$10 Million in Savings for Georgia Students

With the rising costs of tuition and over-the-top textbook expenses, college affordability in America is always a hot topic. When the Complete College Georgia initiative was launched in 2011, its goal was to increase attainment of high-quality certificates and degrees among Georgians. To do that - college had to be more accessible, and it had to be more affordable. eCore was up for the challenge, and together with 22 college and university partners across the state, we are proudly doing just that!

In Summer 2013, eCore introduced its first Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook. For the 22 students enrolled in U.S. History I that summer, they were thrilled to save $45 on their textbook. Since then, OERs have been implemented in all 30 eCore courses. Textbook expenses, ranging from $45 all the way to $289 per book, were no longer required of students, impacting over 50,000 enrollments and saving Georgia college students millions of dollars.

The establishment and expanded availability of eCore courses already helped to provide a low-cost option for college students across the state. Adding to those savings, eCore was able to lower the per-credit-hour rate to just $169 in Fall 2014. The $20 tuition decrease has since impacted over 200,000 credit hours, totaling more than $4 million in savings.

As of Summer 2017, total student savings from the two college affordability initiatives reached $10 million, and we’re not stopping there. With a second tuition reduction taking effect Fall 2017, the next $10 million in savings is right around the corner!

Check out the infographic (and download the pdf here) for a breakdown of the per-course savings that helped us reach this milestone.

View PDF Version

Comments

Four Enchanting USG Institutions to Visit During the Holidays

With holiday breaks soon approaching, there’s no better time to hit the road and visit a few of Georgia’s most beautiful college campuses. Whether it’s an old-fashioned postcard scene with snow-capped mountains or a symphony of lights, several colleges and universities are already hauling out the holly. Here’s a few of our favorites: University of North Georgia - With a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, UNG’s main campus is in Dahlonega, which Southern Living has named the “perfect Christmas town.” In addition to a variety of musical performances that you can catch on campus during the holidays, the town itself goes all out with lights, a festival of trees, and daily carriage rides. Georgia College and State University - This beautiful liberal arts college is steeped in tradition and will perform the 25th year of its Nutcracker ballet – right on campus. December 8-10, 2023 University of West Georgia – Just an hour from Atlanta, UWG is a newcomer to the holiday scene. 20...

3 Things to Consider Before Taking an Online Class While Overseas

Online Learning allows students the flexibility of continuing their educational journey from anywhere in the world. Online classes are an excellent option for students who are studying abroad for the semester, military members and families who are stationed overseas, or even those who want to take classes while traveling for pleasure. While online classes can usually be accessed from anywhere with a reliable internet connection, there are some things to consider before registering for class if you intend to complete the course while located outside of the U.S. Availability of a Reliable Internet Connection To access most online classes, students must have a reliable internet connection. This may be a challenge in some areas of the world due to various issues such as local network instability, outages, firewalls, or restrictive local internet policies. Before registering for an online class, research the internet accessibility situation in the area in whi...

How to Master the 3 Stages of Interviewing

Dress appropriately for the interview. Much information is available regarding interviewing and how to be a top notch interview candidate, but one must avail toneself of the most relevant information. Knowing the phases of the interview process and some key strategies will help you better prepare and will ultimately put you on the "short" list with potential employers. Seems simple, but you have to be diligent with all 3 phases of interviewing (before, during and after). Before: Preparation is twofold. Thoroughly research the organization, specific department, and the job role. This requires significant time and energy. At the same time, you will be doing some self-reflection to determine if this is a proper fit for you. Prepping the resume for EACH job that you apply to will help you define and determine your skill sets to see where you may be lacking for the industry or job, and can also help you appropriately articulate your strengths. You know your resume is don...

Planet eCampus

Search This Blog