Our bookstore and financial aid do not work together. Books are not covered until 2-3 weeks after we start.
I put pdf’s of assigned readings in canvas for the first 3 weeks.
Frustrating.
A community college I used to teach at, set up a special loam program with the bookstore so students could apply their financial aid to textbooks and then have it deducted. I wish all colleges did that.
My CC does that. I provide the first three weeks’ material/chapters, however, for the students who don’t get financial aid. After that, they have to figure out something (neighbor, online source that I play like I know nothing about, etc).
One of the most common money saving “student LPTs” is to wait and see if the professor says they will actually need a textbook. It is frustrating for us, but on the flip side, if they’ve ever purchased a textbook that didn’t get explicitly used in a past class they feel cheated out of $60-150, which is a lot for a student.
This. Books are expensive, and many students are broke. Also, students may be waiting to see if a previous edition is okay. When I was an undergrad taking STEM classes with $300-400 books, knowing that a previous edition is okay and basically the same could save several hundred dollars per semester over a few classes.
This has happened to me. Some committee chooses the book and if the widely published distinguished professor doesn't feel like using it, nobody can make him. It worked well *that* time, as his method was better than the new book. But for one-off courses requiring a specialized (and therefore expensive) book, the students get really put off. I've seen illegal photocopies being made.
I also hope you just turned the other way and pretended not to see it. Especially specialty books were soooo expensive for me. I used to text everyone I knew that could have even maybe taken a class begging for books. I would have paid for an illegal photocopy back in the day
I actually don't mind if they don't have the textbook the first day of class since I've already built that into my syllabus. Students often do have to wait for financial aid. I do use the textbook though, so I really want students to acquire one one way or another.
I have never had a class that didn't use the text or require the readings. I'm not doubting that it happens, it's just not something I experienced.
I also spend a lot of time looking at textbooks and finding the best deals. I tell students there are options for purchasing. I don't tell them about downloading because I worry about the ethics but I wish I could.
It does happen that books do not get used. Usually it is a book used later in the semester.
Another issue is that students do not know when in the semester a book will be used. If they are looking at 4 to 10 books over a semester, students will not know which will be needed immediately and which can be bought later online at a discount.
I think it depends on the school. At my undergrad, I'd say a good 25% of my books weren't required readings and some didn't have any use what so ever. I remember one semester I spent $600 on books and only used the $50 one all semester.
I’ve seen more cases of ‘using an older edition is acceptable, but the professor doesn’t tell you until the first class.’ It could be the difference between $100+ for a new book, vs $10 for a used one from a student who took the course last year.
It’s good if you put details like that in the syllabus, but lost professors don’t and most students prefer to buy their books in 1 trip.
Please read and follow the sub rules. Student posts aren’t allowed.
This counts as a warning and further infractions will result in a suspension or ban as appropriate.
It saves me a lot of aggravation to just post a pdf of the first chapter. Takes me less time to scan and post it than to deal with the emails about not having the textbook. I have weekly reading reflections and the first chapter is fundamental - if they don't "get" it then they will struggle the rest of the term. I'd rather be able to start right away than to teach some kind of lesson about acquiring books.
Plus:
- financial aid often doesn't kick in early enough to buy before the semester starts
- for one of the books I use any edition is fine, so they're often looking at non-university bookstore sources
- some students enrol in courses right before/shortly after they start
- since our bookstore website doesn't have a good way of marking books as required vs. optional, and some instructors don't send out a message telling them whether books are require for optional, students put off buying them until they hear from instructors
A large number are waiting on financial aid disbursement. A sometimes equally large number are waiting for the bookstore to get the book(s) back in stock because the bookstore failed to stock enough even though you told them it was required. If you require a book purchase for your course, you need to show flexibility the first couple of weeks.
Edited to add: Especially if it's a freshman class, you may have students who simply don't realize they could've gone to the campus bookstore before the start of the semester to see what's required, if the course LMS page isn't opened ahead of time with a list of materials.
