When should I buy my books for college?

I will be a freshman in the fall semester, and I was wondering whether I should buy my books early or wait until I get the syllabus from the professor? I don't really know what books I need either, but I do have my schedule made and there was a bookstore that said they could give me my books if i showed them my schedule. I've asked alot of different people and they all had different answers so i'm still not sure what to do. Please help!When should I buy my books for college?
Take your schedule to the bookstore, they will help you figure out what books you need.

As far as get them now or later. I would say get them now. As a freshman there are going to be a lot of people taking the same classes as you, so they could run out of a book and have to order it. Also, you have a better chance of getting used books (less money) if you go early. Most bookstores will allow you to return books for a refund up to the second week of class. So if a professor tells you that you don't need the book, or you need a different one you can return the one you bought.

You also may want to consider going to the bookstore, finding out what books you need and buying them online. This will be harder to return, but you will save more money.
WAIT FOR THE syllabus from the professor please!!!When should I buy my books for college?
Buy them early, believe me they sell out quickly. Most college bookstores have a list of the required books you need too.
I've always found it useful to wait until the first day of class, after you get your syllabus. once you do, sometimes professors will either scrap books or tell you where you can borrow the books from the school library and save you some extra bucks. since you'll be starting college soon, you'll need all the money you can.When should I buy my books for college?
You should buy them as soon as you can so you can get what you need before there is no more left! Go to the bookstore that knows what to do!
See if you can order them from barnes and noble for cheaper. College bookstores are notoriously overpriced.



What I do is wait until after the first week of classes to buy books. A lot of professors don't even use the books, so it's just a waste of money to buy them (depends on the class, of course). After the first week, you'll know which classes you'll need the book. Also, something else you can do is get a study partner and split the cost of the book for the class.
Wait for the syllabus.



Get them online if you can. College bookstores are a racket.
Ifyou buy arly you have a better chance of getting used books. Much better deal.
contact all proffessors prior to class starting and get a list. Go to the store buy all the books that are used and appear to have actual applicable information towards your class, some books arent needed or are just filled with nothing. do your self a favor and get them early, used books can save you alot and so can amazon,ebay, etc. hope that helps.
I usually go to the bookstore (if I'm on campus) and see how much money I will need. You won't need your books on the first day of class, but if you want you can go ahead and buy them. But just a hint, down the road from the college I attend there is a bookstore that buys books from students and sells them cheaper than the college bookstore. You may want to check and see if there is one near your college.
Depends on the class. For the generals that everyone takes, but it online from half.com or something; you'll get real cheap and will avoid the price gouging bookstore. When you start to take some more specific courses, wait until the first day of class, (don't worry, you usually don't get any kind of weird assignments for a while) and see if the professor drops or adds books to what you need. It will save you a lot of money; personal experience. But go ahead and buy it online if you think you'll reference it again, especially if it has to do with your major or something you're interested in.
wait till you get the syllabus.. maybe for soem classes books will be recommended but not required..and always the cheapest way is to buy books from students who are a year ahead of you and already took the class. hang out in the department that the course belongs to, you should find ads about book sales.

enjoy college!
I'd wait it out. Some professors don't necessarily require you to buy all the books. Plus, other books may be on reserve at the school library. And you might have some last minute schedule changes.
Gosh I hate buying books. You buy them early and the instructor changes the books or requests an additional one which the bookstore doesn't carry. You buy them late, well in most cases you can't because the bookstore runs out. It's a hassle either way. I don't know about your school, but in my school the instructors had their own personal websites where they have the syllabuses for the classes they teach on the website. You might want to check that. I usually try to buy them early though, because when the bookstore runs out, it might take a while for them to receive the new shipment. Hope this helps! Good luck!