Scantron prices on campus have gone up from 25 cents to 32 cents, and although testing forms are essentially a rectangular piece of paper, they are a required supply for most college students.
Prices of Scantrons increased in July 2011 due to an increase in manufacturing and transportation costs. The change was made during the summer when fewer students were on campus to notice the price increase.
The vendor that provides Scantrons to the University Bookstore and the other 49er shops was based in Orange County, but moved almost two years ago to Pennsylvania. The longer distance between the school and the vendor has increased transportation costs including freight and gasoline surcharges, which have escalated considerably, according to Rosa Hernandez, communications director of 49er Shops.
The bookstore said they have been absorbing the increase in costs until recently, when they decided to raise the price of Scantrons.
Students are now absorbing the costs and paying almost 30 percent more for Scantrons than they did last year. Not all students have noticed the price increase, but those who have said they do not like it.
“All of a sudden, I noticed the price went up and it’s kind of pricey for a Scantron to be 32 cents,” senior business finance major Mayra Alcaid said.
Many students are spending more money for their education than before and small increases like this add up, Alcaid said.
Nearby universities such as University of California Los Angeles and Cal State Fullerton sell basic Scantrons for 25 cents.
“You can always get your Scantrons elsewhere,” junior Alex Miklovic said.
Scantrons can be purchased from other local bookstores or even online, but students like the convenience of having single or small packs of Scantrons available on campus.
Not all professors use the same Scantron type and students sometimes have to buy two or three different styles of Scantrons in one semester, depending on the professor’s preference. Buying 500 Scantrons online at a bulk price may be cheaper but not convenient when most students may only need about 10 of one type of Scantron for the entire school year.
Purchasing testing forms hours or minutes before an exam is a common occurrence and the convenience of last-minute shopping can be worth the price to some students.
Scantrons at Cal State Long Beach have only been increased in price three times over the last 25 years, and according to the bookstore, the last Scantron price increase was about five years ago.
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