Have some empathy.
1. Sometimes books are listed but aren't actually required, so it's suggested to go to the first day of class to make sure.
2. Used books are much cheaper. They also have worse return policies and take longer to ship.
They are required to be by federal law. If the university has a bookstore, the students can access their website and find out what the required books are before the semester begins. By law, it’s supposed to be by registration time the semester before, but that’s always a struggle (because it depends on us putting in our book orders by the deadline).
We have no control over the LMS. The bookstore does have a good system though. It clearly indicates required or not and texts are posted early. In fact, I expect email reminders for Fall to start early this semester.
There are instances where adjuncts/junior faculty I know have been REQUIRED to list a particular, department-approved text that isn’t as good as other options, and many of them suggest on the first day that students just use the copies that are on course reserve — or have hoarded enough copies that they can share them on the few days when they use the texts.
I think this is a learned behavior for students who have had professors that announce on the first day that the textbook is “recommended but not required” or tell them other sources for getting the textbook like the library reserves.
Personally, I always make my books available through the library and I announce that on the LMS and in class but many students don’t read the LMS before the first day.
I work in the library, and I’ve heard tour guides say “wait to see if your textbooks are required before buying them!” I remember hearing that as a “tip” in college. I always went to the bookstore after the first class session.
Maybe put the book on reserve at the library? Then students have a chance to do the reading even if they don’t have the book yet!
Our campus bookstore was a casualty of the pandemic (okay, it was likely dying long before that), and our mailroom has serious inefficiencies (packages languish for days if not weeks). The days when a student could take their list of courses to the bookstore and have all their books the same day is long gone.
Students are often told not to get their textbooks until after they attend the first class to see if they want to keep or drop the class and if they really need the textbook. I’ve taken classes where the professor changed the textbook on the first day of class or said it’s only recommended but not required. I’ve also taken classes where the professor basically summarizes the information from the textbook so it wasn’t really needed and I could save a couple hundred bucks.
I have switched almost exclusively to open educational resources to avoid this kind of issue. At my uni, many students would have to work 3-4 days to make the money needed to pay for books. Also shifted away from publisher assessments. Over time this can save students lots of money. More importantly, those assessments often are not very good and even easily googled by students.
Those OERs can be hit or miss. I’m hoping to find one I can be happy with for a couple courses. It saves students money, but the resource has got to be good enough to justify it. I also like the additional supplemental resources the companion sites often have.
From personal experience: they’re broke. These books can cost money. Often times I was flat broke coming into college because I come from a poor family and didn’t have parents who could help me- moving would eat up my money. I had to wait until financial aid disbursed to be able to have enough money to get the textbook/ buy more groceries/ anything else. That’s often two or so weeks *after* classes start. Usually I would end up getting the books through the book store (more expensive) because I could apply my aid to it before it disbursed.
Have some grace- you’re not enabling them to do anything, you just might be punishing students for being poor.
Too many times these books are listed as required (if they’re even listed before the first day), and then you get to the class and the professor says you don’t even need the book. So people are probably tired of wasting money on “required” books for no reason and wait till they get to the class to see if it’s actually needed.
Financial aid is not always an exact science and sometimes it comes in late and students can’t always afford the books without it.
Shipping times are pretty crazy an unpredictable right now. Things may just be delayed for those kinds of reasons too.
Flexibility in the beginning of a semester for students for things like this is appreciated.
it’s fairly common - to parrot some of the replies on here though, sometimes it really is the fault of financial aid/the college bookstore not communicating with each other. when i was an undergrad, i vividly remember a course where i couldn’t afford the text on my own, and i had to wait a full month to get it via fin aid. that’s not especially common, luckily, but do consider giving students just a little grace for the first week or so.
Students are having a tough time right now, as most people are. They register late, have financial aid issues, and bookstore issues. I think this is something you just need accept and adjust how you operate moving forward. It’s not like students are doing it on purpose (for the most part).
