Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism.
The Dartmouth
March 28, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Book prices deter some from enrolling

Subject matter is no longer the only factor distinguishing a course in the humanities from one in the sciences.

With science textbooks sometimes running up bills in the several-hundred dollar range, and some humanities classes requiring a single, low-priced publication, book costs for different courses can vary widely.

The total cost of new books for organic chemistry is $335.59 at Wheelock Books, while the tab for American Founders, a history course, comes in at just $12.35.

Such great variation in course costs has led many students to consider the price of books for a particular course as much as the material the books cover.

"If I were deciding between two courses to take, and there was a significant difference in the prices of the books for each course, I would definitely choose the course that required cheaper books," Ambika Singh '07 said.

Niral Shah '08 spent $1 more than expected on course books this term. Had his books been more expensive, he said he would have changed courses.

"I pay for all books with my own money, so it is important that the cost of books falls within my budget," explained Shah.

Some professors have responded to concern over the cost of books by supplementing textbooks with handouts or books available from Baker-Berry Library. Marlene Heck, who teaches an American Founders class, said the low price for her books is no accident.

"I do think a lot about the price of books when I come up with a reading list, and I'm especially peeved about publishers who reprint the same old text but increase the price each year," Heck said.

For Fall term, she has required students to purchase only one book, which will comprise the majority of reading for the course.

By contrast, other professors find that high costs for the textbooks their courses require are inevitable. Chemistry professor Russell Hughes, who is teaching a section of organic chemistry this fall, said he chooses the books for his course by content and is not willing to sacrifice quality for lower prices.

The high cost of textbooks for certain classes especially may be due to the fact that they are required to gain entrance to graduate school, Hughes said. As a result, textbook publishers can charge higher prices to students who do not have an alternative.

For students bent on taking certain classes, the only way to lessen the cost of books may be to search for them online or acquire them through student networks of used books, such as The Basement.

Meghan Wendland '08 returned all of her texts to Wheelock Books on Thursday for a simple reason.

"I just got them online for about half the price," Wendland said.