ASU courses rely on a range of third-party platforms, including Pearson, Edfinity, zyBooks, etc., that students must purchase to complete assignments.
The use of paid homework platforms is especially common in STEM courses, where instructors often assign digital problem sets through separate systems. These platforms are typically required to complete coursework, sometimes placing additional costs on students beyond tuition.
Lucca Saraceno, a freshman studying biomedical engineering, said he has spent around $500 on required platforms during his first year.
Even when required, Saraceno said the additional fees can still feel unexpected.
"It's one of those fees that just kind of like nickels and dimes you," Saraceno said. "I'm already paying tuition. I already have to take out loans and stuff for that ... having to go buy books and programs to access homework is a little bit of a pain."
Similarly, Anjali Kok, a senior studying computer science, said she has spent $400-$500 on required materials to complete coursework throughout her major.
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"(Platforms are) definitely a little inflated because if I'm already paying about $100 per lecture I'm attending, why do I need to pay an extra $100 for a textbook?" Kok said.
The added costs can accumulate across semesters, particularly when multiple courses require separate tools.
"College already tends to just be a huge cost for anyone, regardless of where they are at," she said. "We have to lock this into our budgets. We've already had to pay thousands at least in tuition, and now we somehow have to decide whether we get food for the week or a textbook."
However, students said the value of these platforms often depends on how they are used within a course.
Saraceno said Edfinity has been helpful in his calculus class because of its built-in support features, such as guided steps and practice problems. On the other hand, in his physics course, he said Pearson assignments often do not align with lecture material.
"I would say Pearson definitely just is completing an assignment," Saraceno said. "Edfinity, I would say it does help me learn."
He added that the lack of alignment can make assignments feel more like busy work that students complete just to complete, not to learn.
Sophia Cohen, a freshman studying computer science, described a similar experience, saying some assignments felt disconnected from what was taught in class. She also said that while some problems were helpful, others required concepts that had not yet been covered in lectures.
"Some questions help, but it felt so out there," she said. "We'd learn one thing in class, and then it would be kind of related sometimes, but it would be leaps ahead of what it should be."
Students have also taken the discussion online. In a Reddit post on ASU's subreddit, users have questioned the point of "paying to do homework," pointing to required platforms like Edfinity and ALEKS.
Instructors and teaching assistants say these platforms serve a practical role, particularly in large STEM courses.
Vince Campo, a graduate teaching associate and doctoral student studying mathematical models and graphs, said the systems were developed in part to manage high enrollment.
"If all of my 50 students came to office hours, there's no way I could get to all of them," Campo said. "I understand why they make these platforms and why they made it like that ... They could get to a breadth of students."
Campo said the platforms he uses can provide structured practice, hints and additional problem sets that reinforce concepts, particularly in subjects like mathematics.
He also added that the platforms allow students to receive immediate feedback, helping them identify mistakes more quickly. But some students said the issue goes beyond cost or convenience, pointing instead to how these platforms are structured.
Cohen said platforms like zyBooks require students to complete readings, quizzes and coding exercises, all of which factor into their grade. She said the readings can be lengthy and do not always contribute to her understanding of the material, while coding assignments provide the most value.
"The readings, which are long and horrible, and don't really teach me anything, but I have to do them for my grade," Cohen said. "Continuously coding helps more than the readings and everything else. There's too many extra assignments with zyBooks when there needs to be one thing we focus on."
Cohen added that platform restrictions, such as copying and pasting, do not reflect how students apply skills outside the classroom, even though such practices are common in professional environments.
"We're not even getting a real-world parallel from what we're doing," Cohen said.
While these platforms help manage coursework and class size, they are not intended to completely replace direct instruction, Campo said.
He said students benefit most when digital assignments are paired with in-class explanations and opportunities to ask questions.
Saraceno said that while these platforms can help organize coursework, it is not always clear whether they improve learning.
"It's definitely easier to manage for teachers and professors having an online course like this that students do entirely by themselves," Saraceno said. "I don't know if it's properly balanced with helping students actually learn stuff or if it's just more beneficial for teachers and professors."
Edited by Henry Smardo, Jack McCarthy and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporters at mmart533@asu.edu.
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MJ Martinez is a senior reporter at The State Press. She has worked for the paper for 3 semesters, working previously as a SciTech Reporter.
