Ready For Success Program

Welcome to Aiken Technical College's Ready For Success program, designed to provide affordable access to required course materials for all students. This innovative partnership allows students access to digital course materials on the first day of class, ensuring they have both the affordable and available resources they need to succeed.

The Ready For Success Program also benefits faculty by providing access in Blackboard to real-time data on student engagement to improve student outcomes. By offering a more affordable and accessible solution to course materials, we aim to enhance the educational experience for all ATC students.

How it works

The program starts with faculty members selecting the course materials for their courses. Once the materials are selected, the ATC Bookstore partners with publishers to negotiate a discounted price and set up access for courses. 

When a student registers for a class that participates in the Ready For Success, the student is automatically enrolled in the program. 

• COST = applied to student college accounts similar to tuition and fees

• ACCESS = available to students on the first day of class thought Blackboard integration

GETTING STARTED:  Adopting Course Materials

What type of course materials do you need for your course?

• eBook only:   If you only require ebook access, students will use the VitalSource Bookstore menu in Blackboard to connect to the ebook product.  On the 1st day of the term, the Read Now button will provide access. Faculty can also enter additional information to receive their free sample copy.
  
  
• Courseware (Codeless):   If you require students to utilize the Publisher Online Resources, or courseware, you will need set up the Publisher access link in your Blackboard module.  This step is crucial!  The student enrollment integrates with the publisher's link within the Blackboard module for students to access their course materials via codeless access.  
  
  
• Code Reveal: Faculty will integrate the publisher's link within Blackboard as usual for students to access their course materials. Students will click the Reveal Access Code button after selecting the "VitalSource Bookstore" link within the course to receive their access code. Students will paste their access code into the publisher's link within Blackboard to receive their course materials. 

What if PHYSICAL course materials are required?

You can indicate in Faculty Portal that your course requires a physical items such as lab workbook or kits.  Providing your expected enrollment numbers lets the bookstore know how many to order.  At the start of the term, enrolled students will be invited to pickup these items at the ATC Bookstore.   There is no additional charge and they do not need to return at the end of the term.  If students drop a course, then they are required to return those materials or be charged the purchase cost of the item. 

Shipping of physical materials is also available for a nominal shipping fee - Details about shipping can be found:  Ready for Success

BLACKBOARD:  KEY SETUP STEPS

Follow these steps to ensure students are able to access their course materials on day one of each term

Step 1: Verify the VitalSource Bookstore menu is easily visible in your Blackboard course.

Step 2: If your materials are Courseware, such as Cengage Mindtap, Pearson Mylabs, or McGraw-Hill Connect, make sure the Publisher link has been set up within your Blackboard course.  NOTE:  Students will not be able to access materials without this Publisher Link.

Step 3: Post this announcement in your syllabus:

"Your bookstore materials for this course are included in the Ready for Success program.  This is a low-cost program to provide access on the first day of class.  Your "Welcome email" from the ATC Bookstore describes all the details about he program and your access in Blackboard.  If you decide to opt out - you will lose access to the materials in Blackboard, and may pay higher cost to purchase elsewhere. If you have any questions, visit the Ready For Success FAQ page at atcbookstore.com. You may also email the ATC Bookstore at atc@textbookbrokers.com."

Benefits for Students:

• Access to course materials on the first day of class, increasing their ability to prepare and engage in their studies.

• Cost savings, as the Ready For Success program will offer course materials at a lower cost than traditional methods.

• Saving time, as there is no need to order books or wait in bookstore lines.

• Increased success rates and improved academic performance due to timely and easy access to course materials.

Benefits for Faculty:

• Access to a range of digital tools to enhance instruction and improve student engagement.

• Reduced administrative burden through the program's support services and management of course materials.

• Opportunity to customize course materials to meet specific teaching and learning needs.

FAQs

How are  PHYSICAL course materials delivered in the Ready For Success Program? 

All Physical materials can be picked up from the ATC Bookstore.  These are issued to students who are opted-in to the program at no additional cost.  Students can pickup their items  in-store during store hours, or place a web order to cover the nominal shipping costs.

How much do textbooks in the Ready For Success program cost students? 

All students enrolled in a Ready for Success courses are assessed a $24 per credit hour charge on their student account for each enrolled course.  This low-cost, discounted fee covers the cost of the required adopted materials.  Some items, such as lab coats or program patches are not included in Ready for Success and would be purchased separately.

How do students pay for course materials in the Ready For Success program? 

The charges associated with the Ready For Success program are automatically billed to each student's college account similar to tuition or course fees. Students can review charges on their statement from the cashier's office.  

What does “opting out" mean?

To opt out of the Ready For Success program means to decline both material access and charges.  If a student opts out, they will still need to obtain the required course materials through other sources, possibly at a higher costs.  

Do students need to opt out if they drop a course?

No, students access is integrated with enrollment and the materials update to reflect  courses added or dropped.  Charges are not assessed until the Add/Drop date.  Students who drop after the add/drop date will be charged with no refunds. 

How do students opt out of the Ready for Success program?

Before the add/drop date, students can navigate in Blackboard, to the Vitalsource Bookstore menu and select “Opt out”.  NOTE:  the option to opt-out applies to ALL course materials for the current term.   This op-out only applies t the current term and students would be automatically enrolled again in future terms..  

 Can students decide to opt back in if opted out?

Yes. To opt back in, students must log into Blackboard, navigate to the Vitalsource Bookstore tab on the menu and select the box “Opt In” before the add/drop date.