Books can be a budget buster - The Scoop - Brief Article

Careers and Colleges, Nov-Dec, 2003

If you buy fresh new books through your college bookstore come freshman or, you may be stunned when you see final bill. Students spent an average of $807 on books last year, according to the College Board. For science and math majors, the book bill is often worse since many of their texts easily cost more than $100 each. The Columbia University bookstore charges $178 for its freshman chemistry text.

You might expect these prices to rise, but book costs have skyrocketed 238 percent over the past 20 years. To save, savvy students hunt for used books on campus and online at eCampus.com, Textbooks.com, Half.com, and other sites. Some now order from abroad, where textbooks coal cost 50 percent less (check Bookcentral.com). Still, you have to be careful buying used--when professors teach from the latest edition, lessons can be confusing if you're using an older version.

FAST FACT:
AVERAGE ANNUAL COST OF
COLLEGE

4-YEAR PRIVATE:        $26,854
4-YEAR PUBLIC:         $10,636

Note: Includes tuition, fees, room and board,

Source: The College Board, 2003