Renegade Rip

Issue date: 2/1/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Daniela Garcia Mike Duque, 19, has been waiting for 20 minutes in the line at the BC bookstore on Jan. 23.

During the first two weeks of school, the Bakersfield College campus can be found wallpapered with fliers for students selling their used books, hoping to get a small profit back from the hundreds spent on books each semester. "Bio. 11 book $50.00," reads one flyer, and remarkably, this can be considered a bargain.

According to the National Association of College Stores, the price of college textbooks has increased 32.8 percent since 1998.

Even with the increase in textbook prices, the lines for the bookstore haven't seemed to diminish. On average, during the first week of school, a student can expect to stand in line for 25 to 35 minutes outside just to go inside and wait another 15 minutes in line to pay.

Thirteen students were interviewed while standing in the line for the bookstore. Out of the 13 students, nine of the students never considered other options for purchasing their textbooks.

With so many options for students today to help cut down on the cost of textbooks and cut down on the time spent in those long lines at the bookstore, why aren't more students taking advantage of the options?

Blanca Barajas, a first-time student at Bakersfield College and early childhood major, said that she is "taking four classes this semester ... books are averaging around $65," and she hasn't looked around to purchase them anywhere else.  Brandon Belflower, liberal arts major and on his sixth semester at BC, said, "It's just more convenient, and you get your books a lot faster [at the bookstore]."

Those willing to do a little research can find great deals on books. Tiffany Stranathan, a nursing student, was searching on Textbookland.com and found her introduction to chemistry book for $28.54. She said if she had purchased the textbook new from the bookstore, it would run $110.

Some suggestions for students to start catching the deals to save some money: Order early. Whether you are purchasing your textbooks online or in the bookstore, make sure to place orders early. If you are buying online, you need to give yourself at least a week or two to receive your books unless you are paying for expedited shipping, which can get costly.

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