We might have spent $150-$200/quarter early on, but kids become experts at finding PDFs of the books and sometimes we are not spending anything on books. Even when we do have to buy some, we have usually found ways to reduce the cost and have come nowhere near the NPC. These are for engineering majors, others may be different.
DD paid $380 for first semester books and the estimate was $1246 for the year. We bought a lot on Amazon and rented and purchased from Chegg and then DD bought one on campus and rented one on campus. She has five classes next semester so we’ll see if books cost more. I’m not sure if she’ll be able to use her French books again for the next French class or if she’ll need more (those were the most expensive).
Just looked up books for younger son for the upcoming quarter and it looks like we’ll hit $300. I should have kept my mouth shut.
Historical note. I penciled in the cost of my three semesters’ use honors calculus book taught by one of its authors back in the early 1970’s- $13. Kept that book, son has it now (he was an honors math major). His honors version was theory (as opposed to problem) based and in the 2000’s used a book first published in the 1960’s. It cost over $100 as I recall. Tuition had gone up by roughly a factor of ten between my mother’s and my day and again by ten for my son compared to mine at the same flagship. My nickel candy bar from childhood also went up by that much. But- math is math no matter what the era, unlike many other fields.
Back when the Dinos roamed (1981 or so) DH went back to college and I was working. I gave him $300 to purchase his engineering texts for four courses. He came home with ONE book…and a notebook. At that point in time…each book was near or about $200. But the good news…I guess…is they could be used for a full year…if the course was a full year course. Most were NOT.
Fast forward to 2006 when DD was a college freshman. For first semester, we just suggested she buy the books at the college bookstore…for ease. I was driving to the airport on a very busy CA highway…when she called to let me know her books were $1200 or so. I almost hit a car. But I did tell her…to go back…not buy…and look for used online…which she did…reducing the cost to about $800. Again…these were able to be used for the full year…and in her case, except for the required English course…her courses were full year courses.
Fast forward to 2015 for professional school. All texts were available online for a much much less cash outlay. Whew!
DD in undergrad was a very big user of Amazon where she bought…and then sold back…her texts. She also send half.com which DS also used with success.
To the OP…the net price calculator gives you the average estimated book cost for the full year. There is NO way to predict YOUR actual costs without knowing your kids major. Some are way more pricey than others. And some do require the latest edition.
Also, knowing how close someone else book costs were to the NPC estimate might not help you…at all…either.
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One place I visited with DD includes textbooks with tuition ->>>
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I had this my first semester in college (then transferred). The school would even lend you a dictionary and other resource books.
I’m curious if the college bookstore is always the most expensive option - my D is taking a dual enrollment class next semester and the college lists options to buy the book new, used, or rent it new/used. The prices noted are approximately twice as expensive as it would be to buy it on Amazon. Also Barnes and Noble’s rental price is far less than Amazon’s rental price. Looks to me like buyer beware when it comes to college books.
@my2caligirls - that’s why my kids shop for books with 2 windows open - they pull up the official course list with new and used prices from B&N and then copy the ISBN into Amazon. B&N is almost always more expensive.