Chegg: Helping Students Lower Textbook Expenses By Rick Bolander

Rick Bolander, co-founder and Managing Partner of Northern California-based Gabriel Venture Partners, has assisted in funding and developing numerous start-up companies that have gone on to achieve success. Among these, Mr. Bolander invested in and sits on the board of Chegg Inc., a textbook rental company that translates commitment to education into action. Chegg has saved students significant amounts of money via its streamlined online operations.

Paying for college has become even more challenging now that publishers routinely include expensive material such as CD-ROMs, guides, and workbooks that professors may not even require. It is not uncommon for a single college-level textbook to cost well in excess of $100. Multiply that by several courses per semester, and it is understandable that students are actively seeking more cost-efficient strategies. Recent research has shown that a typical undergraduate at a private college spends more than $1,200 for textbooks alone.

Chegg’s rental program provides a highly effective alternative to the traditional practice of purchasing new textbooks at the beginning of a semester. Comparison shopping websites show that renting a book from Chegg often costs half as much as the cheapest new or used book from other sites. And similar to the popular Netflix DVD rental service, Chegg even provides a box for students to use when they return their books. For more information, visit Chegg.com.