That book thing is such a ripoff. There is no reason that professors can't get together and put stuff online for students to download say for $20, especially if they are being paid by the public in state universities.   And there is no reason a book to be used one semester and then passed on (for heavens sakes tell your children to sell their books while they can the minute they are done with them..they will probably never look at them again)...to be hard-bound. The government needs to step in here and state professors need to produce cheaper textbooks that can be used in 80% of classes. What Harvard does is up to them. Speaking of which, I think it is best for almost everyone to go to their state colleges..it is just to easy to disconnect from the family if you can't afford trips back and forth. mg