The rising cost of college textbooks has created a financial burden for students and is keeping them from thriving. A focus group consisting of five community college students was conducted where they were asked to share the issues they are experiencing in school. Amongst many other issues, the concern for textbook affordability came up multiple times. All participants agreed college textbooks' costs are too high and can seriously implicate their education. Upon further discussion, the group shared their experiences and came up with ideas on how to solve this issue.
A college education is already expensive as is. Although community college is exceptionally more affordable than a traditional four-year university, textbooks remain incredibly expensive and have created a financial burden for students. According to The College Board, college students spend an average of $1, 200. 00 a year on textbooks and makeup to 72% of the tuition of a two-year institution in The United States. Aaliyah, a participant in the focus group, mentions she thought she was ready for the cost of college but “wasn’t expecting textbooks to be so unaffordable”. Cassandra, a third-year student at Paradise Valley Community College, says she has probably spent more than $2, 000 on textbooks while attending the college. Community College is supposed to be more affordable in all aspects, however, the high cost of textbooks makes it incredibly difficult for all students to thrive as it creates a barrier for those who are unable to afford them.
Aside from being incredibly expensive, textbooks are rarely ever used again creating an incredibly harmful effect on the environment. According to Green Point Content and Publishing, the book industry consumes 16 million tons of paper and leads to the cutting down of 32 million trees each year. On top of this amount, the amount of waste nonreusable textbooks create is exceptionally high. Textbook publishers are frequently creating new editions of their textbooks rendering the previous editions useless. This sends millions of textbooks to trash bins and millions of students back to the bookstore. Daphne, a participant in the focus group, mentions she retook a course whose textbook originally cost her $120 the first semester, and ended up costing her $200 for the newest edition required for the same course the next semester. The frequent publishing of new editions drives up costs making students suffer and pay more for essentially the same information found in previous editions. However, teachers require certain textbook editions for their classes, leaving students no choice but to spend money they don’t have.
The rising cost of textbooks has required students to sacrifice important things in order to afford them. It is very difficult for students to afford textbooks on top of other expenses such as tuition and living expenses including food costs and utility bills. According to Ohio State News, seven out of ten students feel stressed out because of the financial burden college comes with, especially textbook costs. This added stress leads to lower academic performance and increased dropout rates. Students are unable to focus solely on their education because they are having to worry about textbook costs on top of many other financial costs. Manuel, another student at Paradise Valley Community College, mentions he couldn’t afford the textbook needed for his chemistry class and ended up failing the class because of the lack of materials. It is unfortunate that students fail classes because of their financial status. An article by Emma Whitford mentions students often have to choose between meals and textbooks. Because of the high cost of textbooks and lack of financial support, many students find themselves skipping meals in order to save money for textbooks. This could potentially be very dangerous for students’ health. The article also mentions 17% of college students change their major because of high textbook prices and 33% have opted out of certain classes because of the cost of textbooks needed for them. Students should be able to pursue the career choice they want and not have to worry about the textbook costs.
Upon further discussion in the focus group conducted, ideas for solutions were presented. The students involved in the focus group ask that Paradise Valley Community College faculty support their requests and push for change in textbook affordability. Here are some of their ideas.
In order to lower costs of textbook affordability, students suggested that textbooks be included in course fees or tuition. Many classes require students to purchase costly textbooks not taking into consideration the financial status of each student. Students are already paying a lot of money in order to take the class and are expected to pay even more money in order to succeed in said class. With all the income colleges receive after charging each student tuition, in addition to the government funding they receive, colleges should be able to provide students with the materials necessary for their classes, even if the materials are used. No student’s success should be at stake due to the costly textbook expenses on top of the already expensive college tuition. Colleges should invest in providing at least some materials such as necessary textbooks or aid such as bookstore credit in order for their students to succeed.
The amount of waste created by outdated textbooks is too much. In order to reduce these amounts as well as decrease student expenses, colleges should go paperless. Many teachers don’t require textbooks and are able to teach just as well, sometimes even better, than teachers who do require textbooks. With the internet growing more and more each day, there is an endless amount of free online resources that teachers can use to teach their students. Aside from online resources, teachers are experts in their fields and have endless amounts of knowledge to share with their students. Daphne, a focus group participant, says some of her best instructors “have taught using their own knowledge and experiences. These have been the best classes and I probably learned more from them than I ever could from a textbook”. The rest of the focus group participants agreed with this statement which shows teachers don’t need to send their students to buy expensive textbooks that will only be used for one semester and then added to a shelf to collect dust and to never be opened again.
