Comments on: College Textbooks: Rip-off!

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:13:00 +0000

When I was into my undergraduate work my text books were $7.00 to about $10.00. There were no color photographs, except in the geography text book. All of the graphics were line drawings and a minimum of b & w photographs. Now, everything is in color and the paper is the best available. Not many people know that the textbook publishers are all affiliated with major publishing houses. Whenever the publishing houses lose money on book sales they make it up in textbook sales. By the way, I now teach in a community college and know the problem some of my students have with their finances. But many of them can get financial aid to help them.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 06:29:45 +0000

From what I hear, half.com is great for buying cheap books for college. There are several sites aimed for cheaper college books. I intend on buying all of my books on sites like this in the fall of 07 (missed it this spring :(
)

By: Kyle Eslick

Kyle Eslick — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 00:21:47 +0000

I grew up a few miles from the Northern Iowa University Book and Supply and my mother put herself through school at UNI by working there when she was in school.

I went back to Cedar Falls recently, where I grew up, to visit my parents and stopped in to get some UNI gear for game days and could not believe they prices they were charging. I thought maybe it was just the gear costs because the school was on a role in football and basketball, so I looked around, and sure enough, it was like that with text books and more.

I always bought used when going through college, and even though I still had to pay close to 75% of new price, which was ridiculous. Throw me in the hat as someone who feels he earned a lot more over the Internet than I did in college, but who goes to college to learn anyway?!? :)

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:59:41 +0000

I’m another oldie-but-goodie. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) in 1961. As an out-of-stater I paid $600 per year tuition. In order to pay for it, I worked full time every summer(no “vacation” time for me). There was no such thing as a college loan and my parents made just a little bit too much money for me to qualify for financial aid. I also sold books at the University bookstore, where even back then we got ripped off. I remember selling books to the engineers at $20 per book – very expensive 50 years ago. I loved my college experience and I wish that everybody could share the wonders of higher education. However, if I had to do it today, I probably wouldn’t be able to afford it.

By: annette

annette — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 20:48:52 +0000

Your post made me think. I must admit that I would not ever trade my college years. In the mid 80’s I attended SIU in southern IL (still here today). Granted the books were a rip off, but the other experiences I got through college life was something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. It made me who I am.

The field of technology has also made me who I am. I use pieces of technology through all aspects of my life. My powerwheelchair with a computer chip, my ventilator with a computer chip (which I do have to reset like a computer), and yes, the internet. I have got to network with people from all over the world and from different facets of life. Some folks with disabilities similar to mine, folks with geeky interests similar to mine, and just to learn about technology is a gift.

I do wish I would have had the ability to use technology in my college days like I do now. I must say that I have learned from real college and real internet experiences. Both have given me a balance of great knowledge.

By: francine hardaway

francine hardaway — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:59:44 +0000

I’m an adjunct at Grand Canyon University and I ordered my daughter’s book on business bullshit “Why Businesspeople Speak like Idiots,”
, Scoble’s book, and “Never Eat Alone” for my course. That’s because they wouldn’t let me teach without using “textbooks.”
I wonder if the students will find those books any more useful than what they could find on the Internet. I also wonder whether my college education (same vintage as George’s, and Ivy League) would be as valuable today as it was then. Mostly it taught me to use the library and do research. Well…

By: Rob Stevens

Rob Stevens — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 15:25:21 +0000

I’m about to finish my last year at the University of Washington, and so far my most expensive quarter for books has been $280. That’s in addition to the $1900 in tuition per quarter.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 13:56:31 +0000

I would never trade my college experience for anything. Not because they taught me the skills that I would need to be successful in the world but because that is where I grew into the “real” me. It just seems like I went through high school trying to be someone I was not for the sake of popularity or because that was what was cool at the time. Social status was just way too important for me to look inside and take some chances.
Once I got to college and out from under my parents’ roof, it was a whole new ballgame. The freedom was really the key to setting me on my path.
I am always disappointed when I hear someone say that they are staying home to go to college. This is the time they should be spreading their wings!!