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For college and university students, one of the big shocks during the first week of school is the price of text books. Many post secondary students will have to drop a small fortune on books. But at the McMaster book store, we found that there are ways to keep costs down.
They’re stacked up, and moving out. McMaster’s eager students are getting their books along with an early lesson in finance.
Miranda Martin-Kinsman, 1st-year Social Sciences: “From not having to pay for text books at all in high school too, it’s a little bit overwhelming.”
Nicholas Moss: “Pricey, very pricey.”
But first year engineering student Nicholas Moss has done his research. He came with a budget in mind: “Close to anywhere I’d say $800 to a thousand on books.”
And that’s bang on. The Ministry of College and Universities says that students should expect to pay around one thousand dollars a year for books, depending on your major, and how you buy.
Now the price of books tend to vary but the ones that are required for the courses tend to be a little more expensive. For example, this one on labour market economics it costs a hundred and thirty five dollars brand new. If you can find it used, it will be cheaper at a hundred and two. But there’s another option — digital books which tend to be even cheaper.
Donna Shapiro is the Director of the book store: “It could be normally ten, twenty, up to 40% cheaper. We found an example that shows a hard cover book selling for $188 dollars. Getting a used copy does offer some savings, but the electronic copy sells for less than half the price of a new book at $93.”
In fact, Donna Shapiro says that one of the only things keeping hard cover books on the shelf is the faculty: “If the faulty member says I’ve adopted this physical textbook, you will be tested on it, it will appear on the exam, a lot of time they will come in and buy the physical text book.”
Hard cover books are still the biggest seller. But as the e-book era takes shape, the store has adapted by selling more computers and tablets. But one parent says that old fashion books are worth it, as he still uses books from undergrad.
Jim Moss: “Having the books is an investment. Not just for these years, it’s an investment in the future too I think.”
As crazy as the prices seem, you may be surprised to learn that the average cost for students books hasn’t gone up in the last decade. Much of that has to do with the move towards e-books. So as the trend continues, the hope is that the price could one day go down.
