Academic Solutions · Article

First Day® Complete Improves the Student Experience

May 2, 2024

Students are looking for easier, more convenient and affordable ways to navigate their academic journey. First Day® Complete makes it simple for them to get access to their course materials before the first day of class. In our Spring 2024 First Day Complete Experience Survey, respondents cited ease and convenience, lower stress and affordability as reasons they would recommend the program to other students. The majority of participating students also said First Day Complete better prepared them for the academic term.

EASE OF GETTING COURSE MATERIALS

Students tell us accessing print and digital course materials is a streamlined process.

86% of students agree First Day Complete saves time in shopping for course materials because they are all in one place

84% of students say they find it convenient to have course materials bundled and delivered to them through the program

“The program makes it easy and affordable to get your course materials at the start of each semester so that you don’t have to add textbooks as something to stress over. It saves time and money.”  –Sophomore at Providence College

“Everything was on one page, all you had to do was select either pick it up at the bookstore or get it shipped to you. Very simple.” –Graduate Student at Gardner-Webb University

“Super easy and not difficult at all. All I had to do was select how I wanted to pick it up, and they did the rest for me.” –Junior at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

EASE OF CHOICE

Students want cost savings and value the flexibility to participate in the program or opt-out each academic term.

85% of students who initially opted out of the program and chose to opt back in found it easy to do so

“With the click of a simple button I was able to opt out & same with opting back in. I loved the free choice of opting out or in whenever.” –Sophomore at Wake Technical Community College

“It was more convenient than trying to order from different websites or stores.” –Senior at Mississippi State University

“The cost of purchasing my materials each separately was more expensive than participating in the Shark Bundle.” –Sophomore at Hawaii Pacific University

EASE OF PICKING UP PRINT MATERIALS

Students picking up print materials in store receive an email when their order is ready. All they need to do is go to the campus store and show the email with their barcode, and their bundled materials will be brought out to them.

85% of students said the in-store pick up experience was easy

“My bookstore had all materials ready for me when I arrived. Total time it took was 5 minutes; extremely helpful and convenient.” –Sophomore at SUNY Adirondack

“I just had to show a QR code & I was able to pick up my books, on time” –Freshman at Saint Mary’s College

“I waited in line for my name to be called. Once I was called, I got all my materials and went on my way. Fast and efficient process.” – Freshman at Florida International University

Spotlight: Transitioning to First Day Complete at Caldwell University

In the survey, 70% of students at schools that transitioned to First Day Complete in spring 2024 agree it was somewhat or much easier to get their course materials. Over half say it was “much easier.” Students at Caldwell University shared how the program impacted their preparation for the semester.

Access

“[Before the program] I usually wouldn’t have all my materials on time or all at once.” –Sophomore

Affordability

“My first semester I had to spend a lot of my time looking for the books and seeing how I was gonna be able to afford it.” – Freshman

Convenience

“They were all picked out for me. I probably would not have bothered to buy any textbooks otherwise.” –Senior

To learn more about First Day® Complete from the student perspective, watch our video – and to learn more about how BNC can support the academic journey on your campus, contact us.

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