Bucknell University Acceptance Rate and How to Get in Easily

When you think about a prestigious liberal arts school, Bucknell comes to mind. The university offers fascinating learning opportunities both at home and abroad. The Bucknell university acceptance rate and how to get in easily will be covered in this article. 

At Bucknell, you get to study hard and play hard. Athletics and Greek life are quite huge. The university and its beautiful campus are great places to live and get your degree. Bucknell offers the largest and very diverse academic programs, from neuroscience and astronomy to music and art history. 

In terms of ranking, Bucknell can be found in many collegiate rankings, often appearing in the top 100 of various lists. According to Niche, it was named the 29th best liberal arts college in America,  the fourth-best liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, and quite near or below many “Little Ivies” schools. 

There’s a lot to know about this prestigious liberal arts university. These include the history, modern-day expansion, campus, Bucknell University acceptance rate, GPA/ACT requirements, and how to get in easily.  

About Bucknell University

Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1846 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. It was established as the University at Lewisburg and now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and Freeman College of Management. 65 majors and over 70 minors are offered in the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural science, engineering, social sciences, management, as well as pre-professional advising and programs for law and medicine students. 

The university is located on a 445-acre (1.80 km2) campus located just south of Lewisburg, above the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

Approximately 3,700 undergraduate students and 50 graduate students are enrolled at Bucknell University. Admitted students come from fifty U.S. states and over 66 countries; there are about 200 student organizations and a huge Greek life. The school participates in the Patriot League in NCAA Division I athletics, and Bison is its mascot. 

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History

Bucknell was first founded as the University at Lewisburg in 1846, and its origin can be traced to a group of Baptists from White Deer Valley Baptist Church who decided that a Literary Institution should be established in Central Pennsylvania, comprising of a High School for male pupils, one for females, a College and also a Theological Institution.

In 1845, the efforts of the group began to show when Stephen William Taylor, a professor at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, was asked to prepare a charter and become the general agent for the university’s development. The charter for the University at Lewisburg was approved by the governor on February 5, 1846, and granted by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. It carried the stipulation that ($3,000,000 today) will be raised before the new institution would gain full corporate status. More than 4,000 people contributed.

In 1846, the school opened in the basement of the First Baptist Church in Lewisburg as the Lewisburg High School. In 1848, it became the primary Academic Department of the University at Lewisburg.

In 1850, the department moved into Taylor Hall, the first building completed on campus. The building was built for $8,000 ($260,000 today) and housed both women’s and men’s studies until 1852 when the Female Institute opened. Women faced east while men faced west.

On August 20, 1851, the school’s first commencement was held for a seven-men graduating class. James Buchanan, who later became the 15th President of the United States was among the board members who attended. Before assuming office as president of Madison University, Stephen Taylor officiated the commencement as his last act. Howard Malcolm was elected as the first president of the university, and he was in office for six years.

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Female Institute

The Female Institute began instruction in 1852, and college courses were opened to women in 1883. Bucknell wanted equal educational opportunities for women.

Enrollment grew so sharply within five years of opening that the university built a new hall–Larison Hall–to contain the Female Institute. Women could go into town only in the company of a female teacher who had at least six years of experience.

In 1881, Bucknell faced dire financial circumstances and turned to a charter member of the board of trustees, William Bucknell, for help. William donated $50,000 ($1,400,000 today) which saved the university from ruin. In 1886, the trustees voted unanimously that the name of the University at Lewisburg be changed to Bucknell University. This was done in recognition of Bucknell’s support of the school. Bucknell Hall, initially a chapel, was the first of many buildings given to the university by Bucknell.

Bertrand Library

Within 40 years from 1890 to 1930, there was a steady increase in the number of faculty members and students. The Depression caused a drop in enrollment in 1933, and several members of the faculty were “loaned” out to found Bucknell Junior College, a new institution in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The institution, Wilkes University, is currently a four-year university, independent of Bucknell since 1947. The depression-era caused architect Jens Larsen Bucknell’s master plan to be commissioned by President Homer Rainey (1931–35). The plan is still used for the subsequent expansion of the university.

Changing expectations and the growing reputation for undergraduate education in the United States required improved facilities. In the 1970s, the Gerhard Fieldhouse, the Elaine Langone Center, and the Computer Center were constructed while in the 1980s, the Bertrand Library capacity was doubled, engineering facilities were substantially renovated, and the Weis Performing Arts center was inaugurated.

21st Century

Towards the 21st century, sciences’ new facilities included the construction of the Rooke Chemistry Building in 1990, the renovation of the Olin Science Building, and a new Biology Building in 1991. In 2000, the Weis Music Building was inaugurated, while Geology and the O’Leary Building for Psychology opened in the fall of 2002. The Breakiron Engineering Building and the new Kenneth Langone Recreational Athletic Center opened in 2004 and 2003 respectively.

In the fall of 2013, Academic West was opened and 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2) of houses and academic space were added. The houses were mostly social science departments: geography, economics, international relations, sociology/anthropology, political science, Critical Black Studies, Latin American Studies, and Environmental Studies and Sciences. In 2015, the South Campus apartment buildings and MacDonnell Commons were opened, both providing apartment-style housing with a more independent residential experience to upperclassmen. In 2018, Hildreth-Mirza Hall was  Bucknell’s Center home for Bucknell University Press, the Humanities, and the Griot Institute for the Study of Black Lives and Culture. In 2019, Academic East was inaugurated to house the programs in the College of Engineering and the Department of Education. In 2020, a new building that housed the Freeman College of Management and the Department of Art and Art History was opened.

