IIRC, the exploration kits were available through Best Services. Typically, student discounts are offered about once or twice a year, but at least usually before school starts back up in the fall.
Overall, the best general sales take place during the holiday season.
While not as good as the full DVD collections, when funds are very tight, and computer resources very limited, the Special Edition collections can be of great use. They are a very good entry point into VSL. The drawback is that later one, you will likely want to replace them with the full collections (though owners of SE do get discounts towards the extended libraries of the DVD collections).
Another option - and the one many of us have to take - is to start with one key library, and build a collection slowly, over time. Where to start depends on writing styles/compositional goals. Thinking long-term, especially if you could buy a full library every six months to a year, this might be the best option.
In summary though, if you could only afford one library and would not be able to make additional purchases for a couple/few years, SE standard provides the key orchestral instruments/sections, and would at least allow you to get started in the world of VSL.
