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And So the Story Goes…

Winter break, visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, family time, and maybe a family vacation; and having your student home. But your vision and your student’s vision of winter break may just be polar opposites. Add to this vision is that students who leave for Thanksgiving will have the choice to finish up the semester online with the new semester not starting until mid to late January (some schools are even starting later). Many of us will have them home for 6 weeks or more.

Some will take COVID tests before coming home for Thanksgiving if they have not already tested positive. Some will still need to social distance from their family. And for those you go back after Thanksgiving, perhaps they will need another test before returning home for winter break.

With many students finishing up the semester at home, they will need a quiet space to study, have group chats with classmates or friends, take exams. Most of us are trying our best to give them the comforts they need but if you are like me, it has meant their bedroom is also their study room, their library room, and their classroom. I for one have sometimes forgotten when my daughter is on a call and screamed something across the house so I get having to make adjustments. That means making sure they have a quiet place to study and take exams without interruptions. (Of course, we’ve got some suggestions for Creating A Work and Study Home Space).

Hanging out with you every day may not be what your student was planning on doing. And while we are all excited to have our kids home, there needs to be a mutual meeting of the minds, so to speak. Yes, some have had very stressful semesters and may need this downtime. If that is the case, definitely give them a few days to get used to being home. Expect that they have changed; just as you too have changed as you both adjusted to a new family dynamic. You may notice a new sense of independence and self-sufficiency. And that is something to be excited about. Of course, how they handle this newfound independence may differ from your ideas but they are moving toward being able to handle a lot more on their own.

Perhaps they can go back to jobs they had prior to leaving for college if those are still available. Or maybe they can find a part-time job during the holiday season. Many cities belong to Nexdoor, a private social network where local residents post requests. Some may be looking for tutors, a babysitter, pet sitter, or even help with small tasks. They can offer their skills in Fiverr. Let’s face it, there are many small businesses that need to create a digital presence; who better to turn to than college students who know how to create websites, manage social media posts, and even code.

They need something to do other than lying in bed, watching Hulu, or Netflix every day. How you balance the “my house; therefore my rules” while they are home will require open dialogue and a lot of patience. Just like when they lived at home, I still have curfews and they must help with chores around the house. Family dinners and keeping the common areas clutter-free are two of my biggest issues. I know we want them to love being home again, however, there have to be some rules that still are respected.

Curfew?

Curfews become a tad more lenient as each college year passes, but basically, I can’t sleep well when I know they are into the very late hours. And there is the whole question of how comfortable you are with them going out and meeting up with friends. Are they meeting up in someone’s backyard or hitting up some of the more popular restaurants? My ask is that they are respectful of the fact that we (as opposed to them) are older and don’t really want to get COVID 19. Plus there is the whole issue of their grandmother and keeping her safe. As parents, we have to remember that our kids have been on their own for several months. They now answer only to themselves. They are learning valuable lessons. They probably enjoy being able to sleep all day or stay up into the early mornings talking with friends or going out at 11 pm after they finish studying and eating whenever and whatever they like.

So as a mom that has been there, done that, I have learned to pick my battles. They can keep their own bedrooms however they want, but the family areas are “clutter-free zones.” Don’t expect them to unpack right away. For Thanksgiving, the pre-pandemic excuse was they were only home for a short amount of time but a month of living out of a suitcase may make no sense to you or I. Trust me when I say that after the first week of them not being able to find anything, they will unpack. I’ve watched both my daughters do this. My niece, on the other hand, is a bit more organized and unpacked for the first hour she was home.

Everyone has their own method so maybe just close their door. My kids, like most, are thirsting for home-cooked meals and, since I love to cook, I actually enjoyed being able to prepare their favorite meals; I even had them go to the grocery store for me while I was working to pick up the ingredients I needed. Expect a lot more laundry. I must admit the first time each of my kids came home from school for Thanksgiving; I was so excited to have them home I actually did their laundry. Yes, that lasted one visit! I now keep them company while they do their own laundry, sometimes helping them fold it. Fine; I will do anything to spend a little extra time with them. Let them know ahead of time of any holiday commitments that are already scheduled whether this is Hanukkah, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. In between, let them have time to spend with their friends but make sure they are doing it safely. Allow them to adjust like you are and appreciate the time you do get to spend together. It is a whole new way of life for our students and for us too.

