Textbooks 101
College textbook prices have soared in the last 10 years, and every student knows about the steep cost of buying their books every semester.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that college textbooks increased in price by 88% from 2006 to 2016. On average, the College Board says, students spend around $1,230 on textbooks and supplies every year. But there are some ways to cut the costs.
GO ONLINE
With the COVID-19 bringing many classes online, students were loathe to spend money on a huge textbook if most of the class was going to happen virtually.
“The fact that students are being pushed into digital learning has a knock-on effect of pushing them into digital textbooks,” said Daniel Levine of the Avant-guide Institute. “And spending more time in front of screens gives them more opportunity to discover hidden digital resources.”
SYMPATHETIC PROFESSORS
On many campuses, students have an unexpected ally in the fight against high textbook prices — their professors. Brian Galvin, the chief academic officer for Varsity Tutors, said that open educational resources were growing even before the pandemic.
“As classes move online and students attend far from the campus bookstore, progressive professors may well see this as a great opportunity to shift to OERS and away from the traditional textbooks,” he said.
While the pandemic may also bring more professors into the open resource fold, bear in mind that the stress of teaching and researching during a global catastrophe may also mean that your professor doesn’t have the time they need to properly evaluate new materials. Be prepared to find a way to get the texts you need.
WAYS TO SAVE
Instead of forking out cash on textbooks you may or may not be able to sell back at the end of the semester, look into bookstores and services that will allow you to rent textbooks or access them online.
You could also look for used books in good condition, comparing prices at bookstores around campus. Your professors may be willing to help you find older editions that will cost you less money and still give you the resources you need for academic success.
Last but certainly not least, you can band together with students in your cohort or class to pool your money and share textbooks. Make sure you’ve got students you can trust, however, and ask your professor what they think of the plan before proceeding.