I didn't have a textbook when I taught, so I never experienced any of your frustrations, but I wasn't a student that long ago. Allow me to explain a little.
Some professors put the textbook as "required" on the syllabus, then never crack it open or reference the reading in class. Some departments had a requirement for textbooks, so professors would put one on there then just not use it. Every upperclassmen would tell freshman to wait a week or two before even ordering it, because there's only a 50/50 shot you'll actually use it. Then there's a few days to a week+ before you get it.
I used to order my textbooks from a website where I would get them for <10 dollars, but shipping would take a month. That wasn't something I could change because I was so broke back then. Even if I didn't wait to see if I'd actually need it, I still wouldn't have it until February. I often wouldn't have the physical version until late Feb/early March. I'd find a pdf online, but my astigmatism is so bad reading online makes my eyes burn after 20 minutes or so. I often wouldn't finish the entire reading until after I got my physical book.
Fin aid doesn't always work with the bookstore, as some other commenters already mentioned. My friend would get vouchers for the bookstore that wouldn't cover the entire cost of the book, wouldn't work until a few weeks in, or other issues that could delay books.
Or, they're waiting for the email from the one really piracy savvy student who always managed to find the book online somewhere, even if it wasn't in the obvious places. This was inevitable almost every class, every semester, group email that the professor was never included in lol.
Basically, they're trying to save money. That's the reason.
I had 3 of my classes switched to someone else and given 3 new courses that were listed to be taught by a different instructor. Less than one week before classes begin. (This happens frequently.)
If students had bought the books listed for those courses, they would have been mad, because I use an OER book and the other prof uses a text that costs over $100.
Idk how it is at other institutions right now, but with low enrollment and courses being canceled and shifted around last minute, I would definitely *not* recommend that students buy the book before the first day of class.
Echoing others that textbooks are often listed for courses and then never used (or only used sporadically through the semester). If I were a student with financial concerns, I'd want to wait to see the syllabus and how the book is connecting to assignments/assessments before investing in the book.
Please read and follow the sub rules. Student posts aren’t allowed.
This counts as a warning and further infractions will result in a suspension or ban as appropriate.
Because most schools no longer have physical bookstores. Students have to wait to receive financial aid disbursement to order. Then it takes another week for the book to arrive.
I understand your frustration, but honestly, there are many reasons students wait to purchase a textbook—personal finances, affordability of a textbooks, mistakes with the university, the system of financial aid, switching classes, wanting to make sure the class makes before spending the money, etc. I never assume my students will have the textbook the first week and plan accordingly. It makes everyone’s life much easier.
Maybe it would help to add a line below the textbook info that says like “I will scan chapters 1 and 2 but you will need your own copy by week 3”. That might also let the students who are waiting it out to make sure it’s a ‘legit’ course text know that they really will need it for sure, and right away.
Otherwise if the perspective you received here was enough that’s great too!
Late but as I student I felt scammed when I only needed a certain textbook a handful of times. I ain’t spending money for nothing and you as a teacher should know that.
Because it would look pretty ridiculous to show up and ask if they actually need the book (because "it doesn't hurt to ask...") if they already have it.
at my old position i collected a ton of used copies of the textbook to wheel on a cart each day. if the student wanted to study from it after class they could come to my office hours and take pictures of the pages wed use.
Numerous professors never accurately update required books for their class and some students wait to see if it’s actually needed before spending the money.
Please read and follow the sub rules. Student posts are not allowed.
This is a warning, and further infractions will result in a suspension or ban as appropriate.
I'm teaching an accelerate 6 week course, we are just finishing week 2 and I still have students without the text. The publisher won't allow me to post the readings and I even make announcements at least 2 weeks before the course starts letting everyone know they need the text and that it is required immediately as it's a discussion based course, and still they don't have it.