Our interns share their perspectives in We’re Coming Home for Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s. Perhaps that will be a good starting point for discussion about the next month and a half (unless your student is going back after Thanksgiving- bookmark it for the winter break.

Finally, because many are shopping online this year (or ordering online and picking up at the store), we share our holiday gift guides to make shopping easier! Our interns curated the gift suggestions… we’re just the messengers.

From all of us at HaveUHeard, we wish you a very happy & healthy holiday season!

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First Applicants Find Substantial Assets, of course!

FAFSA is the national Free Application for Federal Student Aid but, based on how aid is distributed. Because aid is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, every student that hopes to receive aid for college must fill out this form to even be considered. Every college has its own deadline.

Beginning with the 2017-2018 FAFSA, students were able to file the FAFSA using prior-prior year (PPY) tax data. As a result of this change, you now can submit the FAFSA for the 2021-2022 academic year on October 1, 2020, using your 2019 tax and income information. As of September 27, 2020, the FAFSA$caster, an eligibility estimator tool for federal student aid, is no longer available.

The FAFSA is available online. This is a first come first serve as these loans are limited and time-sensitive. You can complete the application initially using estimated tax information and do not need to wait for your taxes to start the process. And, there is now an app for filling out FAFSA which includes access to the IRS’ data-retrieval tool. The app is called myStudentAid which will allow students to fill out the FAFSA on their phones on either an iPhone or Android.

For high school seniors who will not know what school they are attending, you can submit a FAFSA application for schools you are planning on attending and then update your application down the road. If your financial situation has changed since filing a tax return, do not hold off and starting the application process. You can discuss the change in finances with the financial affairs office once you know your student’s school. Each school has a different deadline and therefore better to apply early than risk not getting financial aid. You can add the schools you are planning on applying to as early as October 1st.

Keep up with the paperwork!

Make certain you apply EVERY year. It may not be the perfect scenario, but it is how FAFSA works. More information is available on the FAFSA website. We love this graphic that explains the FAFSA in more detail.

Click on your university for more specific information.

Get Involved

Some universities are enormous or they may just feel that way. We have found that the best way to make it feel smaller is to get involved. Joining a club will help your students build a community while helping students to discover their passions and strengths. To make a big university feel small, get more involved! When most students think of getting involved, Greek life comes to mind, but there are so many other on-campus opportunities to take advantage of.

The list of clubs, organizations, and ways students can get involved is literally in the 100’s and every school differs. Some students may choose to rush a sorority or fraternity, others might want to get involved in intramural sports, and some may want to turn their compassion into action by volunteering. Student government may be their thing, or perhaps they prefer a religious organization. Did you know that many schools now have a Quidditch Team? Depending on how well students organize their time, they may want to get involved in multiple ways. To make the most of college getting involved is undoubtedly one of the first steps.

Firstly, joining a club helps your students build a community and network. Meeting people will help their transition into college go smoother and these connections and friendships can last forever. Joining clubs and organizations allows students to discover their passions and strengths, and to make connections for future resumes and employment.

What You Should Do Before You Head Out for Holiday Break

Right before students head out for Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, and Spring Break, they’ve spent the week finishing up assignments, holed up in the library studying for exams, living off coffee (or any form of caffeine), and a meager diet. By the time they are finished, almost ready to just get home and catch up on sleep and have a home-cooked meal, they forget that there are certain things they need to do before they head out.

Now we have said they are sleep-deprived so you may want to gently remind them of some items they should take care of before they leave, less they risk coming back to their dorm or apartment smelling of rotten food, possible bugs, missing items.

