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Culture > News

We Asked College Women How Much They Spend on Textbooks & Holy Shit You Guys

Rachel Lewis

It’s no secret that college textbooks keep getting more expensive. It’s the type of thing we keep waiting to get used to, but being expected to drop hundreds of dollars on books (along with everything else you need for back-to-school) is absurd. Who has $200 just sitting around for one book? Even if you use resources that help you save money on textbooks, it’s likely that you’ll spend upwards of several hundred dollars on books for a single semester, and in a few words, it fucking sucks.

College is just so damn expensive, and the worry that you’re going to go broke in college is all too real. Tuition just keeps skyrocketing, housing costs are disturbing regardless of where you go to school, and more and more college students are finding themselves at risk of becoming homeless, if they’re not already. 

In the spirit of solidarity, we asked you guys how much you spend on textbooks, and our hearts (and wallets) hurt just thinking about it. 

So how much are you guys spending on textbooks alone? 

Too much lol – Vanessa

$700. ? – Madi

Sometimes upwards of $150. I now don’t even buy textbooks until I know I will use them! – Laura

At least $300. – Cassie

Easily over $200 depending on your major. – S

I’m in community college, with big scholarships. It’ll still be $1,500-$2,000 for the whole year. – Izzy

$500+ – Jennifer

TOO DAMN MUCH. – Rhianna

$300 ? – E

$1,000 because textbooks ? – Rachel

Less than $500 – Brooke

A LOT. I love back to school shopping! – Morgan

Including tuition, $30,000 CAD (law school). – Jess

Too much!!! – Sierra

I try to spend $200 or less for boks. I use a book comparison website & rent my books. – Maria

Way too much. – Sydney

 

College is already so damn expensive, and you obviously don’t need us to tell you that textbooks represent a significant part of the burden. We’re so relieved to live in a world where there are services for cheaper textbooks, but we also want to encourage you to remain critical and to not be afraid to fight back.

We deserve a college experience where we’re not stressed about money 24/7 and can just learn, and we’re going to keep pushing for positive change and more affordable tuition until we get there. 

Rachel is the Senior Editor at Her Campus. She graduated from Elon University in 2015 where she wrote for Her Campus's Elon chapter as well as the national LGBTQ+ section, and has since held editorial positions at Hello Giggles and Brit + Co along with running social media for several publishers. Her work has been published in Teen Vogue, Glamour, StyleCaster, and SELF, and she can be found in North Carolina smearing face masks on in the name of content. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @RachelCharleneL.