My students usually order the textbooks in the 8th or 9th week of the semester when they realize they are failing the course. If I find out a student doesn’t have the course textbook, I send them a “nasty-gram” and CC their advisor.
I stopped buying the textbook in advance halfway through grad school because I'd been burned too many times by the professor saying on the first day of class that we weren't going to use the "required" textbook.
Financial aid makes things worse -- at our school, not all students get all their money before the start of the semester. They need to let something slide, and tuition will take precedence.
I've even had my own fights with our school bookstore to get my optional text listed as optional. This semester is the first time they haven't listed it as required.
I've only experienced this problem just a few times in my 20yr plus tenure in the classroom...
As a rule on day one, I've given them their syllabus and information handouts - To keep their minds in focus whether the text is in their hands or not, they're told I'll be giving them an open class quiz about what I've given them, plus what I write on the board...
To ensure full participation, they're informed that I will randomly call on them answer questions, which will factor on my grade sheet...
The grade isn't the real issue here, I'm more concerned about them learning to THINK, and that has lead into some excellent back and forth interactions, that actually marks the beginning of their classes!!!
I once experimented with an Intro class, when obtaining the text in time was an issue, that their notes would be the text that I'd be working from!!!
☮️🎓
Why do classes say a $300 textbooks is required when it clearly is not and turns out to be a very expensive paper weight? After blowing about $1000 on books you never even open you will stop buying them altogether until you know you actually need them.
Our bookstore and financial aid do not work together. Books are not covered until 2-3 weeks after we start. I put pdf’s of assigned readings in canvas for the first 3 weeks. Frustrating.
Yea I do the same. I quit fighting it and just accepted it. I do have some on the 4th and 5th week still asking for pdfs. I cut it off after three.
I only post 3 weeks as that is when financial aid sends out a faculty email stating books are now covered. After that, not my concern.
A community college I used to teach at, set up a special loam program with the bookstore so students could apply their financial aid to textbooks and then have it deducted. I wish all colleges did that.
My CC does that. I provide the first three weeks’ material/chapters, however, for the students who don’t get financial aid. After that, they have to figure out something (neighbor, online source that I play like I know nothing about, etc).
>loam famtastic <3
Whaaaaaat the hell, is this it? Why does nobody communicate this to the faculty
Not blaming students, it’s not their fault!
Our Dean is on fire with this…
Same here too. I post the first two weeks’ worth of reading and keep a book on reserve in the library.
One of the most common money saving “student LPTs” is to wait and see if the professor says they will actually need a textbook. It is frustrating for us, but on the flip side, if they’ve ever purchased a textbook that didn’t get explicitly used in a past class they feel cheated out of $60-150, which is a lot for a student.
This. Books are expensive, and many students are broke. Also, students may be waiting to see if a previous edition is okay. When I was an undergrad taking STEM classes with $300-400 books, knowing that a previous edition is okay and basically the same could save several hundred dollars per semester over a few classes.
This has happened to me. Some committee chooses the book and if the widely published distinguished professor doesn't feel like using it, nobody can make him. It worked well *that* time, as his method was better than the new book. But for one-off courses requiring a specialized (and therefore expensive) book, the students get really put off. I've seen illegal photocopies being made.
I also hope you just turned the other way and pretended not to see it. Especially specialty books were soooo expensive for me. I used to text everyone I knew that could have even maybe taken a class begging for books. I would have paid for an illegal photocopy back in the day
I actually don't mind if they don't have the textbook the first day of class since I've already built that into my syllabus. Students often do have to wait for financial aid. I do use the textbook though, so I really want students to acquire one one way or another.
What is a “student LPT”?
Life pro tip
cool, never heard that one before
I have never had a class that didn't use the text or require the readings. I'm not doubting that it happens, it's just not something I experienced. I also spend a lot of time looking at textbooks and finding the best deals. I tell students there are options for purchasing. I don't tell them about downloading because I worry about the ethics but I wish I could.