Here is that list:

The Kitchen: Throw away all perishable food that may expire before they leave (or pack it in a refrigerated bag with ice to bring home). Make sure any dishes are cleaned. That dried on food will be much harder to clean when they get back and they risk having bugs.
Take out the trash. Again, the last thing they will want to come back to is a room that smells of garbage which will not take long at all.
Clean their rooms. This is just something that they will greatly appreciate when they return and their dorm/apartment is clean – one less thing to worry about.
Bring home all valuables.
Unplug their power strip or any other electronic that is left (not appliances but perhaps their television, if they have one. There is no reason to leave a power strip plugged in if nothing is connected to it. By the same logic, while most will bring home hair irons, blow dryers, regular irons, a quick sweep through will help decrease the chances of fires or other electrical issues while they are gone.
Turn up the thermostat to 78. This being Florida, it is unlikely it will get too cold (even if there is a cold front, they are short-lived). If no one will be in their apartment, it is a good way to save on cooling costs.
Make sure that all windows and doors are locked securely.
Have them bring home anything they do not need to use their last month and a half of school including items that will not go in storage. This will make it much easier to pack up their rooms when, and if, they are planning to move out of their current residence.

The Money-filled Bank of Mom and Dad

If you have a student in college, we are sure that sometimes (or perhaps all the time), you feel like you are a financial institution, giving money to your students to help offset the cost of college. That would not make you alone as, according to the Pew Research Center, three in 5 parents with children between 18 and 29 have given their kids some financial help in the last year including assistance with bills and groceries, education costs, and rent or mortgage.

Money, whether you give your student a little, a lot, or none at all, the fact remains is that college is enormously expensive and college debt is at an all-time high. We have been in your position; in fact, some of us still have college graduates that need our financial support. That is why we share some cost-saving tips with you to start off the year.

Teach them to Budget – If there is a budget class, sign them up! I’m going to start with the dreaded comment starting “when I was in college, we didn’t have…” (insert teenager eye-roll here). All of us at HaveUHeard can say that we did not have computers, iPads, or cell phones to help us bank, and somehow, we managed to survive. Today, students do the majority of their banking online, split the cost of food and entertainment through apps such as Venmo, and rarely walk around with cash. So how do we get them to learn to live within a budget? And how much should we give them?

For school-specific information, check out each university.

Tax Time – Taxes, we have to admit, are not fun but necessary. As you are preparing your return or having a CPA prepare your return, do not forget to take advantage of the Education Tax Credits available which can help offset the cost of your student’s education. We’ve also received some very helpful information we want to pass along to you… The IRS has advised college students and families that, when filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, they can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to obtain tax information necessary to fill out the form. Other options are also available to obtain tax information (IRS Tax Tip 2019-82). The federal government offers various forms of financial aid for college students, including loans and scholarships.

For tax time school-specific information, check out each university.

Scholarships – Almost as soon as the first acceptance to college came in, so did the idea of actually having to pay for their tuition and room and board. With so many scholarships available today, the trick is finding the ones that suit your student’s needs and that they will qualify for. Some scholarships are quite competitive, some last for four years, and some are downright silly, but pay for something. All make those bills for the next four (or more) years more bearable.

For school-specific information, check out each university.

Every year, I hear stories about the many thousands of dollars in scholarship money that are never applied for. It does take a lot of work and time to research scholarships, apply for them, and to validate the authenticity of them. Our goal is to make it easy for you, below we have tons of suggestions to get you a step closer to getting a scholarship.

College Avenue – Whether you’re a parent or a student looking for a loan, College Avenue and HaveUHeard are here for you. We know getting loans is scary and complicated, so we partnered with College Avenue to provide you with an awesome connection. A student loan designed for you. Take the stress out of paying for college by creating a private student loan that fits your budget and your goals. With a simple application, helpful tools, and great customer service, we’re here to help you breathe easy. Feeling Stressed? We’ve Got A Better Process.

