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Parent Connection
Textbooks are Expensive - Here are a Few Money Saving Tips
1. Shop early and buy used books! We know the price of textbooks is high, and we try to do everything we can to keep the costs low. The first thing we do is carry as many used books as possible, because they save you 25% off the new price of the book. The NDSU Bookstore carries more used books than just about anyone in the country. Everybody wants used books, so encourage your student to shop for their books as soon as they can.
2. Return a book promptly if a class has been dropped or if the professor has decided not to teach from the text. The bookstore only carries those items requested by the instructor. We try to make this easy. Students can get a full refund through the first week of the semester with an original receipt and in its original condition. (The bookstore limits the refund period because most publishers require that we return books to them by a certain date.)
3. Have your student sell her/his books at the end of the semester. Our first source for used books is your student! If an instructor has requested a textbook for the next semester, the NDSU Bookstore will pay students 50% of the new price until their orders are filled. If the book is not being used, we will contract with a company to buy the book from your student for a wholesale price (this is not for the NDSU campus).
4. Sign up for Buyback Alerts. Don't have your student haul every book to the store without first signing up for NDSU Bookstore used book alerts. These alerts will notify your student when a book can be sold back and the amount. It is also a good reminder to sell the book back.
Software Educational Discounts:
As an educational retailer, the NDSU Bookstore saves students hundreds of dollars on software, as well as offers educational pricing on computers. This special pricing is available only to currently enrolled students. A current NDSU ID is required at the time of purchase.
American Opportunity Tax Credit:
Money Matters
Understanding Student Charge and University Bookstore FAQs:
Q. What is Student Charge and how does it work?
A. Student Charge allows students to purchase bookstore items with their NDSU ID and charge it to their University account during the fall and spring semesters. Student Charge is available for any student who is financially enrolled at the University. Financial enrollment means that a student has made the minimum educational fee payment for the academic semester. Students may not Student Charge if they are not officially enrolled for the current semester.
Q. Is there a limit to how much students may charge?
A. We allow our registered students to charge the cost of their books and supplies to their NDSU account up to $750. Once the $750.00 limit is reached, another form of payment is required. Students may track the status of their account by keeping their bookstore receipts. When a purchase is made with Student Charge, the receipt will indicate the remaining account balance.
Q. How will I be billed for bookstore purchases?
A. If your student has excess financial aid, the bookstore charges will be deducted from the financial aid award. All remaining balances will be on your student's account. Students are required to monitor their own financial accounts and make payments by the established Due Dates. Statements will not be mailed to students currently enrolled in classes, however, monthly e-billings are sent to student NDSU email accounts. Failure to pay by the due dates may result in late fees, holds, and/or cancellation. The account balance may be monitored on Campus Connection.
Q. May I inquire about what my student charged in the bookstore?
A. We truly want to work with you on this. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), passed by Congress in 1974, protects the confidentiality of your student’s educational records. This is a good thing for your student but can be really frustrating for parents. Because of this act, your student must make the inquiry.
Q. Can a student use a parent's credit card for making bookstore purchases?
A. Because of the recent changes in credit card consumer protection laws, the card holder must be present with their card and a valid ID. We strongly encourage parents to add money to their student's Bison card, purchase a NDSU Bookstore gift card or have a credit card issued in your student's name. If your student needs to make a return, we must have the original receipt and the credit card that was used to make the purchase. We cannot take credit card information over the phone.
We want to hear from you! (Questions, comments, suggestions). The NDSU Bookstore is not a typical retailer. We're more than books and sweatshirts. As a part of the Division of Student Affairs, our mission is to take care of your student during their stay at NDSU. How can we help you or improve our services? Direct calls to us at (800)428-8309 or e-mail us.
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