does not stick to any particular text, this is perhaps more of a bane than a boon, when it comes to finance.

When you need to make sure that your children receives state-of-the-art education so that they can compete with regular school goers, expenses will naturally mount. The actual cost of educating a child at home is surprisingly high. Up-to-date textbooks, course materials, a library, computing equipment, lighting, specially designed furniture all cost money. In this case, the cost may be slightly lesser when it comes to homeschooling the second child. Add to this any additional tuition cost for tutors who come to teach subjects that cannot be handled by parents, like higher-level math or science. The total cost can be a bit mind boggling.

If you take another important factor into consideration, homeschooling costs may effective triple. The need for having one of the parents tied to the house and fully dedicated to providing education deprives the family of a second earning member. The average homeschooling teacher is usually a lady with a college degree. This means that she can easily bring home a pay of $35,000 or more. It is also interesting to note that most families that have more than 2 children do not opt for homeschooling at all.

But, there are those who have been successful in carrying out homeschooling at low rates. This is dependent on the size of the family, the support group, and the type of materials used and the availability of the material. When successive children can reuse the materials, cost goes down. Much of the course material can be got from vendors of homeschooling materials. A membership in a public library, theatre, concerts, ballets and other cultural events also help in cutting costs. Sometimes, it is even possible to barter expertise. For instance, the mother of an 8-year old gives dancing classes, and her daughter receives drawing classes for free. Support groups allow you to divide the cost of field trips, science projects and fairs.

Whatever the cost, advocates of homeschooling say that the benefits far outweigh these considerations. When you are able to decide what knowledge your child receives and when he or she should be taught and to what extent, it gives you a lot of freedom and a lot of power. Both the children as well as the parents benefit from this mutually enriching experience.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs

For more information and resource links on homeschooling visit: Online Homeschooling

Eligibility for the Michigan Promise Scholarship

Easy ones first: it goes without saying that to receive the Michigan Promise Award you must be a resident of Michigan and be a high school graduate or hold a GED.

Now the details. Make sure you take the Michigan Merit Exam starting in grade 11 in high school. Why your junior year? If you score below a Level 2 in any of the required areas, you can retake the exam during grade 12 and make up the difference. This gives you better odds (by taking the exam on two different occasions) to meet the least test score needed to be eligible for the award. Also, check to make sure that you have not received a merit award under the Merit Award Act. If you have, you are not eligible for consideration for the Michigan Promise Award.

Upon receipt of the scholarship, students have two years to enroll in a postsecondary establishment that is approved by the State of Michigan. Please note, all military academies (USMA, USAFA, USNA, USCGA) are approved organizations even if they are not specifically called out. If you decide to enroll in the Armed Forces or the Peace Corps, you can request an additional two years to enroll in your choice of postsecondary institutions.

Once enrolled, you have four years to finish the requirements for your postsecondary institution. If you’re enrolled in a bachelor’s degree track, you need only finish 50% of the requirements. All other certificate, degree, or vocational programs must be finished within 4 years.

While attending your program of choice you must maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. In the event that your program does not grade on a normal scale, evidence of completion is still required and can be worked out with the school and the State of Michigan on a situational basis.

Payment of the award is broken down by timeline as seen below:
Students may receive as much as half of the Michigan Promise Award in two installments of $1000 each in the first two years of postsecondary education. To receive the final payment of $2000, students must fill out the “Michigan Promise Scholarship Application for Final Payment” form and submit it to the MSA Office. This can be done via the internet. All requirements for the scholarship must be completed prior to receiving the final payout (i.e. complete your program, or 50% completion in the event that you are enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program).

Finally, note that the real name of the program is the Michigan Promise Scholarship, not the Michigan Promise Award. The terms are used somewhat interchangeably even though the ‘award’ portion is a carry-over from the Michigan Merit Award. They are in fact one in the same, and there is not a separate scholarship for each.

Allen Wright is a freelance writer who covers any topic that interests him. Find more information about the Michigan Promise Scholarship, also known as the Michigan Promise Award by clicking on the link.

How To Take A Class Without Making A College Textbook Purchase: 3 Simple Techniques

A college textbook purchase can set you back hundreds of dollars. I have 3 great places to look for textbooks to avoid buying textbooks altogether. You may not know it, but you can often get textbooks for free. Learn these techniques for saving money in college, and use them over and over again.

How I Took Classes – But I Didn’t Buy Textbooks
I recently finished an MBA, and those textbooks are not cheap! In one class, I had 3 textbooks, but I was able avoid buying 2 of them. I had to make some calls or send some emails, and in this specific case, I had to talk to the professor as well. But in the end, I avoided some expensive books. I’ll show you 3 ways below.

Strategy #1: Loaned Textbooks
I know, it sounds crass, but we are talking about real money. Besides, it isn’t that hard to do. I just called some friends that had been in other classes with me, and I asked if they still had their textbooks. One did, and he let me borrow them for the semester.

Tip: Make lots of friends like this. This guy was a semester or two ahead of me, and took similar classes. We did have one class together where I took it before him in the program. Also, he loved to keep his books for reference for later. I didn’t keep mine, and he didn’t mind loaning his. Also, I was always careful with his books, and I didn’t write in them. I just had to drive to his house to get them, and I avoided several college textbook purchases by maintaining the friendship.

One of the books was an article anthology, just a bunch of articles in one place. A new version had come out, so I had to ask the professor what articles we would be using, and compare that to my borrowed book. He said there were only a few new ones, and I found those online doing a search, or through a library database, like EBSCO Host. I had access as part of being a student, so it was free.

