Frustrated with college textbooks  

That's the problem with so many schools today. Those books called new ones have some few additions yet it already outdated the previous ones. And those schools require new editions as textbooks.

I think that the old editions does not go to waste because you can still use them or you can donate them elsewhere, they will thank you and more than happy to have it. With the dawn of the internet, those textbooks are limited.

I know how you feel. I've been jipped with text book sales on several occasions. They either give you too little back, or claim that it can't be taken back because they're not using that book next year, they've moved onto a different text. Or, they can't take it back because there is a new edition and it's useless. I hate buying books for that reason and try to buy cheap books from other sources when possible.

I am in college right now and I swear it is a plot to keep students poor!

Have you considered selling the books on EBay? I buy the old issues of the books simply because I don't want to spend the $100+ for each book. You'll be surprised at how many students feel the way that I do. Especially if the editions are like the 7th and the new one is the 8th.

Another site to attempt to sell the books is Amazon.com. I cruise both for the text books I need. It works out so much better than buying them at the college bookstore.

I hate that. If the company only switched chapters around or something like that, I've found that usually I can still sell them to other students who want a discount. It means you won't get back as much for them, but you'll still get something. And you have to go to the classrooms and ask people if they'd be interested in buying the books.

Some teachers require the new editions though. I had an economics professor that let us use editions up to 5 editions back because the only thing that changed was the chapter order. So I bought the one 5 editions back for $5 instead of spending $150.

OMG!!! I was floating in the same boast with you a semester ago. And really truly deep down i believe that this is another way for colleges to make more money. Its sad because so many students pay all of this money for the text books. Only to use them for a couple of months. Mot of them are barelly used and when the student has the chance to return the book back to the book store they dont even get half of what they paid for the book. Or they will not take them back because of new editions. I really believe that it is a rip off.

I've run into that problem as well. The thing to remember is that the old editions are not completely useless just because there's a newer version out. One of the best solutions that I've found is to offer them directly for sale on either Craigslist.com or the college's sale board for about what I would have made on them by selling them back to the bookstore. Another option worth checking out is listing them on eBay or Amazon.com, because even though your school has transitioned to the new edition, it's likely that other schools in the country have not yet done so. I've been able to get much more from some of my books by selling them to someone in another state than I would have gotten selling them locally. Don't get discouraged--even though the school won't buy them back from you, I'm sure you'll find someone who's interested in them.  

I am in college and I do know how bad it is. My History textbook was close to $100. I heard that as you get to the upper class level the prices go down.

I had similar experience with you when I was in the college. You said that "the company has changed maybe three words". If so, it doesn't change too much. I am sure that you can still use your old editions because knowledge won't change drastically (in Math, 1+1 = 2. It will still be same until the end of time )

However, you should compare with new editions especially for review questions, case studies, and discussion sections. Because when your professor asks to do those things, you will have to be sure that you're on the same chapter -- you know what I mean. If not, please borrow your professor's or friends' new editions and copy only those I mentioned above.

Alternatively, IF you just purchased your old editions, you could return them to the store you bought. I believe that they have a return policy, haven't they? Thus, you can get new editions. Or you can sell your old editions to other online bookstores such as Amazon.com. Of course, you have to be willing to sell it much cheaper.

Ya i am really sad with these things . What all hell are there to study. I feel really bored. I can survive more. I really get headache.

Yes it's a common problem actually do not worry.