You have checked and double checked, packed and repacked. You have been school shopping, grocery shopping and clothes shopping. You might even have a list that you will check again (that makes twice) before you take off for school. You’re all set. Except for when those pesky classes start and you actually have to learn.

Fortunately, all the information you will need for your classes has been conveniently bound into one location: textbooks. You are already paying an arm and a leg or two for tuition, and many find themselves surrendering both arms in the aftermath of textbook shopping. There’s no doubt that textbooks are expensive, but you can save yourself a little bit of money if you know what all your options are, and are willing to do a little leg work – assuming you still have both after paying tuition. Once you have all the information, you can decide what works best for you.
BookMarq is the university owned and operated bookstore located just north of the Annex on 16th Street, the same street that McCormick Hall is on. Textbooks are always in abundance, and the convenience of being able to order your books online is very appealing to many students. Bookmarq’s central location makes them very accessible to students on campus and if you order your books online, you can have them shipped to your home or pick them up at the store. The academic sections and books are well marked and easy to find.

BookMarq does not provide this level of convenience and ease for free; prices tend to be slightly higher than the alternatives. Students who choose the campus bookstore generally do so for convenience. “When I have to take my business to a campus bookstore, I take it to BookMarq because I can use my Marquette Cash there,” said Amanda Wolff, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. BookMarq’s number is (414) 288-7317.

Sweeney’s: If students are not willing to pay for that level of convenience, but do not want to look off campus, they generally head to Sweeney’s. Located on the corner of Wisconsin and 17th streets, Sweeney’s is campus’s independently owned bookstore. Prices are generally cheaper, but books are harder to find and not always readily available.

Sweeney’s tries to make their main customer the student and not the University, as they argue BookMarq does. Sweeney’s will be relocating after the fall semester to 14th and Wells streets, a location that used to be a Chinese restaurant, if any of you were curious about the pagoda over the front door. Their store hours for August are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more information about Sweeney’s or to order books online, click here.

Online Options: Many students are beginning to explore alternatives to campus bookstores. Online textbook shopping has exploded in the past couple of years, with more and more students trying to save any amount of money they can. Some popular sites include Amazon.com, half.com, textbooks.com, barnesandnoble.com and chegg.com to name a few. “[Chegg.com] has definitely become my favorite,” said Wolff. Chegg.com is a book rental site that rents books to students for the semester, then takes the books back with no return shipping charged. Many students, however, are weary to try online options because of the security risk involved; students are afraid that books will never be shipped or they might receive the wrong edition.

Whether you buy at BookMarq or Sweeney’s, Barnes and Noble or Amazon, almost everyone suggests shopping around a little bit before pulling the trigger. “Wait until after the first day of classes to buy your books,” said Andrew Schueller, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “A few times a ‘required’ book wasn’t needed at all, so wait until your teacher personally hands you a book list and then buy those.”

So no matter where you buy from, it is important to explore all your options first, and hopefully buying books doesn’t have to be too painful.

Popularity: 19% [?]

The vast majority of Marquette students has or will rent an apartment for their junior and senior years. Every month, students write a rent check to the slumlords who make a huge profit off of their condemnable buildings. After graduation, as students move off campus and into the real world, they need to think about whether to buy a home or keep writing rent checks. There are many advantages and disadvantages to each option.

But first, for those of you who are leaving the friendly confines of Schroeder, Straz, Mashuda, or Carpenter and moving off campus for the first time, here are a few things to keep in mind when renting. Find out what utilities are included. Does it include water, garbage, heat, electricity, or cable? All of these things add a substantial cost to the apartment. Also, be sure to read the lease. Many landlords have huge restrictions on the number of occupants, kegs/parties and pets (which I find ironic, because four guys can do much more damage to a place than a Labrador).

Now, for those of you who are moving to the real world, there is more to consider than just pets and kegs. Personal situations must be assessed to determine if it is appropriate to buy or rent.

First, can you afford to buy a place? Purchasing a home involves fees, down payments, taxes, mortgage payments, repairs, and more. Typically, renting is much cheaper and assumes less risk. As a side note, if you find a rental that is just a little out of your price range, you can try to haggle. If a building has lots of vacancies, landlords may lower their prices to fill the space.

