Low Textbook Cost (LTC) designated course sections are those whose required course textbooks and ancillaries may be purchased at the Riverside City College bookstore for a combined pretax amount of $50 or less, which may include either physical or electronic materials.
Class sections at RCCD are designated as being LTC if they meet the following:
- Materials must be available for purchase at the bookstore for $50 or less.
- Even though the material(s) may be available cheaper elsewhere students using college bookstore vouchers must purchase them from the bookstore. Contact the bookstore manager for help with bookstore pricing.
- The $50 amount is a pretax amount, so taxes do not need to be factored into the material’s cost.
- The amount is only for required materials; optional materials should not be included in the calculation of this amount.
- This designation applies only to the cost of materials new, unless sufficient used quantities are available for all students through the college bookstore. Contact the bookstore for more information.
- This may be for either physical or electronic materials.
- For example, if an electronic version is available for $35 and the physical is available new for $55 then this section would qualify as LTC.
- If a textbook is used across multiple courses, then do not divide the cost by the number of courses.
- For example, if a $120 text or subscription is used across 3 courses, then that does not qualify as LTC. (Not all students may take this series of class, editions may change or students may face time constraints.)
Textbook included in this LTC designation:
- textbooks and other text-based materials
- workbooks
- lab manuals
- online homework platforms
- codes for publisher-provided curricular materials
- personal student subscription (one-time or ongoing)
- printing costs, if required
Manuals excluded from this LTC designation
- art supplies
- class/lab fees
- calculators
- equipment (e.g. musical instruments, uniforms, cosmetology or culinary its or computer software of external storage)
- testing materials (e.g. scantrons and blue books)
*A note regarding older editions. In an attempt to save students money, many professors will choose to use an older edition of a textbook. While this is commendable, please be aware that this does not necessarily lower the cost at the RCC bookstore, and thus your class may not qualify as LTC. The process for acquiring older editions, which are often not available directly from the publisher, must be sought out from resale sites, often from many, with varying costs.