E-books are oftentimes available for students as an alternative to physical textbooks. Aside from being more economic, they also are better for the environment. E-books tend to be cheaper than physical textbooks and can be downloaded to devices for easy accessibility. Colleges should urge publishers to create digital versions of their textbooks in order to support their student’s success. Casandra mentions she encourages students to always look for digital versions of their textbooks. These digital versions can be accessible anywhere and could potentially save students a lot of money all while benefiting the environment.
Another solution could be providing class sets of textbooks. Students oftentimes find themselves struggling to make ends meet in order to afford textbooks. In response to this, colleges should offer class sets of textbooks or at least a larger amount of textbooks students could rent for substantially lower prices. It is necessary for schools to support their students' needs in order to promote success. This could essentially reduce dropout rates and increase grades. Aside from the academic benefits, providing class sets of textbooks can also greatly impact the environment, saving millions of trees from being cut down. Most students would not mind using class sets, as long as they have something to learn from.
It is crucial for colleges and universities to take action against the rising cost of textbooks in order to support their students. Students need support while attempting to pay for college and the expenses college comes with. If students are already paying for attending classes, they should not have to worry so much about paying for textbooks. Textbook expenses have created unnecessary stress on students. Students across the United States, therefore, call upon college faculty as well as the book industry to make change possible and to take the appropriate actions in order to make access to textbooks affordable.
The rising
cost
of college
textbooks
has
created
a
financial
burden for
students
and is keeping them from thriving. A
focus
group
consisting of five
community
college
students
was conducted
where they
were asked
to share the issues they are experiencing in school. Amongst
many
other issues, the concern for
textbook
affordability came up multiple times. All
participants
agreed
college textbooks'
costs
are too
high
and can
seriously
implicate their education. Upon
further
discussion, the
group
shared their experiences and came up with
ideas
on how to solve this issue.
A college education is
already
expensive
as is. Although
community
college is
exceptionally
more affordable than a traditional four-year university,
textbooks
remain
incredibly
expensive
and have
created
a
financial
burden for
students
. According to The College Board, college
students
spend an average of $1, 200. 00 a year on
textbooks
and makeup to 72% of the tuition of a two-year institution in The United States. Aaliyah, a
participant
in the
focus
group
,
mentions
she
thought
she was ready for the
cost
of college
but
“wasn’t expecting
textbooks
to be
so
unaffordable”. Cassandra, a third-year
student
at Paradise Valley
Community
College, says she has
probably
spent more than $2, 000 on
textbooks
while attending the college.
Community
College
is supposed
to be more affordable in all aspects,
however
, the
high
cost
of
textbooks
makes
it
incredibly
difficult for all
students
to thrive as it creates a barrier for those who are unable to
afford
them.
Aside from being
incredibly
expensive
,
textbooks
are rarely ever
used
again creating an
incredibly
harmful effect on the environment. According to Green Point Content and Publishing, the book industry consumes 16
million
tons of paper and leads to the cutting down of 32
million
trees each year. On
top
of this
amount
, the
amount
of waste
nonreusable
textbooks
create is
exceptionally
high
.
Textbook
publishers are
frequently
creating new
editions
of their
textbooks
rendering the previous
editions
useless. This
sends
millions
of
textbooks
to trash bins and
millions
of
students
back to the bookstore. Daphne, a
participant
in the
focus
group
,
mentions
she retook a course whose
textbook
originally
cost
her $120 the
first
semester, and ended up costing her $200 for the newest
edition
required for the same course the
next
semester. The frequent publishing of new
editions
drives up
costs
making
students
suffer and pay more for
essentially
the same information found in previous
editions
.
However
,
teachers
require
certain
textbook
editions
for their
classes
, leaving
students
no choice
but
to spend
money
they don’t have.
The rising
cost
of
textbooks
has required
students
to sacrifice
important
things in
order
to
afford
them. It is
very
difficult for
students
to
afford
textbooks
on
top
of other expenses such as tuition and living expenses including food
costs
and utility bills. According to Ohio State News, seven out of ten
students
feel
stressed
out
because
of the
financial
burden college
comes
with,
especially
textbook
costs
. This
added
stress
leads to lower academic performance and increased dropout rates.
