Are university textbooks more (or less) expensive than they should

be given their level of usefulness?

A student needs access to textbooks to graduate from high school. Given the amount that
students and their families currently pay for school, it is believed that the required texts for the
course should be much less opulent. College students already have to pay a considerable sum of
money for necessities like additional classroom supplies, groceries, etc. If textbooks were less
expensive, more students might be tempted to buy them. Every year, students spend a significant
amount of money on textbooks for their education. Additionally, those textbooks aren't cheap;
most of them cost between $50 and $150, though some are more expensive. Some classes even
recommend that students buy a few textbooks. Therefore, a student who enrolls in five courses
should end up spending up to $500 or more on books. With prices like those, it is understandable
why some college students have decided not to purchase any textbooks at all. Of course, since
these textbooks are frequently required for the class, whether or not they include reading
assignments or homework questions, this isn't always advised. Lack of good textbooks is likely
to have a significant impact on a student's achievement in their class.
While some college students may decide to stop buying their textbooks owing to the price, other
students may no longer have the option because they may not have the money to do so. College
tuition is pricey enough as it is. A recent investigation by the Government Accountability Office
found that between 2002 and 2013, the cost of university textbooks increased by 82 percent, or
nearly three times the rate of inflation.
Excessively high textbook prices have a negative impact on students. Many students claim that
when they no longer desire texts, they choose not to buy them, enroll in fewer courses, or even
get poor scores. For instance, a 2018 survey of college students at public institutions and high
schools in Florida found that the high cost of textbooks has led to 64.2% of students forgoing the
purchase of a necessary textbook and 42.8% of students enrolling in fewer courses. Additionally,
35.6% of respondents reported they received a poor grade because of the heavy use of textbooks,
and 22.9% claimed it caused them to change their course. According to student surveys,
excessive textbook costs cause 17% of students to fail a course because they are unable to afford
the required textbook, 27% of students to leave a course, and 49% of students to enroll in fewer
publications each semester. The study shows that university textbooks are useful for the students
but many students are unfairly under pressure due to the cost of college textbooks, which
significantly raises the cost of their education. In addition to being costly, textbooks are rapidly
losing value due of newer, less opulent options that are becoming more well-known and
recognized. The difficulties that many students face paying for their course materials could have
a significant impact on how well they perform in school. These factors provide a clear picture
that university textbooks are too expensive to afford for the students as well as they also are
useful so, encouragement is required of the use of free, open textbooks and other open education
resources (OER) that can reduce the cost of textbooks rather than requiring college students to
purchase commercial textbooks.
Bibliography
Committee, T. A. (2014). Recommendations to save on student textbook cost.
Freeman, A. (2019). Why do college textbooks cost so much? 7 questions answered. Retrieved
from https://theconversation.com/why-do-college-textbooks-cost-so-much-7-questions-
answered-121969
Tano, M. (2020). Textbooks should be cheaper. Retrieved from
http://www.piratemedia1.com/opinion/article_84f885bc-0103-11ea-ae17-
bf06f772a48e.html
Valle, G. D. (2019). The high cost of college textbooks, explained. Retrieved from
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/3/6/18252322/college-textbooks-cost-expensive-
pearson-cengage-mcgraw-hill
Weisbaum, H. (2014). College textbook costs more outrageous than ever. Retrieved from
https://www.cnbc.com/2014/01/28/college-textbook-costs-more-outrageous-than-
ever.html
Weisbaum, H. (2016). Students Are Still Saddled With Soaring Textbook Costs. Retrieved from
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/students-are-still-saddled-soaring-
textbook-costs-report-says-n516011