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How Students Can Access Chegg Answers in 2022 Without Paying

Chegg has Cracked Down on Free Workarounds

For years, students found ways to access Chegg’s huge database of step-by-step solutions and explanations without opening their wallets. However, the popular homework help site has identified and shut down most free methods. Let’s explore how Chegg responded and the limited options that remain.

Inspect Element Trick is No More

Chegg used to allow users to view blurry screenshot answers and then unblur the text by inspecting elements on the page. This let savvy students read full solutions without a subscription. However, in 2021 Chegg patched this exploit. Now answers remain irretrievably obscured regardless of inspecting the code.

Screen-Scraping Sites Got Shut Down

Aggregator sites like Textsheet would pull questions and solutions from Chegg simply by pasting URLs. Visitors could read answers without logging in. But Chegg issued copyright takedown notices, and screen-scrapers are gone. This preempted free “pirated” content access on a large scale.

Borrowing from Friends Works but Reliance Has Limits

Relying on Campus Connections for Specific Problems

One temporary solution is asking friends with Chegg accounts to share specific homework help. However, this depends on the goodwill of others who may not always come through, leaving some questions unanswered. Reliance on others also makes last-minute studying harder.

Setting Up Account-Sharing Rings Drew Too Much Attention

In the past, closed groups formed to distribute login credentials so members could freely browse Chegg. However, such schemes inevitably drew Chegg’s scrutiny as their policies aim to curb widespread unauthorized access. Once detected, the groups fall apart without achieving a sustained solution.

Alternative Homework Help Sites Offer Partial Help

Slader Provides Free Textbook Help

While not a full Chegg alternative, Slader lets users search their database of solutions manuals to find explanations for textbook questions. Community members also answer homework problems without the full worked details of Chegg. It’s better than nothing.

Online Forums Discuss But Rarely Solve Problems

Subreddits and Discourse platforms let students commiserate over assignments. However, directly copying or discussing answer details violates most sites’ rules. For complex questions, forums rarely yield a comprehensive walkthrough.

Libraries May Give Limited Chegg Access Onsite

Some university libraries hold Chegg subscriptions that patrons can access only within the physical building. However, this relies on being on-campus and doesn’t help with take-home or last-minute exams requiring off-site study.

Consider Purchasing Brief Chegg Subscriptions Strategically

Short-Term Subscriptions for Busy Project Stretches

For students in crunch times like finals weeks, a temporary Chegg trial or month of access could prove worthwhile. They get solutions without wasting time pursuing imperfect workarounds. It’s worth weighing access to all answers vs subscription costs.

Signing Up Only as Needed for Tough Classes

Rather than an always-on subscription, consider activating Chegg selectively for notoriously difficult courses. This targets spending only where absolutely necessary to pass while forgoing subscriptions when answers aren’t mission-critical.

New Workarounds May Emerge but Success is Uncertain

While dedicated users experiment with unauthorized views, Chegg evidently stays vigilant. New exploits will likely close almost as quickly as they spread. Rather than gamble on an ephemeral solution, students must decide if the learning value merits paying directly or indirectly for guided help.

The Outlook: Adapt or Subscribe for Reliable Answers

As copyright holders strive to curb piracy, students must either adapt to Chegg’s subscription model or resign to piecemeal open solutions. Future tech may level the field, but currently the most assured access involves supporting Chegg’s goals through legitimate memberships when homework success demands their thorough explanations. Overall the learning value could outweigh subscription costs for many quantitative fields.

This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.

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