Finding ways to lower the cost of education is vital to many students and their families. Reduction in tuition often comes in the form of scholarships, awards, student loans, and grants but this is not the only expense to consider.
Another budget item to think about when attending school is the cost of textbooks. According to the College Board, students should plan for approximately 1200 to 1500 dollars for required textbooks. However, the price can be much lower with a bit of savvy shopping.
In the past, smart students opted for used textbooks over new to save money. Unfortunately, many college course instructors change textbooks frequently, so what was used in the past may not be what is required this academic year.
The Online Option
One way for students to save money is to access math and science textbooks online. Websites specializing in resources for students may offer more than just math and science textbooks online, providing business management, journalism, communications, education, engineering, law, and medical and health science texts.
In addition to offering the current math and science textbooks online, the website may also provide solutions manuals and quiz banks, providing a comprehensive study resource in one easy to access location. Students can access the text digitally, paying a membership to the website for this type of unlimited access.
In addition to saving money and time, online textbooks are environmentally friendly. They save paper, limit wasted paper after the class, and eliminate the time and effort spent if you do try to sell used books to the next class of students.