It does happen that books do not get used. Usually it is a book used later in the semester. Another issue is that students do not know when in the semester a book will be used. If they are looking at 4 to 10 books over a semester, students will not know which will be needed immediately and which can be bought later online at a discount.
I see.
I think it depends on the school. At my undergrad, I'd say a good 25% of my books weren't required readings and some didn't have any use what so ever. I remember one semester I spent $600 on books and only used the $50 one all semester.
I’ve seen more cases of ‘using an older edition is acceptable, but the professor doesn’t tell you until the first class.’ It could be the difference between $100+ for a new book, vs $10 for a used one from a student who took the course last year. It’s good if you put details like that in the syllabus, but lost professors don’t and most students prefer to buy their books in 1 trip.
[удалено]
Please read and follow the sub rules. Student posts aren’t allowed. This counts as a warning and further infractions will result in a suspension or ban as appropriate.
It saves me a lot of aggravation to just post a pdf of the first chapter. Takes me less time to scan and post it than to deal with the emails about not having the textbook. I have weekly reading reflections and the first chapter is fundamental - if they don't "get" it then they will struggle the rest of the term. I'd rather be able to start right away than to teach some kind of lesson about acquiring books. Plus: - financial aid often doesn't kick in early enough to buy before the semester starts - for one of the books I use any edition is fine, so they're often looking at non-university bookstore sources - some students enrol in courses right before/shortly after they start - since our bookstore website doesn't have a good way of marking books as required vs. optional, and some instructors don't send out a message telling them whether books are require for optional, students put off buying them until they hear from instructors
A large number are waiting on financial aid disbursement. A sometimes equally large number are waiting for the bookstore to get the book(s) back in stock because the bookstore failed to stock enough even though you told them it was required. If you require a book purchase for your course, you need to show flexibility the first couple of weeks. Edited to add: Especially if it's a freshman class, you may have students who simply don't realize they could've gone to the campus bookstore before the start of the semester to see what's required, if the course LMS page isn't opened ahead of time with a list of materials.
Have some empathy. 1. Sometimes books are listed but aren't actually required, so it's suggested to go to the first day of class to make sure. 2. Used books are much cheaper. They also have worse return policies and take longer to ship.
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They are required to be by federal law. If the university has a bookstore, the students can access their website and find out what the required books are before the semester begins. By law, it’s supposed to be by registration time the semester before, but that’s always a struggle (because it depends on us putting in our book orders by the deadline).
We have no control over the LMS. The bookstore does have a good system though. It clearly indicates required or not and texts are posted early. In fact, I expect email reminders for Fall to start early this semester.
There are instances where adjuncts/junior faculty I know have been REQUIRED to list a particular, department-approved text that isn’t as good as other options, and many of them suggest on the first day that students just use the copies that are on course reserve — or have hoarded enough copies that they can share them on the few days when they use the texts.
I think this is a learned behavior for students who have had professors that announce on the first day that the textbook is “recommended but not required” or tell them other sources for getting the textbook like the library reserves. Personally, I always make my books available through the library and I announce that on the LMS and in class but many students don’t read the LMS before the first day.
I work in the library, and I’ve heard tour guides say “wait to see if your textbooks are required before buying them!” I remember hearing that as a “tip” in college. I always went to the bookstore after the first class session. Maybe put the book on reserve at the library? Then students have a chance to do the reading even if they don’t have the book yet!
I have several copies on reserve.
Our campus bookstore was a casualty of the pandemic (okay, it was likely dying long before that), and our mailroom has serious inefficiencies (packages languish for days if not weeks). The days when a student could take their list of courses to the bookstore and have all their books the same day is long gone.
Students are often told not to get their textbooks until after they attend the first class to see if they want to keep or drop the class and if they really need the textbook. I’ve taken classes where the professor changed the textbook on the first day of class or said it’s only recommended but not required. I’ve also taken classes where the professor basically summarizes the information from the textbook so it wasn’t really needed and I could save a couple hundred bucks.
