The cost of college tuition is high enough. But as many college freshmen chasing a higher education are now learning, getting the books you need is going to be another hit to the ol’ personal finances.
Most textbooks cost between $50 to $100, but it’s not uncommon to see some topping $200.
It could be worse…If you plan on taking a class that requires you read Feminism and Politics – you’ll pay $500. A textbook for movie geeks, History of Early Film – could cost you $740 if you buy it new. The Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications will set you back a mere $1,215.
It’s no wonder that some college students have said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
According to the College Board, the average student at a four-year college will spend more than $1,100 this year on textbooks. The sad part is…many of those book might barely get opened depending on how studious the owner of the textbook is and how often the professor actually uses it.
Sure…you can always buy used, and sometime you can sell the books back at the end of the semester to get some money back. But take it from someone who’s been there…it’s still expensive.
The rising cost of college coupled with a sluggish economy that makes it tough for younger people to find work has prompted the launch of a revolution.Those associated with this “Textbook Rebellion” have started an online petition and are visiting college campuses around the country.
The textbook rebels travel with this pair of mascots representing the good guys and villains of college book-learning.
It does seem there are opposing forces battling for the minds and money of college-bound Americans.
With the digital age has come an electronic form of higher education. Some college professors have opted to teach from free e-Books also referred to as “open textbooks.” The Textbook Rebellion leaders are promoting Flat World Knowledge, a publisher which boasts high quality writing for college professors to teach from. Flat World Knowledge also offers print versions for $40 or less.
This sort of open-source education is just beginning to catch on. One interesting benefit is that it allows for authors to easily make revisions.
On the other hand, college bookstores and publishers can rake it in whenever a “new edition” of a particular textbook is released.
I can remember trying to sell back a big old textbook, dreaming about the money that was about to be returned to my almost empty student checking account only to find that the bookstore was not buying back the used book because it was being revised.
A post by Sanjoy Mahahan on the Freakonomics Blog points out that textbook publishers often have something written into publication contracts call “planned obsolescence.” This basically means, authors have to revise their work even if nothing about ancient Greek civilization has changed in the last five years.
Mahahan says the contract would read something like this:
“You agree to revise the book upon written request from us (the publisher). If you do not agree, we may select an author and pay them from your royalties.”
That’s quite the racket! You can read more about the campaign to make textbooks more affordable at Student PIRGs.
But what should college students do right now? So how can you save money on textbooks if your professor isn’t teaching from an e-book?
Four Tips for Saving
1. Shop for Textbooks Online:
Buying books on the internet will almost always land you a better deal than the campus bookstore. You’ll probably find much better deals on Amazon, eBay, Half.com and sites like CheapTextbook.com.
It used to be a problem because most students wouldn’t even know what the required reading would be until the first day of class. Then they’d wait in long lines at the bookstore.
But thanks to Federal rules that became effective in 2010, colleges are now required to provide book lists during class registration. This means you can take advantage of buying books ahead of time.
It’s also lead to the rise of websites like SwoopThat.com. The new web company compiles the lists from thousands of schools and lets you compare prices. SwoopThat.com also has a local textbook exchange, which lets students sell old course material to others on their campus.
2. Rent Your Textbooks
Yes you can do this, and it is cheaper. Sites like BookRenter.com, TextbookRentals.com and Chegg.com and many more typically allow you to rent a book for one semester and then mail it back.
At Chegg.com for example Principles of Risk Management and Insurance can be rented for about $62. It costs $153 new and $112 used on Amazon, and would probably be even more at your campus bookstore.
Amazon.com also rents textbooks. The one downside to renting is that not every textbook out there is available as a rental.
3. Share Books with a Friend/Classmate
This one is easy enough to understand. You can split the costs and study together. It helps if you’re rooming with someone who has a similar course load and major.
That’s what I had my freshman year. The only drawback was that we also had classes at the same time, and ended up cramming at the same time, and also got so sick of seeing each other all the time that fisticuffs were thrown on various occasions. But we’re still friends.
4. Find Out if You Really Need It
Sometimes good note taking is enough to get you by. Sometimes rebel professors don’t even care about what the textbook has to say. Try to find out ahead of time how much the book is actually needed. Ask your professor or others who’ve taken the class before you.
Perhaps you can even nail down what specific chapters are focused on most often. Then just borrow the book and make some copies! Gideon Grudo of MoneyTalkNews.com points out that sometimes the cost of copies will be less than the book but warns you might want to be careful about the small issue of legality.
“My university charges between 5 and 10 cents per copy – or between $5 and $10 for 100 pages! While this is a cheap option, it might be frowned upon, since it’s technically a copyright infringement.”
Of course, everyone in college had so much pirated music and movies on their computers – I think some paper copies would be the least of their worries!
Do you have any good tips for saving money on college textbooks not mentioned here? What’s the most you ever paid for a book? Leave us a comment and join the conversation!
Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
+Kasey Steinbrinck is the lead blogger on personal finance and the economy for Check Advantage. When you order checks from Check Advantage, you’ll find hundreds of unique photography featured on Wildlife Checks as well as Flower Checks and much more! Contact Kasey if you’d like free original content for your blog or website.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
College textbook is quite expensive to have in additional to the cost of education, Your tips are quite realistic and applicable to all. It surely help some student save some extra dollar.
Nelia M. recently posted..Ideal Weight Loss
there’s really no way around expensive textbooks. it’s just one of those things that you need to get to do well in school. I personally use a price comparison site like http://www.cheaptextbooks.org so I know I am getting the best prices.