| College and university enrollments might be up this fall, | | | | e-readers aren't among them - the latest Kindle is |
| but how much students and families spend on back to | | | | priced at around $380 and Apple's iPad starts at $499. |
| school supplies has yet to be seen. This is the world of | | | | A university in Oklahoma is among those to have |
| iPads, laptops, netbooks and webcams, a world where | | | | announced that it's testing e-readers as part of |
| textbooks can cost $200 and more a pop. With many | | | | instruction for some courses, USA Today reported. |
| students enrolling in online courses as well, products | | | | With e-readers, some textbooks from sites such as |
| such as these might also be more a part of back to | | | | CafeScribe, Wikibooks and CourseSmart show that |
| school shopping than they have in the past. | | | | students downloading them can save around $35 to |
| On the one hand, families have reported working | | | | $70. A downloadable kinesiology textbook on |
| longer hours and relying on more money from sources | | | | CourseSmart, for example, is available for $45.75, a |
| such as scholarships and grants to pay for college, a | | | | savings of $68.31, according to the site. On sites such |
| Fannie Mae report released earlier this year showed. | | | | as Valore.com, and CampusBookRentals.com, |
| On the other, retailers depend on the back to school | | | | students might buy used textbooks for as low as |
| season for sales, and new technologies are becoming | | | | $1.30, a 99 percent savings, or rent textbooks in the |
| more of the norm on 21st century college campuses. | | | | $50 range. |
| For distance learners and those participating in online | | | | Many parents of college students say they plan to |
| courses, webcams, iPads and other e-readers, along | | | | shop at department stores, online and at electronics |
| with mobile devices such as smartphones, might | | | | stores, according to the National Retail Federation |
| particularly be more often be a part of instruction than | | | | survey announcement. Parents might also be more |
| they had in the past. | | | | involved in back to school shopping for college |
| In a Back to School/College survey, the National Retail | | | | students than they have in the past. Men and women |
| Federation found that Americans plan to spend about | | | | younger than 21 can no longer obtain a credit card |
| $55.12 billion on kindergarten-college merchandise this | | | | without a co-signer or proof that they earn enough to |
| year. Perhaps not surprisingly, the survey found that | | | | make the required payments, Market Watch recently |
| more families this year are depending on coupons, | | | | reported. The Market Watch report referred to new |
| sales and promotions. According to a mid-August | | | | regulations that are part of a Credit Card Act of 2009. |
| report from the federation, the average family by then | | | | That might be good news for parents in that they |
| had completed about 43 percent of back to school | | | | have more of a say in back to school shopping for |
| shopping, with many parents who have sons and | | | | college students. Many parents might also be heading |
| daughters in college holding off for the last minute. | | | | back to school themselves, since out of work adults in |
| There are ways to shop smart and save. | | | | this recession, as well as those who want to brush up |
| Newspapers and magazines throughout the country | | | | on skills and acquire new skills, are contributing to |
| have been providing back to school money-saving tips | | | | enrollment increases at colleges and universities. |
| for students and families. The Louisville Journal-Courier, | | | | Parents of K-12 students have also reported taking |
| for instance, recently pointed students toward | | | | online courses, in many instances for personal |
| products priced between $58 and $350. The iPad and | | | | fulfillment purposes. |