Texas College Students Save More Than $25 Million on Textbooks and Course Materials with Subscription Service

BOSTON and AUSTIN, Texas, March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- College students in Texas and around the U.S. typically spend more than $400 per year on textbooks and course materials – many spend more, making the cost of textbooks a top source of financial stress for students. However, a popular subscription service, Cengage Unlimited, is providing students with needed savings - more than 300,000 Texas students have already saved more than $25 million on materials since the subscription became available in August 2018.  Cengage, an education technology company, provides course materials to millions of U.S. college students every year.

Cengage Unlimited, a first of its kind subscription service, gives students access to more than 22,000 products, including eTextbooks, online homework platforms, study guides, and college success and career support for one price - $120 term or $180/year.

Across the U.S., nearly 3 million college students have subscribed to Cengage Unlimited resulting in more than $270 million in savings on course materials - a needed relief as college students struggle with the cost of college, a pressure further exacerbated by the pandemic. 

Chaitali Botcha, a junior at Texas A&M University, has seen the impact firsthand.

"This semester many of my peers struggled even more to pay for their classes as their parents lost jobs or they themselves were not able to go into work due to conditions," said Botcha. "We're all just waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel to shine."

For many students that light has been savings from Cengage Unlimited - Texas A&M students have saved nearly $2.8 million with Cengage Unlimited. Fellow students in Botcha's Biomedical Sciences program use Cengage tools across many science and math classes so one subscription covers our materials for several courses explained Botcha.

At the University of Texas at Austin, junior Andrew Smith has also witnessed the squeeze on students as part-time gigs and work-study options virtually disappeared with lockdown restrictions, while the move to online learning brought other unexpected costs.

"You need a good webcam and laptop in order to stay connected in Zoom class," Smith said.  He credits the University's support providing funds and equipment to students, and a focus on affordable course materials. Students have already saved more than $630,000 with Cengage Unlimited at UT Austin.  

"Freshman and sophomore business majors each have been able to save over $200 on materials over the course of a year with Cengage Unlimited," said Smith. That's money that can be put toward other priorities such as housing and food.

Carter Ball, a Marketing Major at Texas Tech University, where students have collectively saved nearly $1.1 million on their course materials agrees. "It's amazing to see such a huge amount of money going back into student's pockets."  

"College students were already under financial pressure before the pandemic hit, and those constraints have only increased," said Fernando Bleichmar, Executive Vice President and General Manager for U.S. Higher Education at Cengage. "Colleges and universities are seeing enrollments drop at a time when Americans need greater access to education and opportunity than ever before. It's critical that all serving higher education work together to make quality learning more affordable and accessible for students."  

For more information about Cengage Unlimited, please visit: www.cengage.com/unlimited/instructor.

About Cengage
Cengage, an education technology company serving millions of learners in 165 countries, advances the way students learn through quality, digital experiences. We serve the K-12, higher education, professional, library, English language teaching, and workforce training markets worldwide.  We believe that through the power and joy of learning, students can enrich their lives and achieve their dreams – no matter their age, experience, abilities, or environment. Our industry-leading products and services make education more accessible and affordable, including Cengage Unlimited, the first-of-its-kind all-access digital subscription service. Visit us at www.cengage.com or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

Media Contact:
Kristina Massari, Cengage
203-965-8694, [email protected]

SOURCE Cengage

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