Education

Check if the professor has placed a copy of the textbook on library reserve so you can read it for free in the library.

• This is inconvenient if you do not live on campus.
• You may only be able to use the book inside the library.

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• Check if the library offers the textbook as an e-book to avoid a physical visit.1
• Email the professor before purchasing anything to verify if the textbook is actually required.4

Email the authors of research papers to request a free copy.

Authors are often thrilled to send copies and may offer additional help.

• If the contact author does not respond, try emailing other authors.

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• Email the textbook authors or professors to request a free PDF copy.1

Check if the text is truly mandatory, since you might manage with just lecture notes and class discussions.

Many assessments rely on lecture material rather than the book itself.

• Some professors strictly require the book.
• Not attending class can severely hurt your performance regardless of the book.

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Leave for-sale notes on the doors of classes you have previously taken to sell your old textbooks to students in those classes.

It works every time.

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Read 'The Richest Man in Babylon' by George Clason.

That was my beginning.

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Print PDFs of textbooks at the school library if you need a physical copy for highlighting.

It may be cheaper than buying a new book.

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Buy an older edition of the textbook and use the library copy to check for differences.

Older editions are often enough for most classes.

• Page numbers might be slightly off.

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Before returning or selling a textbook, verify you don't need it for future classes in your degree plan.

The same textbook may be required for multiple consecutive semesters.

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Use free, open-source textbooks from platforms like OpenStax, Flat World Knowledge, or the Open Textbook Network.

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Do not open or activate digital textbook licenses until you are certain you need them.

You may waste money if the book is unnecessary, such as when a teacher only requires a specific part like a periodic table.

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Ask your professor if you can use a book from a previous semester if the content is largely the same.

Some professors allow the use of previously owned books.

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Chip in with classmates to buy one copy of an expensive textbook and place it on library reserve.

This allows multiple students to access the book without each buying a copy.

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Rent individual digital chapters if the professor only uses a few sections of the textbook.

It is a good option when the professor only uses 1-2 chapters.

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• Rent the textbook if you must have the specific edition required by the professor.1

Verify the page count of free online textbook copies to avoid scams or incomplete files.

Many free copies are scams or have missing pages.

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Do not keep textbooks for later in life.

You will likely never use them again, as people rarely re-read their textbooks.

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Obtain class notes from a student who took the course previously, as good notes can serve as a valuable substitute for the textbook.

Well-compiled notes are described as a 'gold mine'.

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Check your school library for on-hand textbook copies to work from or scan for later use, and ask staff for assistance.

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Look for free online resources for tech-related subjects instead of buying books.

Technology books often become outdated quickly, and there are lots of free resources available online.

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Use ResearchGate to find PDFs of journal articles uploaded by authors or to request papers directly from them.

Authors often upload their work or are happy to respond to requests.

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Email your professor if you cannot afford the course reading to ask for help.

Professors often try to help students who cannot afford materials.

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Ask professors to create a custom reader with selected essays or chapters instead of requiring a full textbook.

The cost for students is reduced to just the printing and copyright fees, which can be just a few dollars.

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Use Slader.com to access guided solutions for textbook questions.

It can save time on busywork.

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Ask your professor if they can provide links to online books or send digital copies via email.

Some professors provide these resources directly.

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Use ebooks to keyword search and access linked homework sections.

They allow for keyword searching and often include links to relevant book sections for homework.

• You cannot resell ebooks.

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Ask professors to contact publishers for discounts or threaten to switch to cheaper publishers.

Professors may secure discounts or force price reductions through the threat of changing vendors.

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Avoid buying textbooks if the professor provides photocopies of the required chapters.

Some professors only require specific chapters and provide copies for a small fee.

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One approach mentioned is pirating textbooks, though this is described as totally not legal.

Some argue publishers are at fault, potentially offending technical users.

• The method is described as totally not legal, similar to torrenting shows and movies.

