Renting textbooks is becoming a more popular option among students as more and more services are being created to fill this service. While not being much different that buying your textbook for the term and then selling it back, renting guarantees that your textbook will be returned without question and doesn't require as much cost for the student up front. This way, you’re not going to be stuck with a book at the end of the term due to reasons such as a new version of the book coming out, for example.

The only minor hindrance about renting textbooks from online textbook stores is the shipping of the bulky textbooks. What’s cool about most textbook renters is that they provide a pre-paid shipping envelope for you to return the textbook at the end of your rental period. Which is probably a smart move as well, as a broke College student may be reluctant to ship back a book when he or she has no money on hand.

The other main benefit here is upfront cost. Beginning a new term, you’re required to obtain textbooks, study guides and other tools for classroom use. Because renting textbooks is cheaper, this money that would have been spent on buying new textbooks can now be used to purchase other needed classroom goods or more top ramen to feed starving students.

It’s always nice to see good competition going on, especially when it involves the high costs of textbooks. Perhaps students will stop going through College bookstore programs that sell the book at a high list price and offer a buy back at a fraction of the cost.

Renting textbooks is a solid business model among a pretty the saturated textbook market. It seems like every week here at Campus Grotto we get an email telling us about a great new textbook marketplace/comparison site that will save students thousands.

Chegg is a popular Textbook rental service

One of the more prominent textbook renters out there is Chegg. Chegg was previously a textbook seller who flirted with the idea of textbook renting. Apparently they found it as a good niche and now is used primarily as a textbook renting service. Students who rent the book do have an option of buying the book by paying the list price for the book minus the textbook rental fee they have already paid.

Of course renting the textbook means you’ll have to take extra care of it. Chegg doesn’t allow writing in its books, but does allow limited highlighting.

If you ever decide that you need your rented textbook longer than the rental period, you can either request an extension (which may require a minimal payment) or just choose to buy the book directly so the book becomes your property. Chegg offers the option of a 15 day or 30 day rental extension. There is also an additional option to rent the textbook for a full quarter extension, or full semester extension, at 25% discount off the full rental price.

Students can save up to 65% by renting their textbooks; a big cut for one of the biggest expenses for students (outside of tuition).

Some textbook rental services include:
Chegg.com
BookRenter.com

As we approach graduation, or we may have already, the real world is just around the corner. While some of us may not be as financial or business minded as others, there is a lot to consider. Some things, like getting a job or buying a car, may seem like common sense, but going about them is easier said or thought about, than actually done. We know we need to accomplish certain goals, but don't necessarily know the specifics of them, or even where to begin. It's almost like we need a class specifically for such things, or a handbook to life in the real world. 'What They Don't Teach You in College: A Graduate's Guide to Life on Your Own' can help with this.

Written by James M. Kramon, who holds a law degree from George Washington University and an LLM from Harvard University, this book can be a useful tool and valuable resource to those of us who are lost or confused about where to start. In fact, he wrote the book at the time his son was finishing college and his daughter was graduating from high school.

The book starts out with the first thing usually on our minds when we start out on our own: getting a job and making money.

Job hunting isn't always the funnest thing and can be quite a challenge. Once again, there are many things to consider: location, salary, benefits, etc. Many of us just want to start making money and establishing ourselves in life. The "Guide" is a great resource for understanding terms of employment contracts and benefits. They are explained in simple terms that are easy to understand and checklists are provided for each obstacle to ensure that you don't forget anything that could be important.

Then, of course, once you have a job and are making money, the book addresses your budget. A budget may seem really basic, but is important. Without it, you can find yourself in hot water financially. Another checklist will help you to sort your income, expenses, and start saving for your future. The book also provides useful tips on managing student loans, checking accounts, credit cards, and how to avoid identity theft. All these could affect your credit, and thus, your ability to finance a car, house, or get loans in the future.

