Why are textbooks so expensive?

[Vihzel]

I spent about $510 for my books this semester. Not too bad for 5 classes. Standard for college. My brother had to pay much more for his because when he first started out in college, there were no great online shopping sites. He had to either try to find a used one in his area or buy full retail... and he took about 19-21 credits per quarter in science.

 

[ekyle]

There needs to be more PDF editions and eBook editions of textbooks. I could only find one this semester :-/

 

[Jessie]

My college has upped the stakes. They take a regular textbook, tear it apart, reassemble the chapters in a different order, ditch a few of the chapters, add some others from previous editions, and slap a "designed specifically for This College" banner on the front cover. Add a massive markup and find some professors who don't even use the text to teach the class and there ya have it.

This enrages me beyond belief. Yes, they are doing it legally - apparently they pay for the rights, which may account for the markup. This has happened with several of my Math classes and both computer classes I've had. Of course the professors then had us use computer programs (Course Compass, My Math Lab, My IT Lab) for 95% of the homework and quizzes. Even my Western Religions course textbook was one of these "speshully" designed books. The original book was fantastic; it had both Western and Eastern religions in it and more information in each chapter. It would have been like buying two books in one - very cool for when I decide to take the Eastern Religions course. The college edition was more expensive than the original and parsed down into 12 chapters, 3 of which we used - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, naturally. (Yeah, I didn't get no Santeria...)

One could try to contact the professor before term starts and ask how necessary the text is or if an older, cheaper edition would be okay. Unfortunately, I've only ever had one get back to me before term (Math) and he told me I definitely needed the book. No, no I didn't. Added bonus, I think the email annoyed him so class was decidedly uncomfortable.

Textbooks are usually a scam*.







*except for my precious history books! ;-)

 

[J03]

My college has upped the stakes. They take a regular textbook, tear it apart, reassemble the chapters in a different order, ditch a few of the chapters, add some others from previous editions, and slap a "designed specifically for This College" banner on the front cover. Add a massive markup and find some professors who don't even use the text to teach the class and there ya have it.

This enrages me beyond belief. Yes, they are doing it legally - apparently they pay for the rights, which may account for the markup. This has happened with several of my Math classes and both computer classes I've had. Of course the professors then had us use computer programs (Course Compass, My Math Lab, My IT Lab) for 95% of the homework and quizzes. Even my Western Religions course textbook was one of these "speshully" designed books. The original book was fantastic; it had both Western and Eastern religions in it and more information in each chapter. It would have been like buying two books in one - very cool for when I decide to take the Eastern Religions course. The college edition was more expensive than the original and parsed down into 12 chapters, 3 of which we used - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, naturally. (Yeah, I didn't get no Santeria...)

One could try to contact the professor before term starts and ask how necessary the text is or if an older, cheaper edition would be okay. Unfortunately, I've only ever had one get back to me before term (Math) and he told me I definitely needed the book. No, no I didn't. Added bonus, I think the email annoyed him so class was decidedly uncomfortable.

Textbooks are usually a scam*.

*except for my precious history books! ;-)

This happened to me for one math class years ago. The best way to deal with that is to hope they re-use the book the next semester and sell to the next incoming class at less than 'used' at the bookstore. It's only a matter of time till they do this for every book to battle with the online deals.

 

[PGP_Protector]

How else will the publishers make money?
They have to print new books with a few minor changes each year, or people would just buy the old used books.

 

[byteware]

It's ridiculous how expensive books are...I've spent almost $500 on books this semester and that's after shopping around online for the best prices and picking up a few used books from a local bookstore. If I would have gotten them at my university's book store, forget about it.

My CPO book brand new costs $137 (of course I didn't pay that) and it's not even a hardcover book

I, and others, think that the massive coordinated used book market has caused this rise in prices, and the frequent revisions.

Some universities (especially smaller universities) don't even ever buy new books. They just buy used books and bring them in and sell them to the students.

Raising the price of the new books, and printing new editions often, are the only way that the publisher can maintain a profit.

 

[Aiyan]

I rather have books in my hand as well, but luckly i'm in a treehuggers uni.

Almost everything is digital at the university, so most of my books, material and certain lectures are already on the computer from start. I just need few books now to have some reference points.

Though I must say certain medical and physilogy books is way to overkill on the price! :<

 

[pantlesspenguin]

I prolly have well over $1000 in text books that I've kept throughout the years. I most of the ones directly related to my field. I'm back in school again & a lot wiser about buying textbooks. I bought both of mine for the semester (one for each graduate level class I'm taking) from Amazon. The book that cost $135 from the book store I was able to snag for.....$15!!!! I was hella happy about that. My accounting book, though. Ugh. Originally $175 & the lowest I could find was $130. Ouch. I'm definitely selling that one when the semester's through.

 

[Aiyan]

I prolly have well over $1000 in text books that I've kept throughout the years. I most of the ones directly related to my field. I'm back in school again & a lot wiser about buying textbooks. I bought both of mine for the semester (one for each graduate level class I'm taking) from Amazon. The book that cost $135 from the book store I was able to snag for.....$15!!!! I was hella happy about that. My accounting book, though. Ugh. Originally $175 & the lowest I could find was $130. Ouch. I'm definitely selling that one when the semester's through.

I feel with you mate, had some candid books I need to keep... They just blow off my wallet each time those books enter my booklist, but I'm going pirate on movies and series for my course though.

Would be too insane spending 300 USD for dvd series (Anatomy related DVD series)