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Read course texts and language materials for free using university or public library resources.

• You might not be able to take books home if you are not a student.
• Some university libraries require you to be a student to use them.

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Photocopy or scan only the specific pages or problems you need from library reserve copies.

This allows you to keep the book available for others while obtaining the necessary material for free.

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Sell old textbooks online using sites that supply prepaid shipping labels.

You may make more money than expected.

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Read 'A Simple Path to Wealth' by JL Collins for financial guidance.

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Check if your university provides a list comparing textbook prices across online stores.

Some colleges provide these lists, and the prices shown may be reasonable.

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Film yourself opening shrink-wrapped textbooks purchased from the school to document any internal factory damage.

Proof is required to return factory-damaged books.

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Avoid buying expensive custom edition textbooks if possible, as they are often identical to basic versions except for department-specific information.

Custom editions are usually the same as basic versions but cost more.

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If a professor uses a self-published or photocopied book, the class can collectively buy one copy and make copies for everyone.

• The professor may become angry but cannot identify genuine copies.

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If your professors provide PDF masters and you have unlimited campus printing, use the printing service.

Professors have encouraged using unlimited printing for provided materials.

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If you cannot afford required textbooks, search for explanations of specific concepts on YouTube instead.

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Search for new and used university books on online marketplaces like ThriftBooks, Alibris, Biblio, Better World Books, or Bigwords.

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Prepare for CLEP exams using free MOOCs, YouTube AP review clips, official College Board materials, or public library resources.

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Be cautious with older financial books, as information may be outdated due to significant changes over time.

One person expressed concern that a book published in 2001 might contain outdated information given the 24 years since publication.

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Check campus Lost & Found offices for unclaimed graphing calculators.

Unclaimed TI calculators are often available there after several months.

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Avoid attending expensive private universities if you must fund the entire cost with loans.

It can hold you back more than it should.

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Apply for Pell Grants to cover community college tuition and books, which may leave leftover funds for you to keep.

Pell Grants are grants, not loans, so any remaining balance after tuition and books is yours to retain.

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Delay graduate school until after working for a few years to reduce debt.

Working first can help avoid immediate debt and may lead to fully funded master's programs later.

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Take a year off to move to the state of your preferred public university and work there to gain residency before enrolling.

This allows you to pay in-state tuition rates.

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Take dual credit courses in high school if you plan to attend a partnered two-year college afterwards.

It can save money.

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Shop around and compare financial aid packages from both expensive private and cheap public schools rather than assuming one is cheaper.

Private schools have huge endowments and may offer aid packages that equal or beat the cost of public schools.

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Apply for FAFSA to fund an online community college degree, which can result in net financial gain after tuition and fees are deducted.

The extra money received can help stabilize living situations.

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Live in on-campus dorms if your scholarship covers room and board.

Living rent-free with included utilities allows you to dedicate your time to building your resume instead of working to cover expenses.

• Living in dorms may have downsides.

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Negotiate a payback plan with siblings who receive financial help for education to ensure they have skin in the game.

It ensures they contribute to repaying the assistance.

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Consider Estonia as a study destination due to its low tuition fees.

Tuition is reported to be around 1500 usd a semester.

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Learn your chosen university's residency requirements to ensure you do not have to repeat years of study there.

Some schools require students to accrue a specific amount of credits directly at the institution, such as three years' worth.

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Automatically save a specific amount for tuition from each paycheck to avoid financial stress.

It prevents the lump-sum payment from hurting your finances.

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Check with college scholarship offices for tier-based scholarships determined by income.

These often do not need to be paid back.

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Consider spending two to three years working after high school before returning to college to gain maturity and clarity.

Working allows time to figure out where your head is at before jumping into expensive higher education.

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Recognize that employer training responsibilities have shifted to employees, contributing to education cost burdens.

Employers used to train specialists but now require degrees without paying salaries high enough to offset tuition loans.