Immediately after college, many of us are not financially stable enough to own a house yet, but instead rent apartments. This "Guide" is once again a good reference for finding and renting an apartment that will suit you until you can buy a house. For some this is not a problem, but for those of you moving to a new city for your job, it can be difficult and time consuming. There are tips about real estate brokers and when to use one, understanding your lease, how to handle complaints and requests once you have moved in, apartment insurance, and roommates. And while you can't afford a house, you may need a car if you don't have one. More checklists and glossaries help to understand what to do when looking for a car, financing, insuring, and dealing with accidents.

Even prior to graduating from college, we may have already encountered the previous mentioned items. However, many of us have not yet bought a home, thought about liability or medical insurance or entertained the thought that one day you may need life or disability insurance. The "Guide" isn't just a tool for what to do right out of college, but proves a useful reference for your future and what to consider for later in life. These things are especially important for when you are married and have children, if you don't already. Even though we are starting out, gaining knowledge and preparing for these things will make the transition into adulthood easier.

As we move through life, disputes always arise. Legal ones are usually ones we want to avoid. The author, who spends a great deal of time resolving disputes, even includes a chapter on how to avoid these matters. Then, of course, should they arise, also provides advice on how to handle them through communication, documentation and when to decide whether or not to seek legal action. While many of us hope this never happens, it could, and knowing how to react can make things much simpler and less of a headache.

'A Graduate's Guide to Life On Your Own' is a great resource for those of us starting out. Not just college graduates, but even high school graduates who may not immediately be going off to college. The book's chapters are neatly outlined; they feature checklists for almost every circumstance so you don't forget anything or leave anything out and provides easy to understand glossaries of terms so we don't spend valuable time going through dictionaries. It also gives a good overview of what to expect later in life and gives us knowledge on how to handle situations as they arise. It is definitely a convenient little reference guide to have on your bookshelf.

What They Don't Teach You in College can be purchased at Amazon.

After graduating from high school you have learned everything possible to prepare you for college from Chemistry to Spanish; however one thing that is not taught in high school is effective time management. As a student in college, you have to balance your time between studying, work, classes, and of course a social life. How are you supposed to manage your time wisely without burning yourself out?

Organize Your Activities

In order to keep track of all of your activities, consider purchasing an electronic device such as a PDA. This will allow you to record all of your events, jot down quick notes, check email and even surf the Internet. You can set up reminders and other alarms to alert you when you have a paper due or you can even input your work schedule in the calendar. If a PDA is not in your budget, then a Day Planner will do fine as well. However, these items only work well if you actually use them, so be sure to record your scheduled activities as you receive notice.

Do Not Procrastinate

If you receive an assignment on the first day of class to complete a 20-page paper by the last day of class, do not wait until the night before the due date to complete it. Try to keep up with assigned readings and other class assignments.

Use Every Minute Available

If you commute on a bus or train to school, then use that time to catch up on class notes or check email on your PDA. If you are eating alone in the cafeteria, why not read a book or throw in some last minute studying before your test. Your time is precious so try to take advantage of every minute available to you; therefore no time is wasted.

Have a Social Life

Yes you are in college to learn, but make sure you let loose and have a social life. Go out to the movies with your friends or attend that party on campus. You can always hang out in your room and call to check in on your parents and friends.

Don’t Over Do It

Try your best not to take on more than you can handle. Do not take a forty-hour per week job plus a full load of classes. Make sure you only take hours at your job that you can fit between studying and other university related activities. Trying to do too much can cause stress as well as have a negative impact on your health.

Putting the learning aspect away, College life is all about meeting new people and making new friends. For those that have always been outgoing, this may not come across as a problem of any sort, but not everyone has that type of skill. But that doesn't mean that you should plan on spending your Friday nights alone in your dorm room, every College has something for you to do on almost any night of the week, no matter how small the campus is.

The first thing you'll want to do is leave your door open as much as possible. What this will do is allow you to see people as they walk by and they will see you as well. The common understanding in College is that if your door is closed, you're either busy, getting busy, or not in your room. You'll be surprised how many people just wander around the dorms and will take the time to say hello. If you're adventurous, walk around the dorms until you hear a song coming out of an open room that you like and consider popping by and talking to them about the song.

