Many students at FGCU struggle with their preparedness for their education due to textbook prices. Students spend thousands on housing, tuition and meal plans every semester, breaking the bank on course materials through their campus bookstores.
According to the California Resource Learning Network (2024), The average student spends $1,200 on textbooks annually. For some students, this is covered by financial aid or scholarships, but this is not always the case.
“Thankfully, I have only had to buy, like, one textbook from Pearson online, and that came with the online program,” junior Sophie Wiedmar said. “I did not have to get that through the FGCU bookstore, and that was $107, so I am glad that I only had one class for which I had to buy textbooks.”
If she had to buy a textbook for all of her classes, it would greatly affect her financially.
“It definitely would have affected how much money I spend on a week-to-week basis this semester,” Wiedmar said. “Like for groceries and everything, I would have been on a tighter budget.”
Wiedmar is not the only student that goes through this problem. Many other students experience this every semester.
“I do wish that FGCU made prices more affordable at the bookstore because we already pay a lot of money to go here, so I think putting more effort into the resources that they provide for us would be more accommodating and would make me feel better about what I am spending on my education here,” Wiedmar said.
One of the many certainties here is that the pricing of textbooks is a challenge for students and professors having to recommend these books. Not only can this issue potentially prevent students from obtaining course materials and succeeding academically, but may also be hindering professors’ ability to teach.
“Professors would strongly recommend that the university prioritize the pedagogical, intellectual being of students over and against the profits of private textbook publishers, editors and producers, as well as private contractors with the university bookstore,” said an FGCU professor who wished to stay anonymous.
An FGCU Barnes & Noble bookstore employee who wished to stay anonymous said that there was “something in the works” to help with inconvenient textbook prices but did not elaborate.
Karina Hancock, a senior psychology major, has had her fair share of instances with textbook prices at FGCU and the rental process. Hancock said she never received a textbook she ordered, and fixing the issue was difficult.
“I went back to the bookstore to let them know that I had an issue, and they kind of told me that I had to reach out to the publisher and the only thing I could do is return it,” Hancock said.
To understand how expensive these textbooks can be, Eagle News compared some other distributors to FGCU’s Bookstore.
“Chemistry: Structure and Properties” by Tro, Nivaldo J. is an entry-level chemistry book required for over a dozen courses at FGCU. Through FGCU’s Bookstore, students can obtain this textbook at the following rates: rent used ($158), rent new ($282), purchased used ($249), buy new ($322), or a 365-day digital rental for ($95). Chegg, an online education and textbook rental company, charges $20 for a four-month-long physical rental. Chegg offers free shipping, permission to highlight in the book and a 21-day return policy.
Another option for this book is buying a new copy on Amazon for $93 or used in good condition for $28, which is 91% off the price FGCU offers.
Another example of these price differences comes from a textbook commonly required for the Psychology 2012 course. “Introducing Psychology” by Daniel L. Schacter, Daniel T. Gilbert and Matthew K. Nock can be purchased at the FGCU Bookstore for $99 as a used, physical semester rental. It is $152 to buy new and $67 for a 180-day digital rental. Chegg sells this textbook brand new for $7.99.
The accounts shared by FGCU professors and students reveal a growing sense of dissatisfaction with the university’s resources. Comparisons between the FGCU bookstore, Chegg and Amazon show the financial disparities present. As students continue to navigate and find their means for affording their education, FGCU students urge prioritization of affordability and accessibility of their course materials.