Career Fairs & Internships

Fall and spring semester career and internship fairs serve as a springboard to planning for the future. Students who have not yet secured a job or internship may start considering their options. For students who are graduating in the fall or spring that have not secured a job, this is an opportunity to meet recruiters and interact in person before a full formal interview. Make sure your student is familiar with the date of their university’s career fair or expo. You may check our calendar page for those dates or read about our interns’ experiences attending their school’s career fair or internship fair, suggestions on what to wear, and where to rent professional clothes if that is a resource they will need. To make it simple, our interns include helpful links in their blogs.

Whether your student is a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, there are many advantages to attending these fairs. Introduce them to career and internship opportunities – We would not expect that freshman and sophomores know what type of career they see in their future but by attending a career fair, they get to explore career opportunities. Perhaps just one conversation with an employer may pique their interest and change the course of their future degree. Practice interviewing and professional skills. From dressing professionally to preparing their resumes, from selling themselves to landing an interview for an internship or job, this is a great opportunity to get real-world experience and have access to so many career services in one location. And should they struggle with small talk at one recruiting table, they can learn and adjust quickly before getting to the next recruiting table.

Access to Employers. Employers participate in these fairs because they are looking to hire and find talent from a large pool of candidates. Attending job and internship fairs is a cost-effective way to have contact with many students in a short period of time. Many of these employers are familiar with the recruiting opportunities job and internship fairs offer and the caliber of students that attend. They already have established relationships with the universities and they often send former students, who are now employees, to the fairs. It presents a great networking opportunity for both student and employer alike.

If your student has not secured an internship for the summer when they start the Spring semester, keep in mind that some students majoring in Advertising, Business Marketing, Communications, and PR for example, often don’t land an internship until March or even as late as April and May. If they land an internship out of state, it could present a “where will they live” predicament. Some of the more sought-after summer housing places in cities such as New York City take deposits as early as December. Are you ready to put down a non-refundable deposit before your student lands an internship in that city? We were not so we waited and got locked out of a dorm she wanted to live in. We did find her another dorm in the city and found there were plenty of options including subletting an apartment. We even have a blog on out-of-state recommended places to live should your student land an internship.

For school-specific information, check out each university.

An Academic Advisor’s Advice on How to Handle this Situation

by Priscilla Beth Baker

HaveUHeard presents this guest blog from an expert on Academic Advisors and how to handle the complaints that come up during your college students’ career.

All of our kids have certain expectations before they go to college about what it will be like academically. They ask themselves if they will transition smoothly given the rigor of their high school curriculum. They wonder if they have the tools necessary to succeed in the higher ed environment. Some make assumptions that it won’t even be a transition because they feel so ready. The reality of what they encounter is seldom what they anticipated on multiple levels.

Perhaps one thing a few of them anticipate is how to handle a difficult situation related to a class or a professor on their own. Let’s be honest – when our kids were in high school, we parents were frequently guilty of intervening with teachers on their behalf to discuss grades, missing work, upcoming vacations that conflicted with class, extensions, and any number of other things. We unwittingly set the stage for them to have absolutely no idea how to handle these issues themselves. And even those students who do admirably manage to address these situations themselves at the high school level are exponentially more intimidated by a college professor they see for only 3 hours a week from the back of a classroom.

Advocate Skills

It is imperative that our children develop the skills necessary to advocate for themselves, especially in high-pressure, high-stakes situations like classes where grades (and therefore their futures as they perceive it) are involved. Learning these lessons now will set them on a course to be able to do the same in a professional setting after graduation. There is no greater professional gift that you can give to your child than the ability to both give and receive constructive criticism as a matter of personal growth.

Your child will likely have many complaints about their classes and professors during their time away at school. Sometimes they just need to vent and don’t even want you to weigh in. Sometimes they just need some words of encouragement and reminders about resources on campus they might not be accessing. And then there will be times when your impulse will be to call the Dean and demand higher quality instruction. As tempting as that might be, you need to resist that temptation while knowing that that call will yield little result regardless.