Each month your student activities board will most likely provide some form of calendar or flyer that will give you an idea of what's going on day to day on your campus. Many schools bring in local to big venue bands, comedians, and public speakers for your entertainment and enjoyment for a very affordable price. If there's an event that you think that your fellow students would benefit from, your student activities board is always looking for new suggestions and ideas.

And lastly, join a club! Whether it be about politics, religion, specific majors, the newspaper, campus radio, campus tv, or other concept, these clubs are in place because plenty of students find them interesting. You'll instantly have a common bond with these students as you're there for a specific topic, so what have you got to lose? Just like with the student activities board, if there isn't a club for what you're interested in then it's time for you to start it yourself.

On a daily basis, you pass by numerous people that you've never said “Hi” to. Whether you're in class or at the cafe, meeting new people is as simple as choosing a seat next to someone you've never met before. Just make sure you remembered to shower.

"Hi, do you come here a lot? What classes are you taking? We've never met but I've spent a lot of time on your facebook page." This is the sorry state of male communication with women in college. Guys are relying on e-mail, facebook and text messages to communicate with girls in college because doing it in person is much harder.

Lacking strong communication skills, many guys drink while socializing with women in order to feel more comfortable. But why do they feel uncomfortable in the first place? Some would say it’s natural and there’s nothing that can be done about it. But although rare, there are men who always feel relaxed and confident when meeting women. The truth is that the majority of college guys have underdeveloped communication skills.

Making matters worse is the acceptance of this poor communication with women. Most college guys spend no time improving their social skills because they don't think it's a problem that has a solution. Because a majority of college men have bad communication skills with women, looking at the guys around them for answers only reinforces the thought that there's no room for improvement. Men commonly believe that women are attracted to money, looks, and fame, and if you don't have these than you're left out. Most guys think that there is no hope if a girl doesn't find them physically attractive from the beginning.

The truth is that the ability to effectively communicate is the single most powerful skill a guy can have when socializing with a woman. And the good news for guys is that this is a skill that can be learned and perfected. Turns out that the same reason a guy finds it difficult to meet a girl and get to know her is why he would find it difficult to play the saxophone in his school's music concert. He doesn’t have a teacher and he's never practiced.

No one can walk, speak, or play an instrument at birth. They have to learn these skills and communication with women happens to be a skill that few guys have taken the time to learn. But just as your college professors teach you about English, math, and science, there are men who can teach you how to communicate with women.

My roommate freshman year in college was one of these men. He was not particularly good looking, he was not an athlete, and he was not well known in school. But after spending 20 minutes at a college party or any social function, he had girls and guys standing around him smiling and nodding their heads. For reasons I could not explain at the time, women seemed to like him more than any other guy in the room. He was very comfortable talking to strangers and while most guys would be nervous starting a conversation with a girl they did not know, he found it to be exciting. I remember telling him that he naturally had the social skills that so many guys wanted. "You need to teach this stuff," I told him. But he wasn't interested in teaching. Fortunately, I was.

Many top CEO's and self improvement guru's, such as Tony Robbins, commonly say that the best way to learn something is to model a person who is doing it well. When I was a kid I wanted to become a better hockey player so I copied the way Wayne Gretzky always kept his head up when he skated. In the same way, I began to model my roommate's social behaviors, focusing on his body language, the things he said, and how he responded to questions and disagreements from women.

Modeling a successful person however, is only half the equation. Few people know that although Gretzky was naturally gifted he also practiced 8 to 9 hours per day as a kid which enabled him to dominate in the NHL. If a college guy wants to improve his communication skills with women, he has to practice.

How do you practice your communication skills? Start being much more social. After learning from my roommate I started communicating with women as often as I could, frequenting social functions and talking with 5-10 girls every time. I began to see clear patterns in their responses. Certain things I said or did constantly produced positive responses while other things always produced negative ones. This social practice, along with the modeling of other socially successful men, resulted in my ability to communicate very effectively with women. I have used this new social skill to form fulfilling friendships and to attract incredible women into my life.

I want to share with you three important communication patterns I saw with girls that can make you a much better communicator.

