"TEXTBOOKS: Costly Lessons"

"Are College Students Paying too Much?"

¡Ora, UTEP!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!

Adapted from: Ms. Melissa Ludwig, San Antonio Express - News staff writer. Tuesday, September 4, 2007.

Sidebars:

"$700 - $1,000 the amount college students spend every year on textbooks.

72% the percentage of tuition and fees at community college represented by books and supplies.

6% the average percent textbook prices go up every year."

"Sydney Farris, a 24 - year - old mortuary science major at San Antonio College, is about to plunk down $133 for a psychology textbook.

"She's not happy about about it.

"In fact, she's not even sure why she has to take psychology.

Unless I'm going to be talking to dead people about their problems, Farris mused whie standing in line at the college bookstore.

It just irritates me.

"That attitude is not uncommon among students, or parents.

"Who likes dropping hundreds of dollars on books they'll likely never crack again?

"There's plenty of blame going around ...

The textbook market is broken, it does not operate like a normal market, said Nicole Allen, textbooks advocate for the Student Public Interest Research Groups, a national network of of student - run advocacy organizations."

Photo caption:

"J.C. Arcila talks about the cost of his textbooks as he shops at San Antonio College bookstore.

"At community colleges, textbooks and supplies represent 72 percent of tuition and costs."

Some good points!!!