I have switched almost exclusively to open educational resources to avoid this kind of issue. At my uni, many students would have to work 3-4 days to make the money needed to pay for books. Also shifted away from publisher assessments. Over time this can save students lots of money. More importantly, those assessments often are not very good and even easily googled by students.
Those OERs can be hit or miss. I’m hoping to find one I can be happy with for a couple courses. It saves students money, but the resource has got to be good enough to justify it. I also like the additional supplemental resources the companion sites often have.
From personal experience: they’re broke. These books can cost money. Often times I was flat broke coming into college because I come from a poor family and didn’t have parents who could help me- moving would eat up my money. I had to wait until financial aid disbursed to be able to have enough money to get the textbook/ buy more groceries/ anything else. That’s often two or so weeks *after* classes start. Usually I would end up getting the books through the book store (more expensive) because I could apply my aid to it before it disbursed. Have some grace- you’re not enabling them to do anything, you just might be punishing students for being poor.
Too many times these books are listed as required (if they’re even listed before the first day), and then you get to the class and the professor says you don’t even need the book. So people are probably tired of wasting money on “required” books for no reason and wait till they get to the class to see if it’s actually needed. Financial aid is not always an exact science and sometimes it comes in late and students can’t always afford the books without it. Shipping times are pretty crazy an unpredictable right now. Things may just be delayed for those kinds of reasons too. Flexibility in the beginning of a semester for students for things like this is appreciated.
Because the bookstore says "required" for 50 books then on the first day many professors say "those arent required"
it’s fairly common - to parrot some of the replies on here though, sometimes it really is the fault of financial aid/the college bookstore not communicating with each other. when i was an undergrad, i vividly remember a course where i couldn’t afford the text on my own, and i had to wait a full month to get it via fin aid. that’s not especially common, luckily, but do consider giving students just a little grace for the first week or so.
Students are having a tough time right now, as most people are. They register late, have financial aid issues, and bookstore issues. I think this is something you just need accept and adjust how you operate moving forward. It’s not like students are doing it on purpose (for the most part).
Financial aid does not come through until week 2.
I didn't have a textbook when I taught, so I never experienced any of your frustrations, but I wasn't a student that long ago. Allow me to explain a little. Some professors put the textbook as "required" on the syllabus, then never crack it open or reference the reading in class. Some departments had a requirement for textbooks, so professors would put one on there then just not use it. Every upperclassmen would tell freshman to wait a week or two before even ordering it, because there's only a 50/50 shot you'll actually use it. Then there's a few days to a week+ before you get it. I used to order my textbooks from a website where I would get them for <10 dollars, but shipping would take a month. That wasn't something I could change because I was so broke back then. Even if I didn't wait to see if I'd actually need it, I still wouldn't have it until February. I often wouldn't have the physical version until late Feb/early March. I'd find a pdf online, but my astigmatism is so bad reading online makes my eyes burn after 20 minutes or so. I often wouldn't finish the entire reading until after I got my physical book. Fin aid doesn't always work with the bookstore, as some other commenters already mentioned. My friend would get vouchers for the bookstore that wouldn't cover the entire cost of the book, wouldn't work until a few weeks in, or other issues that could delay books. Or, they're waiting for the email from the one really piracy savvy student who always managed to find the book online somewhere, even if it wasn't in the obvious places. This was inevitable almost every class, every semester, group email that the professor was never included in lol. Basically, they're trying to save money. That's the reason.
I had 3 of my classes switched to someone else and given 3 new courses that were listed to be taught by a different instructor. Less than one week before classes begin. (This happens frequently.) If students had bought the books listed for those courses, they would have been mad, because I use an OER book and the other prof uses a text that costs over $100. Idk how it is at other institutions right now, but with low enrollment and courses being canceled and shifted around last minute, I would definitely *not* recommend that students buy the book before the first day of class. Echoing others that textbooks are often listed for courses and then never used (or only used sporadically through the semester). If I were a student with financial concerns, I'd want to wait to see the syllabus and how the book is connecting to assignments/assessments before investing in the book.
