ASU students are still looking beyond campus for deals after a recent study that showed students have saved millions of dollars through the alternative textbook options state universities have been promoting since 2006.
The study, based on information from all three state universities and released by the Arizona Board of Regents on March 26, stated that by incentivizing the buy-back program and promoting the use of e-books, the universities have saved students a total of $40.1 million on the cost of their textbooks since 2006.
The study stated students at ASU saved $1.3 million in fall 2011, which equates to less than $18 for each of the 72,250 students enrolled during that semester. This per-student calculation is not an official number endorsed by either the Board or the University.
Geography sophomore Steven Sifferman said a savings of $18 on the cost of his textbooks is not significant in relation to his total cost every semester of about $220.
“I’d say $75 to $100 is more significant because I’m able to save that money by buying third-party books,” he said.
Sifferman said he uses Amazon when he wants to save money on textbooks.
“You can also just Google search and try to find people selling them,” he said.
Therese Stohlgren is the manager of the Student Book Center, an independent, family-owned bookstore on College Avenue between University Drive and Seventh Street. The store has been open since 1966.
Stohlgren said one of the best ways for students to save money on their books is to sell them back as soon as possible.
“They should bring them in now before finals are over,” she said. “After that, we are probably turning off buying (from students).”
The store accepts a specific number of used copies from students based on the number of books professors say they will assign during any given semester. Students receive the most from their buy-back during this early stage, Stohlgren said.
After the store has accepted all of the used books it will carry, it buys on behalf of a textbook wholesaler. Stohlgren said this price gives students less back, as wholesalers typically set prices higher than small bookstores.
Stohlgren said she has seen growth in the number of students renting textbooks instead of purchasing them used.
“Rent has become the real buzz thing,” she said. “It’s not always the most financially advantageous way because if you can sell it back, sometimes you’ll end up spending less.”
She said it is sometimes cheaper to purchase used books.
“I have seen books where they have rented for more than what we’re selling it used for, which doesn’t make any sense to me,” Stohlgren said.
Tim Swanger, a graduate student studying religions of China, said when he was an undergraduate student, he would spend significantly more money on books and would often purchase his textbooks from Amazon.
Swanger, who wants to be a professor, said he would like to see his graduate instructors make their course packets downloadable.
“Something that I’d like to be able to do when I teach my own courses … I’d like to see students … able to download their packets from Blackboard,” Swanger said. “That, to me, would be significant.”
Reach the reporter at kmmandev@asu.edu
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