# Book Budget for Seminary



## Hamalas (Jan 12, 2016)

How much can one expect to pay per year for books at seminary? Specifically, I'm looking at attending PRTS. Any students care to share what the cost of books would be that I should add to the tuition cost as I budget?


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## Philip (Jan 12, 2016)

Usually ~200 per semester. Of course I bought as much as possible used through Amazon. It also depends on how recent most of the required books are. Classics and older books are usually less expensive.


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## greenbaggins (Jan 12, 2016)

Philip said:


> Usually ~200 per semester. Of course I bought as much as possible used through Amazon. It also depends on how recent most of the required books are. Classics and older books are usually less expensive.



I spent much more than $200 per semester, and that was over ten years ago! The only way to keep yourself under $200 per semester is to procure about half your library electronically, looking out sharp for deals, etc. Some things will be available that way, if you are okay with reading electronically. I can't stand reading theology electronically, because I have to read with a pencil.


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## Hamalas (Jan 12, 2016)

I'm the same way. I have to read everything except fiction and poetry with pencil in hand.


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## arapahoepark (Jan 12, 2016)

I bought my undergraduate books and now my sister's, and I use amazon, ebay, chegg, ecampus, campusbookrental, etc. To find the cheapest deals. Otherwise I'd pay upward of 300 bucks, sometimes over 500. Thankafully its been below 200 sometimes under a hundred. I don't care about the book damage much, and the edition depends.


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## Hamalas (Jan 13, 2016)




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## Edward (Jan 13, 2016)

Well, if I was the one with the question, I'd call or email the seminary and ask. They ought to have a rough idea (give or take 10%) what it is going to cost their students to get from here to there ('there' being the degree).


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## Jake (Jan 13, 2016)

I managed to get by pretty cheap in college by using digital versions where cheaper, used versions while cheaper, etc. I don't know if you have one or have budget for one, but having a touchscreen device (large phone, tablet, ereader, laptop with touchscreen) can make it easier to highlight and read when going through textbooks. I never *preferred* reading digitally, but I often did to save money, and that made it easier. And my digital textbooks ended up just as marked up as my physical textbooks.


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## reaganmarsh (Jan 13, 2016)

At SBTS my courses typically had 4-5 required books, 4-5 recommended books, and then whatever others the prof would mention in class or include on the syllabus's bibliography. I'd purchase the required and as many of the recommended as I could. That usually ran about $150 per class, although the campus bookstore offered discounts and coupons. 

[Slightly off-topic but worth mentioning here: if you intend to purchase Logos/Bibleworks, each year at SBTS you could put your name on a sign-up sheet at the bookstore. Discounts were tiered based on the number of people buying, i.e., if 25 bought then you'd all get 30% off, if 30 bought then 35%, etc. Look into that!]

Back to the OP: during my MA work, online bookstores were usually the same or higher cost once shipping was added to the equation; during MDiv, online books became much more reasonable. 

I'm hoping to resume my studies soon, and if it works out, I plan to purchase most via online used book sources. I don't care if a book is pretty, as long as it doesn't smell bad and it's in decent shape!


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## TheCalvinist (Jan 13, 2016)

current RPTS students, i try to buy as many used as possible and end up spending $100-$200 per semester. If i bought all new it probably would be closer the $300. I use Amazon for 95% of the books, unless they're specialty books not available there.


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## mhseal (Jan 13, 2016)

Generally speaking, Reformation Heritage Books will be as cheap, or cheaper than Amazon.


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## Romans922 (Jan 13, 2016)

No clue, but I didn't buy commentaries in seminary and attempted to use as many library books as possible.


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## reaganmarsh (Jan 13, 2016)

Romans922 said:


> I didn't buy commentaries in seminary and attempted to use as many library books as possible.



Wise words here!


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