Why is college books so expensive??

Question

Why is college books so expensive??

Answer 1

It's not cheap teaching individuals proper grammar...obviously.

Answer 2

copyrights for the diagrams and pictures is what I've been told by some of my professes

Answer 3

I save A LOT of money by buying them online through ebay or amazon marketplace.  The bookstores at the schools rip you off!

But the best part is that you can still sell them back to your school bookstore at the end of the semester.

Answer 4

Honestly?

There are several reasons, some legit, some nonsensical.

One of the reasons that they're so much more expensive now than they were a few years ago is because of all the "stuff" that comes bundled with them. Study guides, CDs, DVDs, websites - all of these things cost the publisher a lot of money to create and those publishers aren't the least bit shy about passing those costs back to you.

Another reason is because the books aren't purchased in particularly large quantities, though it may seem like it. At some colleges, the 6 different professors teaching an Intro Psychology class might assign 6 different textbooks. It would save the students a ton of money if every school in the state university, for example, used the same Intro text. That way, the state would order thousands of the same book each year and the costs would go down.

Another reason is because the publishers come up with new editions almost every year - they'd tell you that they want to keep them updated with the latest information - but students will tell you that it's only because they want to make last year's book unsellable, to force every student to buy a new book.

Yet another reason - the textbook publishers don't divulge the pricing of their books to the faculty when they send them free evaluation copies. A professor looking over a new text has no idea what the students will be charged for that book if he/she adopts in for their next course.

Here's some good news - the US Congress feels your pain, and the House of Representatives has passed a bill that addresses the high cost of college textbooks. Now it's in the hands of the Senate. If you want to see it passed, you and your friends should contact your state Senator about the College Opportunity and Affordability Act.

Some of the things the Act does is

require publishers to disclose textbook pricing and updating information to professors

requires publishers to offer textbooks and their supplementary materials separately (unbundling)

requires colleges to provide the list of required and recommended course materials at the time of registration

Connecticut, Washington, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Oregon have already passed their own state versions of this legislation, while California, Massachusetts, Arizona and Colorado are considering similar laws. Again, contact your state legislator, and urge them to take action against the prohibitive pricing of college textbooks.

Finally - here's a website for an organization that is working to battle the textbook pricing mess. You'll find lots more information there. I hope this helps!

Answer 5

because it is a bussiness... the school and the company has to make a profit... i know what u talking about though ... it pisses me off!! good thing i am in my last semister!!! i was thinking about going to Med. school but i dont come from money so i cant afford the books alone>>>

Answer 6

why is books expensive for people who doesn't use college level grammar?

Answer 7

You're at their mercy, they know that you have to buy them!

Welcome to college...in many ways it is nothing but a a big business.

The name of the game is making money.  If you want that piece of paper from them (your college degree)...you will pay the money they require and jump through all of their administrative hoops.

Get your check book out and start jumping!

I'm working on my Masters degree

Answer 8

It depends where you buy them. If you buy them from the college they should give you a discount on it for attending school or research it on amazon.

Answer 9

A lot of textbooks are written by the very same professors that are teaching you.

Or a new edition comes out with a few changes and you're forced to pick up the new edition.

It seems like it's the publishers and colleges are in bed together.

Answer 10

they dont have contracts with the schools so the book can change any time even after the class has started