Second, you need to assess your time horizon. If you are going to spend one or two years in your new location, then move somewhere else, renting is your best choice. If you are staying for a longer time, more than three to five years, buying may be a better choice. Some reasons to hold off from buying short term are fees and the mortgages payment structure. The longer you live in the house, the more those fees are mitigated over the years. Mortgage payments are structured with high interest payments during the first few years. This means you are not building up as much equity in the first few years as you do later on.

If you determine that buying a place is appropriate, you should hire a real estate agent and look for a mortgage broker. A real estate agent will know the area and can show you homes in your price range. Find someone you like who comes across more like a professional than like a used car salesman. A mortgage broker will help you set up the financing. Usually you should go with the mortgage broker who can find you the lowest rate.

Both of these people are salesmen and they work off of commission (meaning they only make money when they close a deal). In their eyes, it is always “A great time to buy.” Therefore, you should learn about the market on your own to decide if it is a wise investment. Research the local housing market, the general housing market and the financing market.

Buying a house is the biggest financial decision most people will make in their whole lives. Educating yourself is paramount.

Popularity: 14% [?]

NO – Millions of dollars are generated from college sports annually from ticket sales, merchandise and concessions. So some wonder, “Where does all the money go if the student athletes do not get a share of the profit?” It would be a bad idea to give the athletes a cut of their check; the NCAA would put their sports’ integrity into question.The first question is: How will money affect the student athletes? This is where the major dilemma unfolds. Should able-minded college students go to schools based on the size of the signing bonus they would receive for committing early? People tend to forget these athletes are not just athletes; they are student athletes, and I assure you “student” comes first in that title for a legitimate reason.

Another overlooked fact is athletes worthy of receiving paychecks already have full-ride scholarship to their respective college. Although this seems like payment in itself, many argue the side costs of college – like clothing, emergency travel and medical expenses – are impossible to obtain because the athlete devotes so much time to school and sport that it would be unreasonable for them to have a job.

According to an August article in USA Today by Kelly Whiteside, this issue has an answer: “Beyond school-issued scholarships, the NCAA is funneling $750 million over 11 years into funds designed to directly benefit athletes. One will make a projected $11.33 million available this school year to needy athletes looking to cover clothing, emergency travel and educational and medical expenses…The NCAA is spending another $10 million annually on catastrophic-injury insurance.”

We know how money will affect the athletes and their mindsets, but how will paying athletes affect universities? Additionally, would the monetary success of one program dictate how much is spent to bring big recruits in to play? Powerhouse sports schools will be able to draw in quality athletes who otherwise may not have chosen to go there.

This would essentially result in colleges and universities having less money to distribute for general scholarships for people who excel in things outside the sporting community.

The money that is generated through college athletics belongs to the university, and the university should distribute it back to benefit its student body as a whole. By doing this, colleges are treating their students as equally important as athletes.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 08 November 2006 )

Popularity: 12% [?]

YES – Amid typical college athletics debates – such as who should be No. 1 in the polls (if only Florida hadn’t lost to Auburn in football) – a new issue has taken precedence: Should college athletes be paid for their work? Many people think, “Yeah right. Like these kids need anything else besides free school.” That’s a good point, but from where should athletes get spending money? After class, they’re at practice, preparing for games. When are they supposed to work a job and earn spending cash?

Then, there are the ethics of the whole situation. Most people would agree education is the primary goal of college, so student athletes should focus more on their education during their down time. A valid point, but all students know they do not spend all of their waking hours on studies.

Even so, you must look at how much money the schools are making. Notre Dame currently has a $38 million contract with NBC to air football games on television. Would Notre Dame get $38 million to broadcast a national test? No. These athletes help many Division 1 schools make a lot of money.

Walk around Marquette and count the number of people in Notre Dame jerseys, or apparel from Ohio Sate, Michigan and many other schools. These schools make millions of dollars, and none of it goes back to the athlete who is doing all of the work.

Walter Bryers, NCAA Executive Director from 1952 to 1987, said, “The coaches own the athletes’ feet, the colleges own the athletes’ bodies and the supervisors retain the large rewards.” John L. Destrehan, a sports writer living in Los Angeles, said, “Art school students can sell their paintings, science students can publish their findings and journalism majors can have an article published. Is it the same to be able to receive money for producing a marketable talent for a school’s athletics department?”

No one is thinking about letting these athletes make millions in college, but why can’t they receive a monthly allowance of $500 a month? With all the millions athletes help schools earn, one would think the Athletic Department could afford it.

Popularity: 16% [?]