College students struggle to find ways to buy books cheaply as the prices continue to rise

By Neal O’Doherty

EASTON —Tuition costs are no longer the only economical strain on college students these days. Textbook prices are soaring higher than ever.
No matter where you go to school, or how much the tuition at that school is, the cost of your books — depending on your major — can be $1,000 or more.
“I stopped buying textbooks after my sophomore year. They were just getting to expensive and a lot of times, teachers don’t even use them. Textbooks are just a way for professors to make money. I have had teachers who write the textbook, make you buy it for $300, and then never open the book once,” Greg Sanzari, senior at Stonehill College in Easton said.
Some students don’t have that option.
Bridgewater State College senior Erica Snyder spends about $500 to $700 a semester, and does not see an end in sight.
“Because I am in the process of becoming an athletic trainer, I need every book that I have for all of my classes. The worst part about it is that I can’t sell them back at the end of the semester. These are all books that I am going to want to add to my professional library once I get out of school,” Snyder said.
Snyder isn't the only one struggling to pay for books.
According to the Government Accountability Office, textbook prices have been rising at double the rate of inflation in the past 20 years.
To beat the costs, many students have come up with their own unique ways of getting books.
“My sister graduated from Stonehill last year, and I am a senior at Stonehill this year. Both of us are communications majors, so in order to save money on books, the two of us purchased all the books that my sister needed together, she would use them, and then give them to me once she was done with them. The only time this hasn’t worked out was when the teachers changed the books. Then we shared the price of the new textbook,” Becca Honohan, senior at Stonehill College, said.
Some students find it is easier to buy their books on line.
“During my sophomore year of college, my friend told me that I could buy my books on line, so I figured I would give it a shot. That was the best idea I ever had. Not including shipping and handling, I was able to walk away spending under $100 for an entire semester. Some of my books cost under a dollar,” Allison Foley, graduate student at Bridgewater State College, said.
Others say that find ways to sell their books on their own, rather than selling them back to the bookstore.
“Most schools have a way that you can e-mail the entire student body. I always manage to sell my books on there. Most students are willing to give you more money than the college bookstore would, and they will save money on the price the bookstore would charge them. Everybody wins,” Greg Borsari, senior at Bridgewater State College, said.