Monthly Archives: September 2019

Free Financial Literacy Resources Now Available to Cengage Unlimited Subscribers

Today’s College Students More Worried about Managing Money than Managing their Courses

BOSTON—September 26, 2019 — Today’s college students are anything but traditional, with many students being older, the first in their families to attend college and juggling jobs and child care in addition to their classes.  And, as college costs continue to rise, nearly half of today’s students say managing their money is their biggest worry, according to a recent report.

“With student debt levels at $1.5 trillion and growing, it’s no wonder that students are worried about their finances,” said Michael E. Hansen, CEO of Cengage. “Yet by taking the time to plan and become financially literate, students will develop more confidence in their ability to manage their money.

“That’s why we’re now offering free financial literacy resources with every Cengage Unlimited subscription.  It’s another way for us to support students beyond their classes and help them be better prepared for the world outside their classrooms.”

A Cengage Unlimited subscription gives students access to more than 22,000 products, including eBooks, online homework access codes and study guides for one price — $119.99 a semester ($179.99 a year), no matter how many materials they use. The subscription includes six financial literacy tutorials, including:

1. Common Credit Terms: helpful definitions to learn the difference between terms like annual percentage rate and interest rate

2. Managing Student Loans: information on different loan types

3. Organizing Financial Paperwork: tips for keeping organized to stay on budget

4. Saving an Emergency Fund: how many months of expenses should be considered

5. Spending Less Money: obvious and not-so-obvious ways to save

6. Taking Control of Your Credit Cards: information about managing cards and avoiding pitfalls

In addition to free financial literacy resources, Cengage Unlimited includes college success and career support activities in areas such as time management and goal setting. Students can explore career paths, assess their skills, build resumes and take advantage of career-readiness support, including in-demand soft skills training. In addition, each Cengage Unlimited subscription includes access to resources and services from Dashlane, Evernote, Kaplan, Quizlet and Chegg.

Launched in August 2018, more than one million Cengage Unlimited subscriptions have been sold and student savings are expected to reach $160 million by the end of this academic year.

Students can access their own projected savings from Cengage Unlimited using the Savings Calculator and they can see total savings at their institution to-date via the interactive Savings Map.

For more information about Cengage Unlimited, or to purchase a subscription visit: https://www.cengage.com/unlimited/.

About Cengage
Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. As the largest US-based provider of teaching and learning materials for higher education, we offer valuable options at affordable price points. Our industry-leading initiatives include Cengage Unlimited, the first-of-its-kind all-access digital subscription service.  We embrace innovation to create learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. Headquartered in Boston, Cengage also serves K-12, library and workforce training markets around the world. Visit us at www.cengage.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

Media Contact
Kristina Massari
Cengage
203-965-8694
kristina.massari@cengage.com

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Take on Bar Trivia with Geeks Who Drink Presents: Duh!

BOSTON, MA, September 18, 2019— Bring the best in bar trivia to your dorm room with all-new book Geeks Who Drink Presents: Duh!: 100 Bar Trivia Questions You Should Know (And the Unexpected Stories Behind the Answers), from author Christopher D. Short and Geeks Who Drink!

Geeks Who Drink Presents: Duh! features 100 hilarious trivia questions and informative essays that break down all the answers. Short knows the best questions make you think you should know the answer, even if you don’t, so he has curated a collection of trivia that will have readers saying, “duh!” as soon as they see the answers. The book also takes readers on a deep dive of random knowledge that explains the “why,” “where,” and “how” behind every answer.

Author Christopher D. Short, chief editor of Geeks Who Drink, says: “I guess your professors are smart and all, but are they going to teach you about that time Miley Cyrus’ real dad had to audition to play her TV dad? Don’t worry! Geeks Who Drink Presents: Duh! is full of inessential facts like that. And if you happen to hustle your local pub quiz with this new knowledge, it’s a win for everyone! Except the other teams you beat, of course.”

College students can now test their knowledge before heading to trivia night. By reading through this book and brushing up on the classic questions and answers, students will be the reigning expert at their nearest bar trivia night in no time! Or, friends can gather in the comfort of their dorm rooms to host their very own trivia night. Just use the questions and answers in the book, then laugh all night at the hilarious notes from the Geeks Who Drink team!

Geeks Who Drink Presents: Duh! is available now wherever books are sold. Learn more about the book: http://bit.ly/GWDPresentsDuh.

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About the Author
As chief editor of Geeks Who Drink since 2010, Christopher D. Short has read, looked at, listened to, written, or rewritten some 200,000 distinct pieces of trivia—and those are just the ones he was paid for. In 2011, Short became the fourteenth-ever six-time champion on Jeopardy (he’s still the one who earned the least money). He lives in Crawfordsville, Indiana, with his wife, son, and a pitifully small dog.

Contact
Adams Media
Mary Kate Schulte
(508) 213-4139
marykate.schulte@simonandschuster.com

Colleges Failing to Prepare Students for Careers and Citizenship

ACTA launches 11th edition of What Will They Learn?

