What Students Need to Know About College Textbooks

What Students Need to Know About College Textbooks Related Articles Amount of Spending Money a College Student Needs Amount of Spending Money a College Student Needs Where Can I Purchase College Textbooks Online? Where Can I Purchase College Textbooks Online? School Supplies for College Students School Supplies for College Students Do I Need to Read All These Books? If you're dreading the idea of reading a huge stack of college textbooks, don't worry. In many cases, you're not even going to read the entire book. It's not uncommon for professors to assign just three or four chapters from each book. Unfortunately, you're probably not going to find out this information until you've already made your purchase. Should I Buy All of the Books Listed? If a book is listed as required, you're probably going to use it on a regular basis. If you want to get a good grade in the course, you'll need to purchase the required books. If a textbook is listed on the syllabus as a recommended book, it's probably not as important. In fact, it may only be used during two or three lessons. You can purchase the book, check out a copy from the library, or share with a friend. Why Are My Books so Expensive? Did you know that in the past two decades, college textbook prices have increased twice as fast as inflation? While the newest Stephen King novel might cost $25, it's not unusual for a single college textbook to cost over $100. And some professors will require more than one book per course. The price of college textbooks often varies according to the field of study. For example, chemistry textbooks are typically much more expensive than the books used in an elective religion course. At many schools, students report biology textbooks are the most expensive. According to publishers, there are several factors contributing to the high price of college textbooks. At one time, textbook publishers weren't expected to turn a significant profit. However, publishing is now treated like any other business. The company is expected to make as much money as possible from your purchase. The rapidly changing nature of some academic fields requires publishers to update the facts in a textbook on an annual basis. Each new edition of a book typically costs 45% more than the previous copy. Books containing CDs, software, or other supplemental materials will cost much more than books without these extras. Hardcover textbooks are slightly more expensive than their paperback counterparts. Books with lots of full-color illustrations cost more to produce than textbooks without these graphics. Some publishers markup the cost of new books to compensate for the fact that used textbook sales don't produce royalties for the author.