College Book Costs Get Students at MSU To Get "Tech Savy" With Their Studies

Students at MSU are back to the books as the spring semester gets underway.

And it's those books that are leaving many students' pockets empty.

MSU students are putting pen to paper.

Taking notes as they begin studying from their new textbooks, which are coming at a not so pretty price.

"This semester I have only spent about 500 dollars total," said Earl Clark, an MSU student.

"My calculus book, the full price is like 250 and my history book the full price is like 180 dollars," said Emmanuel Yacho, another MSU student.

Yacho says book prices are so high he's had to start a payment plan.

"I have to take out loans to pay for my books and I have to repay those loans," he said.

Loans grow bigger and bigger and while alternatives like "renting" are becoming a choice for some, Clark says he's using technology to his advantage instead.

"I took pictures of an answer unit and then put together a .pdf of it and then shared it," he said.

Making digital books saves him hundreds of dollars and he is then able to share his texts with classmates through various programs and "clouds."

But even though the price of books may keep climbing, for some the price is worth it,

"Whatever it takes to have your education. I Mean after all it's going to be worth it when you graduate," said Yacho.

Several students said they didn't like renting because it meant they couldn't get anything in return. When student's buy the books they usually sell them back, and many say they bank on that money to buy their next round of books.