Uni Books

[AsianNerd]

1. Is there a formal date where we get a booklist or something? Or do we have to research the book ourselves and buy it from a uni bookshop?
2. I have looked at the "Co-op" bookshop but the prices are so expensive... Can someone recommend a cheaper uni bookshop? (One which would have the Biomedicine degree books)
3. Also are textbooks mandatory to succeed in a particular subject?

Thanks 

[Oilerian]

I asked one of the lecturer about books during the AAD, and he advised me actually not to buy books too early before the course started.

[hobbitle]

1. Is there a formal date where we get a booklist or something? Or do we have to research the book ourselves and buy it from a uni bookshop?

The Handbook listing for the subjects lists the recommended texts.

2. I have looked at the "Co-op" bookshop but the prices are so expensive... Can someone recommend a cheaper uni bookshop? (One which would have the Biomedicine degree books)

Try Gumtree and eBay.  Gumtree is a lost cause if you don't get in before O-Week/Week 1 though.

3. Also are textbooks mandatory to succeed in a particular subject?

It depends on the subject.  In first year, text books are often fairly redundant and you are to a degree 'spoon fed' all the information you need through the lecture notes and slides.  This is not a hard and fast rule though and I've heard for some subjects that they are super useful.

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[AsianNerd]

Thanks... Very helpful!

[Stick]

The Handbook listing for the subjects lists the recommended texts.

Crap, I didn't realise this until now! I was waiting for a formal booklist or something... >_<

It says for Biomedicine that many of the subjects also require a lab coat and safety glasses... how do we go about buying this? Also, there's mention of a 'molecular tool kit' or something... :S

[clueless123]

Crap, I didn't realise this until now! I was waiting for a formal booklist or something... >_<

It says for Biomedicine that many of the subjects also require a lab coat and safety glasses... how do we go about buying this? Also, there's mention of a 'molecular tool kit' or something... :S

Co-op book store

[LOLs99]

There is a second hand bookshop for biomed students which will probably start in the 2nd week of commencement

http://www.bssunimelb.com/events/
Scroll down and it will have the 2013 Booksale club so just stay tune Remember to get there as early as possible!!

[LeviLamp]

Textbook Exchange is useful for all of your general textbook needs, and is usually much cheaper than the Co-op.

[hobbitle]

First years:

If you wait for your first lecture to hear whether or not your lecturer recommends the textbook and THEN go out and get it, be prepared to wait 2-3 hours in a line at the Co-Op bookshop.

Either get your stuff now (lab coats etc) because they also sell out, or wait until a fortnight into semester.  Or purchase elsewhere.

[slothpomba]

I wouldn't buy books from any university bookstore, you'll get charged through the nose. Try your university selling boards (if UoM has them), also try http://www.booko.com.au and textsbooksexchange.

[Stick]

Thank you very much for your help. I guess I'm lucky since my scholarship will easily pay for the cost of books, so I've decided that I'm going to buy them all ahead of time for first year and see how I go. If I can though, I'll try to purchase them online. However, the lab coat, safety glasses and molecular tool kit must be bought through the university book store, right?

[hobbitle]

Thank you very much for your help. I guess I'm lucky since my scholarship will easily pay for the cost of books, so I've decided that I'm going to buy them all ahead of time for first year and see how I go. If I can though, I'll try to purchase them online. However, the lab coat, safety glasses and molecular tool kit must be bought through the university book store, right?

You can get them elsewhere but they are pretty cheap at the bookstore.  I think the coat is like $10.

[~T]

Thank you very much for your help. I guess I'm lucky since my scholarship will easily pay for the cost of books, so I've decided that I'm going to buy them all ahead of time for first year and see how I go. If I can though, I'll try to purchase them online. However, the lab coat, safety glasses and molecular tool kit must be bought through the university book store, right?

I really would recommend seeing if you can purchase *cough* the books online. I'm in the same situation with the scholarship, but I still don't see why I would spend that money on textbooks which I may end up needing only for a single paragraph or diagram. I plan for the scholarship to cover some college fees, but mostly to be my coffee fund. Every textbook I buy represents ~30 coffees that I don't consume.

Maybe look around in the subject reviews to see if any of your textbooks are particularly useful, but I wouldn't buy them all.

[Stick]

I really would recommend seeing if you can purchase *cough* the books online. I'm in the same situation with the scholarship, but I still don't see why I would spend that money on textbooks which I may end up needing only for a single paragraph or diagram.

Maybe look around in the subject reviews to see if any of your textbooks are particularly useful, but I wouldn't buy them all.

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing.

[90+FTW]

I asked one of the lecturer about books during the AAD, and he advised me actually not to buy books too early before the course started

SAME. Wait until you get into the first week, most students I know have ended up buying hundred dollar books only to discover that they'll need a few pages from it.