With the beginning of school rounding the corner, Nicholls State University students are voicing their concerns about the new Colonel Book Bundle, as well as beginning research to decide if it is financially beneficial to them.

In brief, the bundle, which is a textbook rental mode, will charge students $25 per credit hour. For example, a 12-hour course load will incur students a cost of $300. The charges will be made to students’ Banner accounts. The book ordering process is done automatically by computer based on the classes in which a student is enrolled for the semester.

If a student decides that it would be cheaper to buy books elsewhere, he or she is encouraged to do so and will be able to opt out of this new package.

Some students have offered their thoughts regarding the bundle and why they chose to either opt in or out.

Junior marketing major Caroline Bernard said that when she started receiving emails from the university about the book bundle, she was very confused.

“We just started getting emails and reminders about this bundle thing, but they failed to actually give information that the students needed,” Bernard said. “There was a ton of information on the website, but it was almost too much to make sense.”

Bernard said that because she knows her professors really do not require textbooks for class, and because she can get extremely cheap books through platforms such as Amazon and Chegg, she will be opting out of the bundle.

She also made the point that if a student wants to write notes or highlight in the books, they wouldn’t be able to because they are rentals.

“Some of my friends find it beneficial to annotate their textbooks and write and highlight all over the place; it’s a way of studying that they won’t be able to have with the bundle,” Bernard said.

Junior 1-5 education major Peyton Larousse said she found that by purchasing her books from a third-party site, she would save almost $350.

“For my 18-hour semester, I would be charged $450, but I was able to find all the resources I need from other sites for less than $100,” Larousse said. “Since I would have to spend almost $300 more for this bundle, I am opting out.”

She also said that something else to consider is the fact that it is only a rental option.

“Some students taking consecutive classes may want to refer back to books from previous semesters, but if they take part in the bundle, their books will have to be returned,” Larousse said. “They may be better off buying the books so they can have them for future reference.”

Junior political science major Lilly Robichaux said that her initial reaction was positive, other than the fact that students are automatically enrolled in it.

“Being enrolled into something that may financially hurt you was not planned out in the best way,” Robichaux said.

Freshman psychology major Bennett DiSalvo said that most of his research about the bundle was conducted through the words of his peers.

“I asked my friends who already go to Nicholls, and I think almost 100% of them said that they were opting out of the bundle because people may only need two books, both of which can be bought used from someone else for cheaper than the bundle price,” DiSalvo said. “Only two of my classes require books, so I am opting out.”

The common denominator between these students—and likely many of their peers—is that their books and other classroom required tools can be found cheaper through third-party sites and from other students who are looking to be rid of old books and materials.