In March 2021 the library conducted a survey of SVSU students about the affordability and use of textbooks and other course materials. The survey was sent to all students via email and was shared on the library’s social media channels. 578 students responded to the survey between March 1 and March 14.
About half of the students, 48.8%, spent $201 to $400 on their course materials this semester. 26% paid over $400 for course materials and 22% paid less than $200.
The majority of students, 82.3%, were able to purchase or rent all required course materials this semester. Some students commented on the financial hardship of acquiring these materials.
Almost two thirds of the students, 62%, responded that they have not purchased or rented course materials due to cost. This result mirrors what has been found in larger studies of textbook affordability. The cost of these materials has also led 15% of students to take fewer classes, 18% to select a course section with lower costs, and 9.5% to drop or withdraw from a course.
More than a third of students, 35.6%, responded that they did not purchase or rent required courses materials because they were unable to afford them. 30% stated that they did not acquire course materials because there were no assigned readings.
Most students, 85.6%, purchase or rent required course materials all or most of the time. However, 14.4% are typically not acquiring at least half of these materials.
The majority of students responded that they would choose a course section that required a free textbook.
Approximately 40% of students responded with comments to the survey. Access codes were frequently mentioned as costly and sometimes more expensive than textbooks. Many students stated that they do not buy textbooks and other material from bookstore because of the high prices.
I have gone without groceries because I had such expensive textbooks freshman year. I have been struggling through classes because I haven't been able to afford textbooks since my freshman year.
They are just too expensive and it’s so upsetting especially with the cost of classes and food and transportation.
I have been struggling the 4 years I been here to purchase text books. I’m having trouble in a few classes right now because I can not afford the textbooks.
Buying textbooks every semester places much stress upon my family and I. Some textbooks that aren’t even physical copies cost over 100 dollars. Also, access codes to courses that don’t even include a textbook can be extremely expensive. I think the cost of textbooks and class materials is absurd. If I wanted to pay off my own textbooks with my current job, I would have to work for a month or longer just to have enough....and that leaves no income left over for anything else.
Have to wait to buy textbooks until I can afford them and become behind on work.
Textbooks required for science and health classes are absurd and completely out of the price range of any ordinary college student.
Last semester I paid close to $700 for required textbook materials. This was a lot for me to pay considering I only work part time and do not receive any financial aid.
Although I have scholarships, some don't cover the costs of my textbooks and there have been several courses I had to go without a textbook or take out another loan to afford the book.
I just think it needs to be lower. I pay $728 a semester to go to SVSU on top of my loans I take out and I barely have $20 left over at the end of the month to get gas. Make it more affordable for people like me working very hard to graduate!!
I think it would be beneficially if professors used textbooks that are available for free online. I will still take courses even if they have required expensive textbooks, but my grade often suffers when I can't afford to spend $200+. I make the choice to not buy because often times professors ask us to buy text books that we don't use/need or the text is only needed for one paper. That's simply not worth it to me and this leaves me in a tough spot academically.
The cost of textbooks is something that should be lowered to help students achieve their academic success. Each student should get at least a $100 voucher to the bookstore to obtain the resources they need to succeed.
SVSU should offer scholarships for textbooks, this is a cost that students need to succeed but most can't even afford one textbook, let along 4-6 for courses in a semester.
The access codes are way too much pay for. Especially with science and math courses. You have to purchase separate classes that costs $100+ per course.
I have had courses use free online textbooks, and I thought they were really good resources. The number of access codes required for courses has gotten excessive especially because the codes must be bought (usually for a very high price) and not rented.
We need more resources to help us cover the funds for these. Everyone cannot pay 200+ dollars out of their pocket every semester.
It's really frustrating having to spend so much money on merely renting a textbook that I will only be using for a couple months. I have so many other things I need to spend the limited money I have on, like tuition itself, and having to take a large portion of it out solely for extra resources for a class I already have to pay for is disappointing.
I’ve had many professors require online access codes and then not use them. That is quite upsetting because access codes seem to be the most expensive part.
The nursing program textbook prices are astronomical in addition to higher priced courses and all of the other expenses we are expected to cover. It would be nice if SVSU could offer another resource to help with these costs.
They are not affordable. No textbook should cost over $50. We already pay tons of money just to attend school. It’s not right.
OPEN ED IS NEEDED!! LETS DO IT!! Textbooks are way too expensive especially for science when I have to buy new books because they come out with a new edition every year or so and I can't even sell it back to the bookstore.
Textbooks required for science and health classes are absurd and completely out of the price range of any ordinary college student.
There are soooooooooo many alternatives to expensive textbooks. Also, the reason we have Canvas is so that we can use that system for homework, quizzes, etc. We should encourage professors to NOT use external learning softwares, because they are usually over $100.
Access codes for websites have been increasingly unaffordable. I tend to spend more on access codes because the assignments were put on different websites rather than canvas.
I only buy textbooks if they contain assignments that I cannot get otherwise. Even then I use them for the assignments and then never touch them again. If I need to study the course material I rely faaaar more on online resources then college textbooks. Frankly the textbooks as they are now are outdated un-useful and harmful to students. I would ALWAYS choose class and college options without them if it is at all possible.
It is frustrating when professors list textbooks as required, purchase them, and then they are not even used. Likewise, when professors list access codes under textbooks and the access codes are not needed. It is also bothersome to pay for expensive textbooks or access codes and only use them for one or two assignments, it feels like I am literally paying for a grade. Our tuition is already expensive enough to only be using expensive textbooks for minor assignments or not at all. I have had multiple instances where I bought a book and never touched it once and passed the class just fine without touching it.
Textbooks are far too expensive and have little impact on my learning. There are few classes where I have had to rely on the textbook to learn and they are mostly used for practice problems. I think there is a better way to do this other than have students shell out another 500 dollars. Textbooks to me are a scam and I will rent where I have to and ignore them when possible.