It's possible that OP's college only provided the textbook option. For example, there are two main ways to getting the access code: buying the access code separately and buying a textbook with the access codes. Some colleges/courses (like mine and OP) only list one or two options for purchasing course material. This is probably true for a lot of colleges, but not all of them. I see a lot of comments saying that access codes at their college's bookstore is the same as the one at the publisher's website. It’s one of the many things the bookstore will never tell you, because access codes sell quick. So instead of going to your school’s bookstore, go onto the site, select purchase online accesss purchase, and you’ll be saving money on top of the fact it’s faster than waiting in line for it. Access codes can expire or be recycled without you knowing. Say it’s a scam for me to explain to you that you can go through the homework site with class key in hand. An access code for my algebra class was $190 but paid $90 after setting up my account and buying it on Pearson. Why pay, on average, $150 for a code though your bookstore, when you can go directly to the site and pay less. You still get the same resources as everyone else, but you’ll be paying much less.

I’ll even link the support for doing so explaining each one. If you purchase access online, it is automatically applied to your account and it’s normally a fraction of what you pay in the book store. So instead, just login to webassign( or whatever site you’ll be using) and just enter your class code and buy access through them. Access codes for webassign, Pearson and other sites professors what you to use really shouldn’t cost as much as a textbook if your only purchasing the access code.

Pearson instructor access code