Which scenario sounds better to you?

When you purchase a textbook, you're pre-paying for whatever internet resources the publisher threw together to impress your instructor. For the average course, that comes to somewhere around $15.

If you choose not to use the internet resources, you're out $15.

If you use the internet resources and they suck, you're out $15.

If you complain to the publisher, you won't get any help. And yeah, you're still out $15.

If you get a one-month Premium Upgrade with College-Cram, and for whatever reason you aren't satisfied, we'll refund your $15.

Now, which one of those scenarios sounds better to you?

Sticking up for students,
Professor Cram

How useful are internet resources?

Over and over again, college students have told us that they just don't use the computerized 'stuff' that publishers provide with their textbooks. The words "pointless" and "useless" get thrown around by college students when describing these resources.

So why do publishers continue to spend (your!) good money on these? Because they aren't meant to help students, that's why.

Publishers are in business to sell textbooks, period. Their whole business model revolves around convincing your instructor that their book is best. But since every publisher's Chemistry textbook is pretty much the same, they fall back on the old 'we have more stuff to go with the book' approach.

It doesn't matter if their computerized 'stuff' is useless, as long as they have it that's one more checkmark for your instructor.

I have a confession to make -- I spent some time producing these sorts of resources for two of the three major publishers. I know what motivated the folks I worked for, and tried like hell to make the 'stuff' I produced actually be of use (despite their efforts to the contrary).

Now that I'm with College-Cram, I am finally able to produce useful resources. Our Cramlets aren't meant to convince the instructor to use a textbook because we don't publish textbooks.

Our Cramlets have to be useful, and over the past six semesters we've heard college students tell us loud and clear -- they are!

New newsletter is out

The latest College-Cram newsletter is out. It has some interesting articles like test-taking tips, why college algebra is such a challenge and what you can do about it, and a Cramlet review for Factoring Trinomials.

I also included a bit of introduction for your amusement. Enjoy!
Professor Cram

Rocking all over the world, part 2

The party continues to grow! Since my last RAOTW post two weeks ago, we've added students from Canada, Jamaica, and Turkey. Including the U.S., that makes over 200 colleges in seven countries.

Ride the wave,
Professor Cram

"Midterms," or "Do We Have a Test Today?"

My worst experience in college was taking the final exam for a Geology class. I was working full time and was only taking one course for the semester. With my mind on other things, I showed up for the final exam at the regularly scheduled class time.

I walked to my seat and sat down, when the instructor motioned to me. I walked up with a smile on my face and he looked rather baffled. He asked, "Are you here to take the final exam?" I replied, "Yep!" The instructor then looked at me again trying to remember me as one of his students and then said, "You do know the exam started an hour and half ago and you only have thirty minutes left?" I looked back with a blank stare; it was then I realized that the final exam schedule was different than the class time.

I picked up the test and started immediately. Only a few people had finished the test before I got started. I went through it like lightning, answering exactly what I knew and skipping the rest. Once I finished the first pass I had fifteen minutes left; the room was still mostly full. I took a second pass and guessed at the questions I didn't know. When I finished with the second pass I took it up to the instructor, smiled, and turned it in with five minutes to spare.

It wasn't the best grade I ever made but I did pass. So, remember to check your schedule and make sure you know when the midterm or final exam is scheduled and in what room. (I did have roommate who showed up in the wrong room for his final. Fortunately it was a departmental exam, and the room was for the same course just a different section.)

I have included two links that offer some test taking tips. I especially like the one that starts off, "It's already too late!" lol


Midterm Test Taking Tips
Studying For a Test

Just remember, it's never too late and if you need a little help with understanding how to read a Multi-Step Income Statement, then give us a try.

There's no Crying in Baseball,
Professor Cram

Rocking all over the world

Just wanted to give a special "hey" to our subscribers from New Zealand, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and all the other countries around the world.

Welcome to the party!
Professor Cram