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Study in dorm hallway lounges, as they are usually empty.

They are usually empty and good to study in.

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Be wary of recruiters and family pressure to choose expensive private colleges if you cannot afford them, as this can lead to failure and loss of aid.

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Consider trade school as an alternative to college to avoid debt.

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Teach children basic financial skills including budgeting, earning money, retirement, scholarships, buying a house, and credit.

These are things parents may not have known themselves.

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Request official sealed copies of foreign transcripts before leaving the country if your school does not offer international mailing or online requests.

To avoid wasting a month waiting for delivery and to ensure compatibility with US standard translation services like WES.

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Understand the obligations attached to free tuition models, such as service academies requiring post-graduation service or work-colleges requiring labor.

Service after graduation means it is not free; some institutions require students to work for their education.

• Some religious colleges have exclusionary policies, such as not accepting gay students.

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If you are teaching sex education, have students calculate the cost of baby supplies to illustrate the financial reality of parenthood.

It serves as an eye-opener for many kids regarding the costs involved.

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Study in Slovenia to access over 100 free courses offered in English.

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Work while attending community college to pay down loans immediately, as interest does not accrue during enrollment.

Payments made while in school go directly toward reducing the principal balance since no interest is accruing.

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Live at home while attending community college to reduce costs and access a supportive environment.

It is cheaper and provides support if you are not completely independent.

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Attend community college and seek out scholarships, Pell grants, work-study programs, or Vocational Rehabilitation services to cut down on debt.

Some areas offer free community college including books and supplies.

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Read basic financial education resources before investing.

Recommended for those brand new to investing.

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Verify the legitimacy of educational programs by checking if they disclose tuition rates upfront; avoid those that demand contact info first.

Programs that hide tuition rates may be trying to pressure you into a sale via sales representatives.

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Research living costs thoroughly before choosing a study location, as high housing prices in some cities can negate the savings from cheap tuition.

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Consult HR professionals and financial aid officers at target schools to understand how foreign degrees are perceived and to secure funding.

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Take solace in knowing you earned your place through merit.

Professors are often intimidated by students who actually earned their way in.

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Take CLEP exams for subjects with rigid standards, such as algebra, rather than those with flexible definitions like English composition.

Rigid standards are easier to pass via exam; flexible courses often require mandatory essays that exams do not cover.

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Position yourself as a smart, professional, and reliable friend to entrepreneurial classmates.

They may look for employees among course mates when starting businesses.

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Persistently contact college financial aid offices and escalate until you find a solution, ignoring stated stopping points if necessary.

Administrative employees may create stopping points just to make you stop asking.

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Focus on where you finish your education rather than where you begin, as the final institution matters more for career outcomes.

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Ask all questions, even those perceived as stupid, when dealing with bureaucracy, despite potential humiliation.

Knowledge is knowledge.

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Take initiative to learn about finances rather than blaming everyone else for your situation.

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Educate others about how progressive tax systems work privately to avoid embarrassment.

People may get defensive or embarrassed if corrected in public.

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Be aware that skipping college courses via early credit might hurt your long-term GPA if you forget material before starting the next sequence.

You may forget all of the previous course over the summer break.

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Take foundational courses that you will build on later in person rather than online.

Online learning may result in poor retention of material needed for future studies.

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Choose a degree based on your aptitude and enjoyment rather than solely on potential financial return.

Pursuing a degree strictly for investment return often leads to unhappiness.

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Look into DSST exams as an alternative to CLEPs for earning college credits.

There is a ton of study material online.

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Do your own research on credit transfer policies rather than relying solely on advisors.

Advisors may take advantage of young students.

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Question the assumption that a college degree guarantees a secure, well-paying job, as this economic reality no longer holds true for most people.

Older generations benefited from an era where a degree automatically led to security, but that is not the case today.

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Look for cohort-based online courses if you want structure and community as an adult learner.

They are delivered live online, providing real community.

• These courses are non-accredited.

