Applying to graduate school can be filled with a mixture of emotions, from nervousness to happiness, to relief. It is a big accomplishment to have finished college and earn your Bachelor’s degree. Now you are ready for the next phase in your education. It can be confusing with all of the requirements that are needed, but with a little planning and organization, you can get through the process with ease.

PLANNING

In order to better your chances at being accepted into a graduate degree program, there are a few things that you should be doing before you fill out the application.

• Check your GPA. The higher your GPA, the better your chances are of acceptance.


• Study for the standardized testing. Most graduate programs require a pre-admissions test such as the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). If you are applying for a Law or Medical program you will need to study for the LSAT or MCAT. It is important that you pass these tests for acceptance into a Masters program. You can obtain study books at your local bookstore to give you a head start on the test.


• The graduate application will most likely ask you for a personal statement such as why you want to further your education or your career goals, so you should want to be prepared to answer these questions thoroughly.


• Brush up on your interview and communication skills. Should you be accepted, you will most likely be interviewed, therefore you should be able to communicate effectively.

PROCESS

The admission application process varies from school to school and even by major so check with your intended school of admission for their exact requirements.

• Decide if graduate school is right for you and if it is something you have the time commitment for.


• Research different schools to see which subject area you would like to obtain your Master’s degree.


• Check for specific application requirements within the school such as letters of recommendation, field work, internships, personal statements, etc.


• Take the GRE, MCAT, LSAT or whatever test is applicable to your field of study.


• Have your scores sent to the top schools of your choice that you plan on attending.


• Apply for financial aid, grants, and student loans to cover the cost.

If you are in your first or second year of school, check to see if your school offers an accelerated Master’s degree program. A lot of schools offer a program for certain majors where you go to school for five years instead of the traditional four. You would take on a higher course load throughout the first four years and your fifth year would be the actual graduate program.

Do not be intimidated by the process. Just take it one step at a time and keep it in the back of your mind that you are not only furthering your education, but you are furthering your future career as well.

Long lines are typical during textbook buybacks

You have just finished your Business Law class for the semester. You now have a textbook for the class that probably cost you about a $100 or more. What should you do with the book? You are a college student, so of course the first thought that comes to mind is to sell your used textbooks and make some cash. The most popular way to sell used textbooks is through textbook buyback programs.

WHAT IS A BUYBACK PROGRAM?

These programs are usually held by the bookstore where you originally purchased your textbooks. Most schools will have a massive buyback session over the course of a few weeks at the end of the semester. Other schools will buy your books throughout the school year.

HOW DO BUYBACK PROGRAMS WORK?

Usually you would take your school identification and your used textbooks to your school bookstore, or wherever you purchased your books. They will run the barcode on your book to determine if it is a book that they are in need of for the next semester. Depending on their supply and demand for the book, they will offer you a specific amount for your book. You can accept or reject the offer.

HOW MUCH WILL I GET?

The amount offered to you will vary depending on circumstances such as current supply, professor need, and what edition you have. Most schools will give anywhere from 25%-50% of whatever you paid for the book. If the book will not be used by the school during the next semester, then you will most likely be offered wholesale price for your book, which from experience, can be as little as $1 for a book you may have paid $150.

OTHER OPTIONS

If you are not happy with the proposed buyback offer from your school bookstore, then perhaps you should look into other ways of making money off of your used textbook.

• Online Buyback Programs: Websites such as ecampus.com and bookbyte.com will offer you money for your used textbooks. However, they are similar to your bookstore where their offer depends on supply and demand.


• Private Sale: You can list your textbook for sale through online marketplaces such as amazon.com or ebay.com. You should always check into local marketplaces as chances are, someone from your school may need the book you are trying to sell. Craigslist.org is a great local resource to sell used items fast.


• Donations: If your book is an old edition and is just not needed by anyone or any school, you should consider donating them. Check with your local Goodwill store or consignment store. They may be able to point you in the direction of a charity who can put used books to good use.