In the spirit of this kind of professional development, I reached out to multiple faculty members at my home institution where I serve as an Academic Advisor and asked them three key questions. What follows is a compilation of their advice combined with my own experience advising these issues for the past seven years.

If a student has a complaint/issue about something related to your class, what is your preferred method of them handling that situation if they choose to do so? Book a meeting, office hours, email, phone, etc? Why?

Faculty Comments

Faculty were split on what the best first-line of defense is in this situation. Half said they prefer students to contact them first via email to initially address the situation; then a meeting can be booked if necessary. This tactic provides a documented paper trail that is important for both students and faculty alike. If your child is uncomfortable relaying the issue in writing, he or she can email the professor simply stating that they would like to set up a meeting to discuss something in person. Most minor issues can and should be resolved via email, but something more sensitive should be handled in person. Your child should not, however, expect an immediate response via email outside of business hours. Repeatedly emailing professors over weekends, in the evenings, or on breaks is just not advisable. Instructors will respond in a timely manner as their schedules permit.

The other half of the faculty felt that office hours or after class were the most appropriate way to handle complaints. In case you are unaware, all instructors have posted office hours on their syllabi for each semester which your child should know about. Professors who felt in-person meetings were the best tactic cited the difficulty of email communication as the main reason, and how easily things can be misinterpreted in those back and forth exchanges. Students are also far bolder in writing than they are in person which can lead to “borderline inappropriate or insulting emails” that will do little to improve your child’s situation. Being face-to-face means the professor can ask follow-up questions, refer your child to outside resources, and ensure that the situation has been resolved. Although potentially intimidating, oftentimes an in-person meeting will ultimately consume far less time than lengthy (and often distressing) email interchanges.

Where to Focus Instead of Complaints

One professor said she’d “prefer that students focus on things I can do to improve or help their learning” rather than focusing on “complaints.” If your child is having difficulty learning due to a professor’s approach, it is appropriate to address that specifically and with concrete examples as to how the instructor could better serve the learning objectives.

“However, there are some issues that I’m not sure students communicating with the professors will do anything to change, as these annoyances are simply a matter of individual personality and are the same annoyances others in the workplace face,” says one professor. This is a very important point. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and sometimes we just need to look the other way and find a way to make it work, allowing that that person is doing the best they can. For “complaints” that fall into this category (e.g. “the professor is disorganized; the professor does not return things in a timely manner, the professor plays favorites”), the best place your child can note those issues would be on a teaching evaluation at the end of the semester, again, with specific examples rather than just complaining. Then the department head in reviewing the evaluations can address those things specifically with the professor in their reviews.

“For issues of faculty being disrespectful to the students, harassment, or other completely unprofessional behavior,” one faculty member recommends they document specific examples (date, what was said, etc.) and raise the issue directly with either the Assistant Department Head or Department Head. These behaviors are categorically unacceptable and should not be tolerated.

Outside of academic help, what do you view as valid reasons for a student to come and talk to you? What would you prefer that they work out on their own?

Faculty were unanimous in saying that coming to them for academic help, career advice, research opportunities, and professional development are perfectly appropriate reasons.

What’s not appropriate? Talking to professors about roommate issues, girlfriend/boyfriend problems, issues with other faculty or students “unless it deals with their ability to succeed in my class.” Those conversations should be reserved for their Academic Advisor, family, friends, or counselors.

Pet Peeves

A pet peeve of faculty is a student coming to speak with them about a homework assignment that they have not even attempted to do on their own. Or asking about careers they have not even done a quick Google search on themselves. Students need to come prepared with questions ready. A professor’s time is just as valuable as your child’s.

Another pet peeve? Do not contact professors after semester grades have posted to ask if they can change your grade and give reasons why they should do so (i.e. “I will get kicked out of my department if…I worked so hard and improved by the end….I really loved your class and feel I deserve a better grade.” Unless there is a genuine error in the grade, students need to leave it alone. Faculty give the grade a student earns not what students think they deserve. It is unethical to do otherwise.

