United States
Hong KongBuying versus borrowing the books
Borrowed books cannot be tabbed and highlighted the way yours can, and tabbing is the preparation. Borrowing saves money on the largest cost and removes the main advantage of an open-book exam.
The books cost more than the exam fee, so the question is a real one.
What borrowing costs you
The right to mark them. Tabbing and highlighting are permitted in the exam room and they are the whole preparation, and you cannot do that to a book you are giving back.
An untabbed reference in an open-book exam is a liability rather than an asset. You will spend minutes finding what a tabbed copy finds in seconds, on a paper with a real time constraint.
Rules on materials are in the candidate bulletin and they are specific. Read them before assuming a borrowed or shared set is admissible in the form you plan to bring it.
Where borrowing genuinely works
- Deciding whether to sit at all, before committing to the purchase
- Working out which references you use most, before buying the expensive ones
- The one or two titles behind the smallest categories, where three questions may not justify the cost
Second hand
A better answer than borrowing for most people. You own it, you can mark it, and the only requirement is that the edition matches the approved list.
Edition is the whole check. A cheap superseded edition is money spent on a book you cannot take in.
Staging the purchase
If the cost is the obstacle, buy in the order you will study. Contract and business material first, since it is the largest category, then safety, then the technical divisions.
That gets you studying immediately and spreads the cost across the preparation period.
Common questions
Can I borrow the NASCLA reference books?
You lose the ability to tab and highlight them, which is the preparation. Check the bulletin on what materials are admissible.
Why does owning matter?
Tabbing and highlighting are permitted and they are what makes an open-book exam fast.
Is second hand a good option?
Usually better than borrowing. You own it and can mark it, provided the edition matches the approved list.
When is borrowing sensible?
To decide whether to sit at all, or for the one or two titles behind the smallest categories.
How can I spread the cost?
Buy in study order - contract and business material first, then safety, then the technical divisions.