Students
are unable to
focus
solely
on their education
because
they are having to worry about
textbook
costs
on
top
of
many
other
financial
costs
. Manuel, another
student
at Paradise Valley
Community
College,
mentions
he couldn’t
afford
the
textbook
needed for his chemistry
class
and ended up failing the
class
because
of the lack of
materials
. It is unfortunate that
students
fail
classes
because
of their
financial
status. An article by Emma
Whitford
mentions
students
often
have to
choose between meals and
textbooks
.
Because
of the
high
cost
of
textbooks
and lack of
financial
support
,
many
students
find themselves skipping meals in
order
to save
money
for
textbooks
. This could
potentially
be
very
dangerous
for
students’
health. The article
also
mentions
17% of college
students
change
their major
because
of
high
textbook
prices and 33% have opted out of certain
classes
because
of the
cost
of
textbooks
needed for them.
Students
should be able to pursue the career choice they want and not
have to
worry about the
textbook
costs.
Upon
further
discussion in the
focus
group
conducted,
ideas
for solutions
were presented
. The
students
involved in the
focus
group
ask that Paradise Valley
Community
College faculty
support
their requests and push for
change
in
textbook
affordability. Here are
some
of their
ideas
.
In
order
to lower
costs
of
textbook
affordability,
students
suggested that
textbooks
be included
in course fees or tuition.
Many
classes
require
students
to
purchase
costly
textbooks
not taking into consideration the
financial
status of each
student
.
Students
are
already
paying
a lot of
money
in
order
to take the
class
and are
expected
to pay even more
money
in
order
to succeed in said
class
. With all the income colleges receive after charging each
student
tuition,
in addition
to the
government
funding they receive, colleges should be able to provide
students
with the
materials
necessary for their
classes
, even if the
materials
are
used
. No
student’s
success should be at stake due to the costly
textbook
expenses on
top
of the
already
expensive
college tuition. Colleges should invest in providing at least
some
materials
such as necessary
textbooks
or aid such as bookstore credit in
order
for their
students
to succeed.
The
amount
of waste
created
by outdated
textbooks
is too much. In
order
to
reduce
these
amounts
as well
as decrease
student
expenses, colleges should go paperless.
Many
teachers
don’t
require
textbooks
and are able to teach
just
as well
,
sometimes
even better, than
teachers
who do
require
textbooks
. With the internet growing more and more each day, there is an endless
amount
of free online resources that
teachers
can
use
to teach their
students
. Aside from online resources,
teachers
are experts in their fields and have endless
amounts
of knowledge to share with their
students
. Daphne, a
focus
group
participant
, says
some
of her best instructors “have taught using their
own
knowledge and experiences. These have been the best
classes
and I
probably
learned more from them than I ever could from a
textbook”
. The rest of the
focus
group
participants
agreed
with this statement which
shows
teachers
don’t need to
send
their
students
to
buy
expensive
textbooks
that will
only
be
used
for one semester and then
added
to a shelf to collect dust and to never
be opened
again.
E-books are oftentimes available for
students
as an alternative to physical
textbooks
. Aside from being more economic, they
also
are better for the environment. E-books tend to be cheaper than physical
textbooks
and can
be downloaded
to devices for easy accessibility. Colleges should urge publishers to create digital versions of their
textbooks
in
order
to
support
their
student’s
success. Casandra
mentions
she encourages
students
to always look for digital versions of their
textbooks
. These digital versions can be accessible anywhere and could
potentially
save
students
a lot of
money
all while benefiting the environment.
Another solution could be providing
class
sets of
textbooks
.
Students
oftentimes find themselves struggling to
make
ends
meet
in
order
to
afford
textbooks
. In response to this, colleges should offer
class
sets of
textbooks
or at least a larger
amount
of
textbooks
students
could rent for
substantially
lower prices. It is necessary for schools to
support
their students' needs in
order
to promote success. This could
essentially
reduce
dropout rates and increase grades. Aside from the academic benefits, providing
class
sets of
textbooks
can
also
greatly
impact the environment, saving
millions
of trees from being
cut
down. Most
students
would not mind using
class
sets, as long as they have something to learn from.
It is crucial for colleges and universities to take action against the rising
cost
of
textbooks
in
order
to
support
their
students
.
Students
need
support
while attempting to pay for college and the
expenses
college
comes
with. If
students
are
already
paying for attending
classes
, they should not
have to
worry
so
much about paying for
textbooks
.
Textbook
expenses have
created
unnecessary
stress
on
students
.
Students
across the United States,
therefore
, call upon college faculty
as well
as the book industry to
make
change
possible and to take the appropriate actions in
order
to
make
access to
textbooks
affordable.