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Ensure community college courses maintain the same prerequisite levels as 4-year university courses to avoid issues with credit acceptance.

Most colleges may reject community college credits if prerequisites (like chemistry for cell biology) are not met.

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Focus on majors with clear career paths and decent salary potential, such as engineering, computer science, or accounting, rather than choosing degrees with no associated career.

Technical fields value name recognition, and some degrees do not lead to careers.

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Speak with advisors at both your current and target schools and get all credit transfer agreements in writing.

Relying solely on verbal assurances from counselors can lead to negative outcomes when credits do not transfer as expected.

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• Inform your academic counselor of your intended transfer institution so they can ensure all your credits will transfer correctly.1

Be skeptical of published employment statistics from colleges, as definitions of 'employed' may include jobs that do not require a degree in the studied field.

Statistics may count graduates as employed even if they are working in unrelated roles, such as waiting tables or stocking aisles.

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Treat community college classes with the same seriousness as four-year university courses to keep a high GPA.

A decent GPA can lead to transfer scholarships and acceptance into competitive programs; skimming through with lower grades may prevent acceptance.

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Avoid predatory for-profit colleges when pursuing online degrees because their courses often do not transfer.

Credits from these institutions frequently fail to transfer to other four-year colleges.

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If you are a STEM student, avoid completing general education requirements at community college first.

Doing so can lead to a heavy, uninterrupted load of difficult major courses later with no break.

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Avoid specific 'dump majors' designed for rejected applicants from desirable programs.

They lack the rigorous requirements that make a degree valuable to employers.

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Contact department heads at the target university directly to confirm if specific community college classes count for credit.

This can save thousands of dollars.

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Use Rate My Professor descriptions to gauge what to expect from community college courses.

Descriptions there have been found to generally be accurate.

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Attend class and submit all work at community college to build a strong academic record for university transfers.

A record of success makes you look desirable to universities.

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Prepare for a significant increase in academic rigor and class size when transferring from community college to a university.

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Consult department professors directly if AP or CLEP credits are applied incorrectly to your degree plan, as administrative defaults may not reflect your actual knowledge.

Administrative defaults may misapply credits (e.g., to 'diversity' rather than base art history), but professors can change the credit application after verifying your knowledge.

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Recognize that four-year universities typically offer more research programs, study abroad options, clubs, and internships than community colleges.

College is about the whole experience, not just credits.

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Avoid AP classes if they feel unrealistically difficult and overloaded compared to university equivalents.

In one person's experience, they were more overblown than any university class, with awful standardized tests.

• Based on one person's experience.

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Be aware that transferring may result in losing significant financial aid packages.

Many schools reserve substantial aid for incoming freshmen only.

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Check with your state's higher education commission or regulatory body to understand transfer policies.

All states are different, and only your state's policies matter.

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Verify transfer agreements directly with the university before taking classes, as accepted credits can change and invalidate previous assumptions.

Universities may alter which credits they accept, potentially wasting time and money on non-transferable courses.

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Identify who decides credit transfers at the receiving university and enlist your community college's help to lobby for favorable acceptance.

Community colleges are well-acquainted with transfer requirements and do this frequently.

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Use community college to gain maturity and a foundational education before transferring to a larger university.

It provides time to grow up and build a foundation that might otherwise be missing at a large university.

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Check if a community college accepts more CLEP credits than your target university, as they may still transfer upon admission.

• Based on one person's experience

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Leverage smaller class sizes at community colleges to benefit from better teacher-to-student ratios.

Smaller classes allow for better support, making it easier to do well academically compared to public universities.

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Question guidance counselor advice that prioritizes passion over cost and marketability, as it may reflect outdated economic assumptions.

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Actively monitor your transfer agreements throughout your time at community college to ensure every class counts toward your bachelor's degree.

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Consider community colleges where professors may be more passionate about teaching than tenured professors at large universities who focus on research.

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