College Success Blog

When I started college I was lucky enough to have a coworker that just finished his nursing program pass on his text books to me. Now that I just graduated I passed on my books, digital recorder and other stuff to a student that is starting the program just finished. So it is in that spirit that this post comes from.

Eliminating Barriers for Low-Income Students to go to College

Checked the price of required texts lately? The prices are so exorbitant they have made recent headlines. Low income students are much more likely to attempt courses by borrowing books from roommates or friends. Have you noticed?

It can be frustrating to loan a needed text to a classmate; however, have you considered the circumstances as to why that student seems to be working, studying and remains without enough cash to purchase the $300 required reading?

How many times have you attempted to turn in a used text only to find that the bookstore isn’t accepting any more? What did you do with the text? What could you do on your own campus to create a system that ensures no student has to borrow and beg chapters to pass coursework?

Students in this situation often suffer silently. They may explain that the bookstore sold out of used texts and there are no more available used. They may not explain at all. You may find them a little defensive about the predicament. The fact is, they are less fortunate and attempting to study, eat, and work just as you are but with fewer options.

Take the time to consider this situation. Talk to your friends and make it a point to ‘pass it on’ with texts the college bookstore no longer wants. Address the issue with college administrators, especially if text books are forever changing for a particular class. This is a financial drain for many students that can only be described as wasteful and unnecessary spending. It is often the difference between pass or fail, a month of dinners or weeks of earnings. No student should have to make decisions like that after paying thousands of dollars for higher education.

What you can do:

1. Assess the need in your dormitory, club or other groups. Which texts are the most expensive and largely unavailable as ‘used’? Which classes change texts on a regular basis?
2. Visit the campus bookstore to confirm the lack of availability and address other questions.
3. Place a campus advertisement asking students to join you to discuss the difficulty of paying for required textbooks, changing texts for the same content and lack of affordable used texts.
4. Discuss tactics with this group.
5. Make an appointment with the appropriate administrative personnel;
6. State your case;
7. Request permission to establish another path to obtain the appropriate texts.
8. Formally request, in writing, that the institution review the exorbitant cost of textbooks and create financially sound alternatives.

Well done! You have effectively alleviated barriers to required textbooks for low-income students on your campus! Now, spread the word! Go to MySpace, Facebook and college social sites to build momentum and ‘pay it forward’! With determination and devotion, you may just change college campus access to textbooks across the country!

– The Dumb Kid