I took care of my friend’s books and returned them at the end of the term. And he lent me some more after that.

Nearly Free: Technically, I may have had to use some paper and toner to print a 10 or 20 page article. Not bad ;o)

Strategy #2: Ask the Professor
I had a book coming to me, and it hadn’t arrived yet, but you can use this to avoid your college textbook purchase altogether in some cases. Since mine was delayed, I asked the professor if I could borrow an old one of his for a couple of weeks. He said no problem.

I used his book till mine came, but I could have asked for a longer period. Professors often have books for years, and they often get extra books from publishers. A good relationship can help here as well.

Strategy #3: The Study Lab
When I took an economics class as an undergrad, we had a lab to go to study for the class. A teaching assistant was there to answer any questions, with his own book. The lab had some great hours, but was often unoccupied.

Simply go to the lab and use the book and ask questions, just like you should as an interested student. Let the lab assistant help you, and use their book while in the lab.

Bonus: You finish your assignment, and you avoid a college textbook purchase. Be sure your class actually has a study lab, a TA, and a book before you try this one. Borrowing is even cheaper than a used textbook sale.

Want more techniques? During two degrees with little money in college, I learned how to avoid buying textbooks whenever possible. Visit the Beat-Tuition Cheap Textbook Hub for dozens of ideas like these for keeping your textbooks cheap.

Textbook Buy Back: One Cool Way to Make It Better

You know what textbook buy back is – wait in line, offer the university demigod your used textbook and hope they give you something for it. But have you ever heard of guaranteed textbook buy back? With a guarantee, you avoid keeping a book you don’t need, and you don’t have to stand in line wondering if your bookstore will have filled their quota for your book. Especially if the person in front of you has the same one.

Standard Textbook Buy Back Jitters
Don’t you hate that feeling, as you stand in line to sell your books? The waiting. The watching to see if they buy your book from every person in the line. Will they still need my book? When you arrive at the register, and they only need 2 of the 7 books you have.

The Guarantee
You can avoid this now by buying through stores that guarantee your textbook buy back. Some campus stores and some online stores will guarantee to buy back certain books, and they will even tell you how much they will pay you. You still have some limitations, as you might expect. Instead of waiting in the line to find out that you can’t sell it back, you find out when you buy it that you can’t.

You also don’t have to wonder how much you’ll get at buy back. The company will tell you right away how much value you will lose – but you will still have the guaranteed textbook buy back price, and you will reduce the cost of your textbooks with a guarantee.

End of Semester Time Saver
At the end of the semester, you will just take your books to a drop off point and pick up your cash – but you may have a line still. The difference is that you will also have a guaranteed return. With online stores, you will usually get a prepaid postage sticker you have to keep until the end of the term, and then you’ll mail them back for a check.

The companies that provide this service will tell you how much they will pay. Many university bookstores also offer this service. The books included in the program will typically have a sticker or an icon, if online, to show you that they have a guaranteed textbook buy back amount.

Be careful to protect that sticker! It serves as your guarantee. Campus bookstores usually require that their sticker still be on the book. Just be aware.

Not Every Textbook is Included
Whether through a campus store or online, not all textbooks will have the guarantee. Even if some of yours don’t, you can still do it the old way during buy back week. And of course you can also sell it online.

Does This Work for Used Textbooks?
Used textbooks can also be in guarantee programs as well. It just depends on the department and the professors at your school. If they have committed to using the book for a few years, then the store will offer a guarantee on that book. Online stores use a different method, but the result is the same, if they see significant commitment to the book, they can offer a guarantee for a used book, too.

The Numbers
The breakdown I give here won’t be perfect in all cases, but you will get an idea of how these programs work. When a college or an online bookstore offers a guaranteed textbook buy back on a new book, they will often promise you 50 percent of the book price you paid at the beginning of the class. Then, they will add half of that when they resell it used, a total of about 75 percent of your price.

Used textbooks will work similarly but with slightly different numbers. Your book will drop half its value, but you do get half the amount back. If you have access to a guaranteed textbook buy back, you get a pretty good deal. You know which textbooks you can sell for something, you probably know how much, and you save time. Cool. Cheap textbooks and less work.

Differences between Online and On Campus
Textbook buy back will be slightly different online versus on campus. You will have to ship for an online bookstore, but not on campus. And you will have to wait for the online bookstore to acknowledge your books. On the other hand, an online store may have a wider variety of books with a guarantee. And you may be able to return the books earlier than at the bookstore.

Your on campus bookstore will be close by, no waiting for a check. They will give you cash, and hopefully the line will be short.

Both will look at your books before they pay. Severe damage invalidates the guarantee. Don’t drop it in a rainstorm, or highlight in black. Some wear is normal, some writing, some highlighting. And you have to have all the pieces: all the pages, and any disks or student workbooks if included when you bought the book.

Expectations
You can’t really expect to get all your textbooks for nothing. I managed to do it in several classes, and even made money on one book. But over a full term of classes or a year, you have to expect to spend something. In those cases, the guaranteed textbook buy back fills the bill, and helps reduce your expenses.

Maybe you’ll even have money for a First Run movie ticket – with popcorn!

Want more techniques?
During two degrees with little money in college, I learned how to avoid buying textbooks whenever possible. Visit the Beat-Tuition Cheap Textbook Hub for dozens of ideas like these for keeping your textbooks cheap.

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