Washington, DC – The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has released the latest edition of its signature publication What Will They Learn? 2019-2020. This year’s report has a new look with a revised website, a new focus on high school counselors, and an emphasis on what employers believe a core curriculum should provide to students.

Unlike popular ranking systems, What Will They Learn?® uniquely assesses the core academic requirements at 1,123 four-year institutions that together enroll more than eight million undergraduate students. Grades are assigned based on whether colleges and universities require all students to take courses in seven priority subject areas as part of their general education programs. Those subjects, identified as critically important to a 21st century college education by ACTA’s Council of Scholars, are: Composition, Literature, (intermediate-level) Foreign Language, U.S. Government or History, Economics, Mathematics, and Natural Science.

“It’s not surprising that public confidence in higher education is falling,” said Michael Poliakoff, ACTA’s president. “Amidst all the fanfare about the release of the latest college rankings this week, there is not a peep about ill-informed citizens, often underprepared for the workforce, who are graduating from our colleges and universities with mountains of student debt. By focusing on resource inputs, admissions selectivity, and institutional reputation, the major rankings systems drive costs up but show little interest in what students learn—or don’t learn.”

This year, only 22 institutions earned an “A” for requiring 6–7 of the core subject areas, and 137 schools failed.  While most universities require students to take courses in composition and the natural sciences, curricular gaps are common everywhere else.

• 82% do not require students to take a foundational course in U.S. government or history.
• 43% do not require students to take a college-level mathematics course.
• 68% do not require students to study literature.
• 88% do not require intermediate-level foreign language courses.
• 97% do not require a course in economics.

A rigorous and coherent core curriculum, focused on courses in traditional arts and science disciplines, is the best way for students to develop the capacity for critical analysis, oral and written communication skills, and intercultural fluency that employers increasingly demand.

Colleges and universities are also failing to prepare students for informed citizenship. The lack of a U.S. government or history requirement, in particular, helps to explain why in a recent survey, nearly 1 in 5 Americans selected Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the author of the New Deal.

At most universities, it is possible to take ACTA’s recommended core curriculum in 21 to 27 credit hours—which is less than one-fifth of a 120-hour baccalaureate degree. There is no reason that higher education cannot uphold this essential body of skills and knowledge for all students.

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ACTA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability in higher education. We receive no government funding and are supported through the generosity of individuals and foundations. For more information, visit GoACTA.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter.

MEDIA CONTACT
Connor Murnane
media@goacta.org
(202) 798-5450

It’s Crunch Time – 3 Last Minute Tips for Saving on Textbook Costs this Semester

It’s officially time for school. Whether starting your freshman year, senior year or even entering grad school, the start of a new college semester brings about anxiety – especially when it comes to expenses. After tuition, buying textbooks is the largest financial stressor facing students, with the average annual cost for course materials varying from $400 to upwards of $1,000.

The good news is, students today have more options than ever when it comes to learning materials. And these choices can directly lead to cost savings.

With most colleges back to the academic grind this week, what steps can you take to save?

Ask the professor.
We’ve all had it happen – the syllabus is missing the textbook edition, or there is a misprinted title, or it is unclear what readings are required versus recommended. Take the time to check in with the instructor for recommendations on where to buy the book, options for rental or insight into digital versions that might be more cost effective. An added benefit to this step is that it puts you on the instructor’s radar, leaving a positive impression that you are engaged in the course from the start.

Consider how you learn best.
College is not a one-size-fits-all system. Today, textbooks and course materials are available in a variety of print and digital formats – at varying price points. While cost savings is often one goal, it’s also important to ensure you are using the course materials and tools that are going to best help you succeed in a given class – otherwise, what’s the point? Give weight to your personal learning style, and also, what you know about the individual courses from friends who may have taken the course previously. Consider whether a physical book helps you retain information better than an eBook, or if a digital version that includes personalized quizzes and check-ins could help give you a boost.

Do some late night cramming.
If you’ve found yourself in denial about the start of a new school year, it’s worth doing an early semester cramming session to research the materials needed for each of your courses.

Consider your choices in format and delivery model – from print and digital, to rental and subscription. There are more options now than you might think, and it’s important you find the one that fits your needs and budget. Also, if you did wait until the last minute, it should be a comfort to know that digital versions of texts are most often available immediately so you can ensure you don’t fall behind on your required reading.

Cengage Unlimited, an all-access subscription service, is one new option for saving on textbooks costs. You pay just one fee (about $120 a semester or $180 a year) to get access to every eBook in the Cengage library (22,000+ titles), as well as additional homework and study tools. And, if you still want a print version of your textbooks, you can rent one for just $7.99 per book. As part of your cram session, you can use the Cengage Unlimited Calculator to figure out how much you could save, and if it makes sense based on the textbooks your professors require.

College is expensive. Yet, by following these three steps, you’ll find options that lessen the burden and help you start the semester off on a path to success.

Media Contact:
Emily Featherston
Cengage
617.757.8035
Emily.featherston@cengage.com