At what point do you want a student to talk to you regarding struggles in your class (be it academic, medical, mental health-related issues, etc). Would you prefer to be kept in the loop early on or only if it becomes untenable for them?

Faculty were unanimous in saying some version of “early and often.” They would rather know that something might become a potential issue before it actually is. This also enables them to make accommodations early on if necessary and to make sure those accommodations are fair and consistent. Alternatively, if there is no real potential issue, but one arises later in the semester which precludes turning assignments in a timely manner, a student should alert the professor as soon as things start slipping.

How Best to Convey Their Struggles

“It’s fine for them to say ‘just as a heads up, I’m having a (fill in the blank) problem.’ I think it’s good for students to be proactive and to demonstrate to their instructors that they have a plan.” Students needn’t give specifics – vaguely saying they are dealing with a ‘personal, medical or family issue’ is just fine. “If they want to give more specifics because it makes them feel better to talk, that’s fine too. However, in some professional environments, being too specific may be frowned on.” Another added benefit in including faculty in the dialogue is that it enables professors and advisors to suggest ways of coping and resources that your child may be wholly unaware of as existing on their campuses.

If students try to communicate with their professors and truly feel unheard or the situation becomes untenable, contacting their advisor, the Assistant Department Head, or even the Department Head might be appropriate, but in my experience, most professors share this attitude: “The goal in my class is for the students to learn. So, if something I am or am not doing is affecting their learning, and it is in my power to change, I will do what I can.” It’s best if our kids, and we as parents, keep that in mind in guiding them to communicate with faculty as effectively as possible.

Priscilla Beth Baker currently works as an academic advisor at a large university and has two college-aged sons of her own. She is also a former high school English teacher and educational writer for Prestwick House Publishing.

Backyard Tailgate Party!

What no tailgate action this season? Now that football has started but with limited fans in attendance and large pre-game tailgates strongly discouraged, there are still ways to gather a small group of friends to cheer on your team. From family Olympics to our own obstacle courses using household items, it is reminiscent of the days when we made up our own games using only our imaginations and whatever we could rummage up in the house. Being a sports family, we were glad to see sports leagues finding a way to play. So if you cannot get to a game, you can certainly cheer from home.

We’ve got some great suggestions to throw a backyard tailgate to support your favorite team including cornhole sets, pop up table tennis sets, four-game set, hook and ring games, target practice games, tumble towers, and more. You can even throw in a collapsible table, chairs For food, check out these tailgates kits, and don’t forget the college-branded coozies or a college campus frosted glass to keep your drinks cold.

Enjoy great savings, support your favorite team, and make some family memories with your own backyard tailgate. Click by the school or see college games in general. So while you are waiting for the Corona-curse to be lifted, keep really active and keep having fun!

The college you attend also has university-specific games, clothes, and gifts, so click on your university below to learn about those.

Where are the Safe Places to Go

Safe, sane, and happy? As colleges devise plans to reopen in the fall, they are also coming up with ways to keep our students safe, sane, and healthy. However, no matter what rules they come up with and how many masks they distribute; students have to adhere to them if they are going to be effective. Sadly, as soon as the bars opened in one college town; they were packed with mask-free college students desperate for some long-awaited fun, and within a week, students started to test positive for Covid19.

We are not judging, by any means; we too are a bit anxious to see friends and get out of the house. We also understand that college is not solely about getting a degree. Perhaps there are some other options to overcrowded bars and frat parties that will offer college students some safer alternatives for entertainment. We realize a hike through a park isn’t exactly a fair comparison to, let’s say, a good pre-game, but what if that pre-game is outside? Better? Perhaps a bit.

Recently a friend posted photos of a party they allowed their teenagers to have in their backyard. Each guest was required to wear…no, not a mask, because they haven’t yet figured out how to get a drink-through them yet, but instead they all wore these silly-looking contraptions around their waists made from pool noodles that poked out far enough that they were constantly reminded if they got closer than about 6 feet. I imagine there were a lot of laughs based on how funny the pictures looked, but I suppose when we get desperate for fun, we are willing to wear just about anything.

