VIDEO: Books For School Aren’t Cheap

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A lot of firsts happen as a freshman in college, and one of those includes spending a few hundred dollars on books.

Freshmen filled dorms at Mississippi State on Saturday, which means it’s time to start filling their backpacks with books.

“Freshman books run anywhere from $350 dollars, and we have sold some up to $600 dollars,  but it’s according to what classes they’re taken,” says Campus Book Mart Manager, Stan Raye.

Raye says the sooner you buy your books, the better.

“The freshman comp book, these are not real expensive, but then when you get off to your other classes, College Algebra, Psychology, History, and Geography, then these books are a little more expensive, and just buying used and renting when you can, will save money.”

Mississippi State Sophomore Gabi Jackson, spent a little over $300 dollars on her books as a freshman, and could have spent more if she didn’t rent the ones she could.

“It can be a shock coming from high school where it’s you know, you don’t buy your books, but coming here, it wasn’t as expensive as I thought it would be. Of course, I knew before college, everyone’s like you have to buy your books, but coming here, I definitely got a pretty good deal.”

Jackson says she’s expecting to spend more money as sophomore because she’s enrolled in more courses.

“You know, the books that everyone needs, if it’s just a general book, you won’t be spending that much. Once you get into your major classes, I’ve noticed that you know, with majors, it’s a very specialized kind of thing, so it might be a bit more expensive.”

Although book price tags can get pretty hefty, Raye says there are opportunities to make that money back.

“We do buy books all year, but at the end of the semester, right before exams and exam weeks, we pay more because we’re buying to use the next semester here.”

Classes at State kick off August 16.