In a world where time is a commodity and the rate of inflation for education expenses has far surpassed that of health care, the idea of a traditional college experience is taking on a new dimension. The erratic economy over the past two decades has dictated the need for low-cost and innovative alternatives to higher education. This need coupled with the rise of a digital world has bred a college experience that can be specialized and completed from anywhere. Online programs allow students the opportunity to participate in class and complete coursework when it fits their schedule and at a price that is increasingly more affordable. More than three million students in the U.S. are currently pursuing a degree entirely online. This number is only expected to grow as student interest increases, institutions expand their online offerings, and employer acceptance of an online degree rises.

In an effort to make online education more affordable, we have seen an increase in accredited online-only universities. Los Angeles Pacific University (LAPU) was built to provide a best-in-class online university - making it their mission to remove the barriers to affordability and accessibility with a high-quality, faith-integrated education that is intentionally accessible, career-relevant, and committed to student success. Backed by over a century of experience in providing superior on-ground educational opportunities with Azusa Pacific University, LAPU is taking online education to the next level.

Amy is the newest Director of Business Development at Akademos, responsible for building new partnerships in the Western US. She has worked in Higher Ed for over 20 years, specializing in Retention,  Data Analytics, Financial Aid and Enrollment. Amy is passionate about bringing new ideas to the industry to foster a successful student lifecycle.

The student of today looks much different than 10, or even 5, years ago, which is why it can be extremely difficult to diagnose what may be at the heart of declining enrollments and higher attrition rates. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 30 percent of students who entered college in the fall of 2014 did not return for year 2.¹ The 6-year graduation rate in the U.S. is reported at  59%², however, some believe this to be even lower due to the method upon which colleges are reporting these rates, and if transfers are included as part of the calculation.  For many schools, the cost to retain a student is more cost-effective than recruiting a new one, and this shift will continue as we see a trend in educational sectors closing schools, merging or moving to predominantly online models.

Recently, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette made headlines for a $1,000 eBook. The access code for an introductory accounting course was purposefully priced at almost 4x the cost of the printed textbook. Criticism of the university and publisher spread quickly over social media, accusing them of price manipulation and scamming students into more debt. UL-Lafayette’s response did not do much to assuage anger, causing much disbelief that the institution acted on “good intentions.” Even further providing fuel for the fire when the price of the digital version was changed to match the print version and not significantly lower like most digital texts.

My student loan balance is over $20,000. I don’t own a home, have kids, or go on vacations. I have too much credit card debt and not enough savings. I am 37. I am one of the 44 million Americans struggling with the financial hardships of getting a college degree, delaying and even refraining from participating in the life milestones that keep the economy functioning. Since the year 2000, the economy has gone through two recessions, wages of college grads continually decreased, lowering lifetime earning potential, and college costs steadily increased – the single largest increase in higher education costs is textbook prices.

Over the past academic year, 16 institutions have chosen the Akademos virtual bookstore solution, lowering textbook prices for students and offering advanced tools for faculty.

16 colleges and universities have selected Akademos as their virtual bookstore services provider for the upcoming academic year.  These partnerships highlight the growing trend for colleges and universities to prioritize textbook affordability and student academic success by moving to a virtual model for course materials.

The Akademos online bookstore and Marketplace will provide students with lower cost course materials and highly personalized service

Presbyterian College has selected Akademos as its online bookstore provider to help students save on course materials. The College offers a rigorous education with a built-in support network, inspiring students to learn and value service along the way. Over one thousand students attend the College, which will launch its online bookstore to support its Fall Term 2018.