The cost of education

Let's forget all the money spent in order to get to this point (GMAT fees, airfare, hotel and car rental expenses to visit schools, application fees, etc). Let's forget the two years of income we're giving up to be here. Let's forget the fact that annual tuition is already over $43K. Let's just focus on course materials. As an MBA1, I've been automatically enrolled in four courses for Fall A. To the left, all the books, solutions manuals and course packs necessary for the next 7 weeks of my life. Add it all together, and you reach the very mind-boggling total of $586.79!!! And that's just for the first seven week of the semester. As it turns out, come mid-October, I get to do this all over again. Oh, the joys of B-school!