Willmar, Minn., campus abuzz ahead of Monday start: Ridgewater starts year with new textbook options for students
August 19, 2011 at 7:00 pm in West Central Tribune
WILLMAR — Students at Ridgewater College this fall will be able to rent some textbooks for about half the cost of buying one.
Continue Reading
Are you truly educating students about the cost of textbooks? I manage a college Bookstore, and renting is not always the cheapest option. Students need to know this. While it CAN be, oftentimes buying a used copy and selling at back at the end of the term is a better deal.
Here’s a real life example:
We have a Biology book
New shelf price is $120.
Used shelf price is $90.
Rental price of book is $60.
Buyback price at end of term for student = $60 (half of new price is what we pay if title is used again on campus).
Rental books are property of Bookstore and cannot be sold at end of term.
Total out of pocket costs:
Rental: $60.
New with buyback = $60
Used with buyback = $30.
Renting can be a good option, but is not always the cheapest!
Like or Dislike:
2 
2
I was impressed with the rental option at my son’s school’s bookstore- she gave us the rental price and the new purchase price and offered her suggestion. What I did NOT like was shelling out $906 for a diesel tech program (1st year, 1st semester). On one hand, it sucked big time. On the other hand, my son paid for $600 of it (our “estimate” was $500- HA! on us!) and saw the very real side to paying for college. Financial aid and a scholarship cover tuition, dorm, and meal plan. Books and tools ($4,500!) are on us. Yikes!! He also now understands why I pushed him to apply for the scholarship…kids!
Like or Dislike:
4 
0