What is the Safest Way?

So, should we all start constructing pool-noodle-waist-bands for our returning college students? The truth is, they are only, like a mask, effective if they wear them. Certainly, we can encourage safety procedures and send gallons of anti-bacterial and Clorox wipes too. The colleges are trying their best to come up with the safest strategies; however, it’s not enough to limit protective guidelines to classrooms and residence halls and they don’t have control in private apartments or off-campus hangouts.

Given that being outside is all of our best bet at this point, we have come up with a list of places near each campus that students can go to look for a little diversion from studying. Of course, this doesn’t mean they should head out in droves, but we also know that we can put the ideas out there; they are adults now and will make their own choices. Check out your school’s blog on Where’s Safe.

Of course, if you notice that your student is experiencing any type of stress or anxiety from the new rules on campus, there are resources available. Learn more in our blog The Stress Happens to All.

The Rising Cost of College Books

As if college tuition isn’t expensive enough, students still need to pay for books and supplies. Those costs are included in the Cost of Attendance (COA). The COA at your student’s school can easily be found (but we are giving it to you here).

Books average around $1000 annually (These figures are averages and will vary from student to student and university to university.They are indirect costs not billed by the university). Now that students are getting ready to return to school, the reality begins. The whole reason they are at college is to learn and take classes, meaning they will need to have the necessary tools to do so, including books. Textbooks can be very expensive, so it is important to make informed decisions when picking out books to buy or rent.

HaveUHeard that Florida law now requires instructors to post course textbook information prior to the start of each term, giving students the time needed to locate and purchase their books at the lowest price?

HaveUHeard that some colleges do offer free textbooks? The Open-Source textbook movement has become more crucial than ever before. Many universities are members of the Open Textbook Network (OTN), an alliance of higher education institutions working to improve access, affordability, and academic success using open textbooks. Hundreds of open textbooks are available through the network’s online library that can be downloaded for no cost or printed at a low cost.

More Books

There are many Open Educational Resource initiatives that are working on making college textbooks more affordable. Open textbooks are just one example of an OER. OER’s also include study guides, practice tests, problem sets, exams, videos, and other classroom tools. They include:

The Student Public Interest Research Group (PIRG)’s “…mission is to ensure that every student has access to the high-quality learning materials they need – at little-to-no-cost.” Fortunately, Congress is listening as are the universities.

In the Legislature:

In 2008, Congress passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which banned some of the publisher’s worst practices to rip students off.
In 2011 and 2012, respectively, Washington and California enacted laws to create a statewide open textbook and educational resource programs.
In 2013, Senators Durbin and Franken, with Congressmen Miller and Hinojosa, introduced companion bills to create a federal open textbook grant program.
In 2018, Congress includes $5 million in the federal budget for online education resources.

On-Campus:

More than 3,000 professors have signed a statement in support of open textbook adoption.
Dozens of universities like the University of Maryland (College Park) have launched their own campus programs to encourage open textbook use.
The Student PIRGs have published 15+ research reports documenting the problems and harms with traditional textbooks and why open textbooks are the solution.
In Florida, a statewide initiative exists which is a statewide repository based on common course codes that all faculty in the Florida state university system have access to low-cost course materials.

Almost all colleges now have some type of program to alleviate the debt and expense burden on students. You can learn more about each specific university below:

There are various other ways to purchase books and many different forms to choose from. From going to the bookstore on campus or purchasing books second-hand online, there are different cost-efficient ways to get all of your students’ required materials. Considering that textbooks can cost as much as a few hundred dollars each, it is smart to check out all of your purchasing options for each book.

Comparison shop – Students today have more choices than ever to get the textbook they need. They should shop around if they are not purchasing from students at their school or at their college bookstore (college bookstores will typically price match so having competitive prices will help them out)
Rent textbook and course materials- there are many online platforms that offer this service.
Consider purchasing used books either from other students or from online websites. They will need to make certain that the used book has the same material they need for class.
Consider using a digital version.

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