A Student's Guide to Purchasing Books
September 1, 2009
As a volunteer for ASPIRE at Pace’s New York campus, this summer I’ve been answering many questions via e-mail from incoming freshmen ranging from where to use their meal plan card to information regarding the different advantages of living in certain dormitories. I feel like I’ve been dubbed the Encyclopedia of Pace U because I always seem to have most of the answers to the questions students are worried about and are asking me.
I’ve realized that nearly all the students I’ve talked to are most concerned with their book purchases this upcoming semester. “How do I find out what books I need?”, “Where do I order my books?”, “Should I contact my professor to see what books I need?”…So, I figured I would devote a blog on how to go about your purchases.
I’ll break it down for you below…
How to find out what books you need: You can find out what books you need for your courses by looking them up on the Pace Bookstore’s website. At the left-hand side, there will be a segment where you fill in your course information. You insert your class information (read my next bulletin on how to obtain the information) and you will receive the list of books for that specific course.
*Note: You can wait until the first week of classes to check in with your professors to see whether or not the book is mandated, as some are only recommended text.
How to I find my course information: Access your Pace Portal by going on Pace’s main website, going under the “Current Students” tab and clicking on Pace Portal. Log-in with your Pace ID and go under the “Students” tab. Click on “Registration, Grades, and Tuition Schedule” followed by “Student Schedule” for Fall 2009. All the information needed to fill in for the bookstore’s website can be found there.
How do I go about purchasing my books from Pace: You can order your books from the Pace Bookstore online and have them shipped to an address or pick them up in the store located at 41 Park Row (directly to the left of the main campus across the street).
Since I’m acting as the Encyclopedia of Pace U, I’ll be an open book and give an honest answer on the other ways to make book investments. The bookstore prices may be a little out of reach for students who are short on cash or simply do not find it necessary to buy books at higher prices if they can find it cheaper elsewhere. If you’re like me and fit into this category, there are many options to ensure that you will get your textbooks.
I’ve realized that nearly all the students I’ve talked to are most concerned with their book purchases this upcoming semester. “How do I find out what books I need?”, “Where do I order my books?”, “Should I contact my professor to see what books I need?”…So, I figured I would devote a blog on how to go about your purchases.
I’ll break it down for you below…
How to find out what books you need: You can find out what books you need for your courses by looking them up on the Pace Bookstore’s website. At the left-hand side, there will be a segment where you fill in your course information. You insert your class information (read my next bulletin on how to obtain the information) and you will receive the list of books for that specific course.
*Note: You can wait until the first week of classes to check in with your professors to see whether or not the book is mandated, as some are only recommended text.
How to I find my course information: Access your Pace Portal by going on Pace’s main website, going under the “Current Students” tab and clicking on Pace Portal. Log-in with your Pace ID and go under the “Students” tab. Click on “Registration, Grades, and Tuition Schedule” followed by “Student Schedule” for Fall 2009. All the information needed to fill in for the bookstore’s website can be found there.
How do I go about purchasing my books from Pace: You can order your books from the Pace Bookstore online and have them shipped to an address or pick them up in the store located at 41 Park Row (directly to the left of the main campus across the street).
Since I’m acting as the Encyclopedia of Pace U, I’ll be an open book and give an honest answer on the other ways to make book investments. The bookstore prices may be a little out of reach for students who are short on cash or simply do not find it necessary to buy books at higher prices if they can find it cheaper elsewhere. If you’re like me and fit into this category, there are many options to ensure that you will get your textbooks.
You can buy them used either through Pace’s bookstore or on websites like eCampus.com, or you can even rent books for the semester by going onto sites like CampusBookRentals.com.
Also, there are flyers posted throughout the campus (a lot appearing on the doors of bathroom stalls) and e-mails distributed to the student body from other students who are looking to sell their old textbooks. Although these constant e-mails are annoying, they can be helpful and a savor if that $200 book you need for Math is only $40. Best of all- prices are negotiable!
If you know a trustworthy person in the same class as you, you can always split the book purchase 50/50 with them and create a schedule of who has the book during what times.
Additionally, you can always contact your professors to see if the textbook is placed on reserve for your use at the Birnbaum Library.
All students are in the same boat- we’re broke, we want to do good in school, so therefore we must get text books. Although it may seem a little overwhelming, there are many options to ensure that you’ll have a textbook to study from while attending Pace University.
Also, there are flyers posted throughout the campus (a lot appearing on the doors of bathroom stalls) and e-mails distributed to the student body from other students who are looking to sell their old textbooks. Although these constant e-mails are annoying, they can be helpful and a savor if that $200 book you need for Math is only $40. Best of all- prices are negotiable!
If you know a trustworthy person in the same class as you, you can always split the book purchase 50/50 with them and create a schedule of who has the book during what times.
Additionally, you can always contact your professors to see if the textbook is placed on reserve for your use at the Birnbaum Library.
All students are in the same boat- we’re broke, we want to do good in school, so therefore we must get text books. Although it may seem a little overwhelming, there are many options to ensure that you’ll have a textbook to study from while attending Pace University.
-Kaitlynn
Check out Kaitlynn's previous blog about Transitioning into Manhattan