Remember, you will not receive the full amount back that you paid for your book(s). The whole point of buyback programs is so that your school bookstore can make money. Therefore they will offer you a lesser amount, so they can still sell it at retail and make a profit. If you want maximum profit for your used books, then skip the buyback events and sell your book through a private transaction.

YOUR BEST BET

Students may have the best luck looking online.

Fortunately there are many textbook sites on the web looking to buy textbooks and can usually offer you a better price than the college bookstore. Be sure to take a look at our study of the best places to sell textbooks. What we did was take a random sample of textbooks and figured out which textbook retailers offered the highest buyback prices.

Here were the results:

The best places to Sell your Textbooks:

For more, see the original study.

OTHER TEXTBOOK RESOURCES:

• Here is a list of places to buy and sell textbooks.
• Where to find cheap Textbooks.
• Forget the whole hassle of buying and selling your textbooks, and consider renting textbooks.

Study: Cheapest Place to buy Textbooks

Our latest study is here to answer one question: Where is the cheapest place to buy textbooks online?

It seems every online textbook seller claims to be one of the cheapest places to buy textbooks. So, lets find out for a fact who sells the cheapest textbooks. We selected 10 major online textbook sellers and compared prices of four selected textbooks from various subjects.

The textbooks used in this study are:

All of these books are in their current editions and just about all textbook stores listed here will buy the book back (for about half of what you paid for it).

The goal is to find out who actually sells the cheapest textbooks, shipping included, on the net. Of course, there may be other methods of obtaining books cheaper than this by buying the e-book, buying used or simply going with a past version from your school's library... all solid options for frugal students. This study compares the cost of new textbooks and the added shipping costs if applicable (Many online textbook sellers offer free shipping).

Now, Amazon may seem like the most popular place to buy textbooks online and is pretty much the only online textbook store a not-so-internet-savvy person may know of. However, there are cheaper options out there that students looking to save on textbooks should consider.

Many of the "Best places to buy Textbooks" lists out there are pretty disappointing, merely listing a dozen or so textbooks sites that all do the same thing: compare from prices at amazon, half.com, etc. There is nothing innovative about what these sites are doing. Basically it's just lack of research.

Cheapest Online Textbook Retailers

The main focus of sites this study compares are the online textbook retailers listed above. Marketplace textbook sellers were originally going to be left out of this study as they are similar to price comparison textbook sites in that they find the best available price based on the sellers in their network and usually vary in price. These include: half.com, ValoreBooks, abebooks.com, alibris.com and other sites that connect to hundreds of independent booksellers around the world. But, we decided to compare purchase prices on some of the more popular textbook comparison sites and marketplaces. Let it be known that these prices may not always be available, as being a marketplace, it's usually a seller just selling one individual book.

What comparing these marketplace and comparison sites does do, is find which one does the best job of finding the cheapest overall books. We kept these to a limited few, as all of the following services pretty much do the same thing: compare prices from books available at half.com, Amazon marketplace, BookByte and others. Be wary though, many comparison sites out there include international editions of the textbook in their results. While most contents will be the same, international editions are usually soft cover books that may not contain illustrations, amongst other things. The following results were taken using the price of the U.S. version of the textbook (in new condition).

Cheapest Textbook Marketplace and Comparison Sites

Conclusions

BigWords.com is good if you want to find the cheapest new and used books on the market at the click of a button. Basically, it aggregates prices from Chegg, half.com, TextbookX, Abebooks, Amazon, etc. Granted this study is for new textbooks, BigWords is even a better option if you're looking for used textbooks.

CollegeBooksDirect.com was the biggest surprise of this study. A website that we came across while conducting this study was the cheapest place to buy new textbooks among all listed textbook retailers. Both of these sites seem like solid choices for students to buy their textbooks, as they provide cheaper textbooks than the College Book Store (obviously) and Amazon. Of course, if a student isn't interested in owning the textbook, another cheaper option is renting textbooks, as it requires less money up front.

Study Results

Best Online Retail Store: CollegeBooksDirect.com
Best Comparison site: BigWords.com
Best Textbook Marketplace: half.com (ebay)
Best Textbook Renter: Chegg
Best Place to Sell Textbooks: Textbooksrus.com

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.