I've generally had the same experiences as a CS undergrad and grad student. While sometimes CS textbook prices are high, the books I was assigned tend to be us

I've generally had the same experiences as a CS undergrad and grad student. While sometimes CS textbook prices are high, the books I was assigned tend to be useful long after I complete the class the book was assigned. For example, I still refer to my copy of CLRS from the undergraduate algorithms course I took nearly 12 years ago; that $80 purchase was one of my best investments, especially considering the LeetCode-style interviews that so many companies tend to give these days. Unfortunately it was my math and science courses where expensive textbooks and access codes reared their ugly heads. I took a combined differential equations and linear algebra course that used a full-priced textbook that was specifically printed for my university, meaning that when it was time to resell it, the usefulness of that textbook was restricted to students of my university instead of nationwide or perhaps worldwide. The worst was the first quarter of physics. I had to use an awful online homework platform called Mastering Physics. I hated it with a passion, and ended up getting a very low (but passing) grade the first time I took the course. I ended up retaking the course with a retired professor who didn't use Mastering Physics; he preferred handwritten homework submissions.