“Help! I called an online school to ask about their degree program in healthcare and now they won’t stop calling me. They’ve called like five times this week. Now they have my cell number and want me to sign student loan papers. I feel like I’m being harassed by a bill collector.”

Incoming Email
Potential Online Student

Students often complain to us that they’re getting a hard sell from admissions reps at for-profit online colleges and schools. We’re not surprised. Over the last few years, several class-action suits have found for-profit schools guilty of employing aggressive and misleading tactics to rush online students toward enrollment.

Under scrutiny, many for-profit online universities have cleaned up their acts. But a select few still use hard-sell tactics to lure students especially when it comes to getting students to sign loan paperwork.

Average cost of a college textbook: $150.

Ouch!

Enroll for two online courses, each requiring one textbook, and you’re instantly out $300. Take thirty online courses to earn your associate degree and watch your bank account dwindle by $4,500. And if you're taking courses in specialty areas, such as accounting, count on spending even more.

Taking steps to slash your college textbook costs can literally cut thousands off the total cost of your online education. Unlike a decade ago, students today have multiple options for getting college textbooks online, including the option of downloading some free textbooks or frequenting cheap online shopping sites.

GetEducated's editors went shopping online to find the best free and cheap online textbook deals.