Reducing Cost of College Books

Students at colleges and universities across the country already know what books they need for their fall classes. That’s because the Higher Education Opportunity Act that took effect last month, requires higher institutions to list the books needed for courses online prior to class registration.

"Normally, I would go over to the bookstore, write the name of the book, and try to get an idea of the picture on the front…what it looked like. So, if I wanted to purchase it on half.com, E-Bay, or Amazon, it would get an idea, " says Senior Megan Ault.

But now all Ault needs to do is click a button on a computer to find the required books for her classes.

"They can decide whether the class has too many books to read. So, they can balance their schedules as far as the amount of reading, amount of classwork, time, and that kind of thing, " says Christine Shaw of Public Relations.

"To me, it’s all about planning. I like to plan for the quarter. So, having it online beforehand-a couple weeks before school starts-it’s nice to have your books then instead of the traditional wait the week of to get your books, " says Ault.

It can prevent students from spending $600 or $700 a quarter on books. It allows them to decide if going to the book store, renting books, buying used books, or getting them online is the best option for them.

"There will be a nice chunk of change you’ll be saving, " says Ault.

While many students here at Ohio University-Zanesville stand to see the benefits from the Higher Education Opportunity Act, it does pose a slight problem for professors.

"Often times, when they’re required to put that information in prior to registration, for example with fall quarter, we were recruiting last March. It’s very difficult for the professors to be able to provide the most up-to-date information if they have to commit to a textbook that early, " says Shaw.

But the books you view online are subject to change

"We don’t recommend they buy their textbooks too early though because editions can change, and we always ask them to check with their professors. That’s really important they make sure they have the most accurate information, " says Shaw.

Shaw say professors want to make sure the classroom experience is the best is can be.

To see how the new online system works, visit www.zanesville,ohiou.edu.