Bucknell University is a small (3,600 undergrads) private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. They have a huge, beautiful campus and they’re, perhaps surprisingly, a D1 school that’s big into athletics and Greek life. We’ve found that Bucknell has become a more popular option with our clients, especially those interested in schools with similar cultures like Syracuse, Wake Forest, and Michigan. Last year, Bucknell’s acceptance rate was 32.4%, a slight downturn from years prior. They only have one supplemental question and it’s a straightforward one. Let’s dive in.
Please explain your interest in your first-choice major/undecided status and your second-choice major (should you opt to list one) and why you would choose Bucknell University to pursue your interest(s). (250 words maximum).*
This is the claaaaaasic why essay, and we love it. Well, we love it because we’ve cracked it. Bucknell’s is on the shorter side, with 250 words, but it’s much more specific to academics than other schools’ why essays.
1. Origin Story
Your first few sentences should explain how you came to be interested in the thing you want to study. If you’re planning on majoring in Econ, maybe you taught yourself the stock market and find research articles on inflation and the Federal Reserve fascinating. Whatever your topic is, try to think deeply about the inception point of your passion in your prospective major
2. Classes
Now that you have your origin story mastered, time to head over to the Bucknell course catalog and pick out one or two upper-level classes that look interesting to you. No Intro to Economics for you, you want to prove that you have goals and interests deeper than “Econ.” No, you’re deeper than that. You want to take ECON 358: Marxian Economics because you’re interested in learning about other economic systems; or maybe ECON 431: Industrial Organization Economics because you want to use your Econ degree to go into mergers and acquisitions.
3. Professors
Now, find a professor you want to research with, especially if they fit into your stated goals and interests. If you’re interested in the labor market or education and economics, you might want to research with Professor Esra Kose. If international economic development is more your game, try Professor Matias Vernengo.
4. Lab/Study Abroad
A lot of Bucknell students study abroad. It’s super popular – so this would be a great place to talk about any specific academic study abroad programs that fit into your major. You could also use the end to talk about any specific labs, programs, groups, etc. at Bucknell that would help you meet your academic goals.
Wrap it up with a nice sentence about how much you want to go to Bucknell. It’s only 250 words, so you’ll probably have to cut down a lot after your first draft. You’ve got this!
If you need help with your Bucknell application or your Common App essay, reach out to us here.