1. If you want a better response from a girl, you have to ask better questions. What is your major, how old are you, where are you from, and what dorm do you live in are questions that have one-word non-emotional answers.

   If you want a girl to be more interested in your conversation you need to her to feel emotional about something. What excites you? What are you passionate about? What is one of your happiness memories? How does (the subject she's talking about) make you feel? These are questions that make every girl pause and go into an emotional state, allowing for a deeper and more meaningful conversation. Contrarily, in the beginning of a conversation, you should never ask women about their problems or initiate negative topics. If you do, they will begin to feel negative emotions and they will link them to you.



2. Don’t excessively compliment girls or compliment too quickly upon the first meeting. Most guys think that complimenting a girl will make her like them but the opposite is true. Complimenting a girl too often during a conversation or as soon as you meet her subconsciously indicates that you have no inherent value. You are relying on your compliment instead of your personality to make the girl interested in you. This is unattractive to women because they will see your compliments as a disguise for your lack of personality.


3. Don’t change your opinion just so it matches with the girl you’re talking to. If you tell a girl you love to play baseball and she says she finds the game boring, many guys would quickly change their opinion to match the girls, with a comment such as, "Yeah, it can be really slow, I don't play that much anymore." This is unattractive because women are attracted to strong minded men. Disagreeing with a girl when her opinion differs from yours is always more attractive then agreeing with everything she says.

The problem for college men is that it’s much easier to find a music professor who can teach them to play the saxophone than it is to find a communication coach who can teach them to attract women. The internet abounds with websites teaching men how to "seduce," "pick up," and "get hot chicks" but these resources are solely focused on the art of the one night stand and leave out the millions of guys who want to learn how to meet, communicate, and hang out with a girl on their campus they're attracted to.

This problem along with the urging of my many friends who I had been giving social advice to for years, led me to create ListenActAttract.com, a website dedicated to teaching men in college how to attract women. Many college guys feel lost when they see a girl they would love to meet. Other guys settle for spending time with a girl who is interested in them rather than pursuing the girl they are really attracted to. ListenActAttract.com was made for both types of guys.

A problem that so many guys have finally has a cure. Communication with women. First find a teacher. Then practice. Life just got a lot more fun.

Ryan Clauson
Director
Listen Act Attract

Everybody has their own reasons as to why they should live on or off campus. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages that make both a viable solution for where to live while at College. Here's a quick comparison to give you the ins and outs of both sides so that you can make an informed decision on what choice is appropriate for your life.

Living on Campus

The biggest advantage of living on campus is that all of your needs are paid for. Whether that means through grants, loans, or your parents is a different story, but here and now it's already covered in the same bill that your tuition is.

• Living on campus means you're right near your classes so waking up late is often not serious enough of an distance to prevent you from sprinting to your class in pajama's before it's too late.


• There's three or more meals a day available to you and a majority of your friends will be all around you instead of being a good distance away.


• The dorms are a great place to meet new people in College. Some of these people will turn into life long friends.

Living off Campus

Living off campus gives you more freedom and more responsibilities.

• You'll be able to decide exactly where to live and what to eat on a day to day basis.


• Your car will be parked right in front of your house, making it easy for you to come and go as you please.


• If you wanted to, you could entertain a large number of people at any point and even drink if you're of age.


• Living in your own apartment or shared house will usually cost you more, but it can be much larger in space and more private (in some cases) than the cramped dorm rooms.


• Your own place means new responsibilities, such as cleaning up around the house, paying utility bills and being a responsible renter.

But both situations have their down falls as well. Consider the fact that if you're not working and living on campus, you can still make do as you don't necessarily need a car or to pay rent but if you were off campus you'd need a job or a loan. However, if you're 21 or older, you might not be able to drink in your dorm if your school is a dry campus and the chances of your car being that close by or even having parking available may be nonexistent. Unfortunately in both situations you'll be presented with the possibility of annoying roommates, moving out just lets you buy your privacy directly.

There are positives and negatives to both sides of the situation, just make sure that you know the full details of what you're getting into and whether or not the benefits out weigh the requirements.