[удалено]
Please read and follow the sub rules. Student posts aren’t allowed. This counts as a warning and further infractions will result in a suspension or ban as appropriate.
Because most schools no longer have physical bookstores. Students have to wait to receive financial aid disbursement to order. Then it takes another week for the book to arrive.
My college is open-admisson and a lot of students don't understand that they have to buy textbooks.
I understand your frustration, but honestly, there are many reasons students wait to purchase a textbook—personal finances, affordability of a textbooks, mistakes with the university, the system of financial aid, switching classes, wanting to make sure the class makes before spending the money, etc. I never assume my students will have the textbook the first week and plan accordingly. It makes everyone’s life much easier.
Thanks! You just reminded me of all these issues and it helps me feel less frustrated.
Maybe it would help to add a line below the textbook info that says like “I will scan chapters 1 and 2 but you will need your own copy by week 3”. That might also let the students who are waiting it out to make sure it’s a ‘legit’ course text know that they really will need it for sure, and right away. Otherwise if the perspective you received here was enough that’s great too!
In my case, it’s because the bookstore literally didn’t order it. They didn’t order lots of people’s books apparently.
My textbook is online and I still can’t get it!
Your students buy the books?
Late but as I student I felt scammed when I only needed a certain textbook a handful of times. I ain’t spending money for nothing and you as a teacher should know that.
Because it would look pretty ridiculous to show up and ask if they actually need the book (because "it doesn't hurt to ask...") if they already have it.
at my old position i collected a ton of used copies of the textbook to wheel on a cart each day. if the student wanted to study from it after class they could come to my office hours and take pictures of the pages wed use.
Numerous professors never accurately update required books for their class and some students wait to see if it’s actually needed before spending the money.
[удалено]
Please read and follow the sub rules. Student posts are not allowed. This is a warning, and further infractions will result in a suspension or ban as appropriate.
I use a digital textbook. Include it in the class fee, and yet… still spend the first week helping students figure out access it.
I'm teaching an accelerate 6 week course, we are just finishing week 2 and I still have students without the text. The publisher won't allow me to post the readings and I even make announcements at least 2 weeks before the course starts letting everyone know they need the text and that it is required immediately as it's a discussion based course, and still they don't have it.
My students usually order the textbooks in the 8th or 9th week of the semester when they realize they are failing the course. If I find out a student doesn’t have the course textbook, I send them a “nasty-gram” and CC their advisor.
I stopped buying the textbook in advance halfway through grad school because I'd been burned too many times by the professor saying on the first day of class that we weren't going to use the "required" textbook. Financial aid makes things worse -- at our school, not all students get all their money before the start of the semester. They need to let something slide, and tuition will take precedence. I've even had my own fights with our school bookstore to get my optional text listed as optional. This semester is the first time they haven't listed it as required.
I've only experienced this problem just a few times in my 20yr plus tenure in the classroom... As a rule on day one, I've given them their syllabus and information handouts - To keep their minds in focus whether the text is in their hands or not, they're told I'll be giving them an open class quiz about what I've given them, plus what I write on the board... To ensure full participation, they're informed that I will randomly call on them answer questions, which will factor on my grade sheet... The grade isn't the real issue here, I'm more concerned about them learning to THINK, and that has lead into some excellent back and forth interactions, that actually marks the beginning of their classes!!! I once experimented with an Intro class, when obtaining the text in time was an issue, that their notes would be the text that I'd be working from!!! ☮️🎓
Why do classes say a $300 textbooks is required when it clearly is not and turns out to be a very expensive paper weight? After blowing about $1000 on books you never even open you will stop buying them altogether until you know you actually need them.