Why do students think textbook prices are too high?
• The two most significant reasons are (a) sticker shock and (b) frustration when books aren’t used in class in the way students expect them to be used. • Textbooks are free for most students until they reach college. If their book-buying experience is limited to paying $9.95 for a paperback, having to buy three or four $80 or $120 texts is a shock. After paying a substantial tuition bill, families are often unprepared for an additional $200 to $500 textbook expense each term.