- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: 26 years later and I’m still pissed off about LSUs book buying scams
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:01 am to SantaFe
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:01 am to SantaFe
When my child entered Penn, they gave her an iPad with everything loaded on it. No books, she kept the iPad because it was part of the tuition costs.
Traditional bookstores, like the ones I used at Auburn, are a thing of the past and have been for years. Those that have survived do so by selling t-shirts and hats, art supplies, and other things.
Auburn had a student book exchange where you could sell your books directly to other students. You got more there, but the selection was not as expansive.
Traditional bookstores, like the ones I used at Auburn, are a thing of the past and have been for years. Those that have survived do so by selling t-shirts and hats, art supplies, and other things.
Auburn had a student book exchange where you could sell your books directly to other students. You got more there, but the selection was not as expansive.
0
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:02 am to One72
$600 for a book...26 years ago? Wtf is that adjusted for inflation???
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:06 am to One72
I do recall having some pitchers and pizza at Gatti’s with my book money at the end of the semester!
Fun times.
Fun times.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:10 am to SuperSaint
quote:
you have to buy the textbook new to get the CD-ROM that comes with it Baw
It was website codes for us
Also had a history teacher make us buy his own book. It was topical at least but felt pretty scummy.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:11 am to One72
We had to buy the book to get the online code to do the homework, and then the resale was useless because the cost of the online code is damn near the cost of the book anyway.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:14 am to One72
It wasn't just LSU, it was common practice at pretty much all universities.
In 2018, they had a $1,000 accounting textbook that you would use for one semester:
$1,000 accounting textbook
In 2018, they had a $1,000 accounting textbook that you would use for one semester:
$1,000 accounting textbook
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:14 am to One72
Someone on here posted about a website that had full books but they were they were all printed on paperback. Saved my life in accounting. Wish I had known about it long before my Junior year when I was a naive underclassman
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:15 am to One72
oh man, i havent thought about that in a long time. what a fricking racket that was. in hindsight it seems even more preposterous.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:16 am to One72
Ah, the good old days. 
It was a total scam. You'd be lucky to get 10 cents to the dollar on the books you sold back. More likely you were getting 5 cents to the dollar.
The real scam were the professors who wrote books and had them published by the university press, then required you to buy it just to jack up their "copies sold" numbers.
For my kids the textbooks are all online, but you still had to "buy" them to access them. For a lot of them, though, if you did some extensive searching, you can find them for free somewhere, probably on some bootleg Chinese or Russian website that will give your computer AIDS.
It was a total scam. You'd be lucky to get 10 cents to the dollar on the books you sold back. More likely you were getting 5 cents to the dollar.
The real scam were the professors who wrote books and had them published by the university press, then required you to buy it just to jack up their "copies sold" numbers.
For my kids the textbooks are all online, but you still had to "buy" them to access them. For a lot of them, though, if you did some extensive searching, you can find them for free somewhere, probably on some bootleg Chinese or Russian website that will give your computer AIDS.
This post was edited on 9/8/26 at 9:19 am
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:21 am to TheFonz
I remember in like 2000 when I first ordered my books online from this small bookstore named Amazon for way cheaper.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:26 am to Roberteaux
I think my system dynamics book was $600 15 years ago.
I used to work half fhe summer for tuition and the other half for books. fricking criminal what schools do to kids who are just trying to make it.
I used to work half fhe summer for tuition and the other half for books. fricking criminal what schools do to kids who are just trying to make it.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:27 am to BigPapiDoesItAgain
quote:
yes, and the used books always sold out first,
I remember digging through the Used books to find the ones with the best highlighting. So you would guess that the person highlighting the text last semester knew what the hell they were doing and base your studying off them.
My technique was to look for a book that was worn but not abused. Indicating that the person who owned it used it a lot but didn't tear it up which I would guess means they are studious.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:27 am to One72
SLU doing book rentals for like $75 per semester for all of your books was one of the many reasons it is the GOAT little brother university in the state.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:29 am to One72
Back in the really old days they had these open, unsecured cubbies where you could place your books and supplies before going in the bookstore. As a naive freshman I left my books in there and had my math textbook stolen one week before the final.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:32 am to CarRamrod
quote:
I remember in like 2000 when I first ordered my books online from this small bookstore named Amazon for way cheaper.
Same. First I had ever heard of Amazon. Went to college in SF and it was the same bullshite racket. One semester I wanted to borrow or rent the book from my buddy who took it the semester before and he tried selling it to me. Got it on Amazon. Unfortunately, they didn't have all books and I remember spending $300 a couple times. Not sure why that shite is legal.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:32 am to One72
Then they realized that they can sell digital and loose leaf copies for $250 and cut production costs and kill the resale market. Oh and then tack on the mandatory companion software for another $100.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:38 am to One72
After going through that scam a couple times, I started buying them used online and then pretty much getting my money back selling them on half.com.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:39 am to One72
You forgot to add that the professors are often the authors of the textbook used for the class.
And like others said, having to buy the textbook, an online license key for crappy software, and can't forget a non-standard "clicker" for class, and each professor used different models.
And like others said, having to buy the textbook, an online license key for crappy software, and can't forget a non-standard "clicker" for class, and each professor used different models.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:40 am to nes2010
I kept a bunch because I wouldn't get much money back and figured it would be good to have these books. Lugged them around on a few moves before I donated them to goodwill.
I graduated in 98 in Engineering and did lug them around for 2 moves as well but then the internet exploded. I actaully remember in the very early 2000's finding a textbook exchange website and sold most of them in one shot for (from what I remember) between $200-$300. Certainly wasn't what I paid for them but much better than the used book stores by LSU offered me and was better than a sharp stick in the eye. I may even have opened my Paypal account (with a $10 bonus) for this transaction.
I graduated in 98 in Engineering and did lug them around for 2 moves as well but then the internet exploded. I actaully remember in the very early 2000's finding a textbook exchange website and sold most of them in one shot for (from what I remember) between $200-$300. Certainly wasn't what I paid for them but much better than the used book stores by LSU offered me and was better than a sharp stick in the eye. I may even have opened my Paypal account (with a $10 bonus) for this transaction.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 9:41 am to SlickRickerz
Happened at Tech. Such bullshite and I remember it well
Page 2 of 3
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News