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Campus

Bucknell’s 450-acre (180 ha) campus has more than 100 Buildings adjacent to the West Branch Susquehanna River. The campus is divided into Upper and Lower Campus by Miller Run and the Grove, a stand of oak trees. The lower campus is primarily filled by the university’s sports facilities and student housing. The upper campus has academic buildings. It offers northwest views over the Buffalo Valley and southeast across the Susquehanna River and toward Nittany Mountain.

Bucknell’s campus has a cohesive architectural ensemble because it was sustained with the use of brick and the Georgian style recurrent themes. Taylor Hall was constructed in 1848, and Holmes Hall, the newest building, was inaugurated in 2021.

The  Recreation Center and Kenneth Langone Athletics were completed in 2003. It has an Olympic-size swimming pool and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The Sojka Pavilion 4,000-seat, named for Dr. Gary Allan Sojka, the former university president, has the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Fall on the Engineering Quad

The non-denominational Rooke Chapel built in Georgian colonial style is the setting for weddings, campus worship, and celebrations. The chapel has a one-story wing, which houses the Chaplain’s office, the Office of Religious Life, a meditation chapel, and a kitchen. On October 25, 1964, the chapel was dedicated as a gift by the late Robert L. Rooke, a class of 1913 alumnus and a member of the university’s board of trustees. The main portion of the chapel has a sanctuary, narthex, organ chamber, chancel area, choir rooms, and balconies that can be found on the three sides of the sanctuary. About 850 persons can sit in the balconies and sanctuary.

Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Lewisburg, with 13,100-seat. The stadium was first built in 1924, then renovated, and in 1989, renamed in honor of Mathewson. It houses the Lewisburg High School Green Dragons and Bucknell University Bison football teams. 

Bucknell University Acceptance Rate and How to Get in Easily

When it comes to Bucknell university admission requirements, the important requirement is:

• GPA requirements
• SAT and ACT requirements, and/or testing requirements
• Application requirements

Keep reading to know the admission requirements based on Bucknell University’s acceptance rate. 

The acceptance rate is the first criteria you must consider before applying to know how competitive Bucknell University is and the requirements you must meet.

Bucknell University Acceptance rate

The Bucknell University acceptance rate is 33%. For every 100 applicants, 33 are admitted, hence UW is quite selective.

Yet, you must meet Bucknell’s requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores, and you stand a better chance of getting in if you exceed these requirements. Anything less than the minimum GPA and SAT/ACT scores will reduce your chance of getting in easily.

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Bucknell University Requirements

Below is Bucknell University‘s average GPA for its current students. 

GPA

Bucknell University’s average GPA is 3.56.  Hence, Bucknell has very competitive GPAs.

If you get a GPA of 3.56, you are expected to be average in your high school class, with a combination of A’s and B’s and very few C’s on your transcript. You can take hard AP classes to boost your weighted GPA.

Junior or senior high school students will find it hard to change their GPA in time for college applications.  A GPA of less than 3.56 IS NOT enough.

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SAT and ACT Requirements

Bucknell University Acceptance Rate

Different requirements for standardizing tests are implemented by different schools. The majority of the schools require the SAT or ACT, while others also require SAT subject tests. 

Before you apply to Bucknell University, you must take either the SAT or ACT. You must perform well in the test to have a strong application.

Bucknell University SAT Requirements

The average SAT score composite is 1337 on the 1600 SAT scale. Therefore, Bucknell University is moderately competitive in SAT scores.

The New SAT 25th percentile score is 1250, while the New SAT 75th percentile score is 1420. What this means is that a New SAT score of 1250 places you below average, while 1420 places you up above average.

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Bucknell University ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, there’s no known hard ACT cutoff mark based on the Bucknell University acceptance rate. However, if your score is low, you won’t stand a chance of being admitted.

The average ACT score at Bucknell University is 30. The university is very competitive for ACT scores. The 25th percentile ACT score is 28, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 32.

Bucknell University has no minimum ACT requirement, but if your ACT score is less than 28, you won’t stand a chance of getting in, unless there’s something very unique about your application.

Therefore, if your ACT score is currently below a 28, you should prepare for the ACT and retake it to able to boost your chances of getting in if you can have a higher score.

Additionally, the Superscore helps you prioritize a single section at a time. Lower than your other sections, a Reading score requires you to prepare only for the Reading section, before taking the ACT, Math test, e.t.c. You will then be able to have the high Superscore possible.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

There’s an optional essay section for the SAT and ACT.

Bucknell University recommends that you take the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section. They’ll consider your application to be stronger if you do well.

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SAT Subject Test Requirements

SAT subject test requirements vary with different schools. Some selective schools will require them, while others do not need them.

There’s no information if Bucknell University requires SAT subject tests, but, double-check 6 months before applying just to make sure and have enough time to take the test.

Because of how selective Bucknell University is, having a strong academic performance increases your chance of getting admission. If you score a 1337 SAT or a 30 ACT or above, then you can be sure of admission.

Once you have a high SAT/ACT score, and a GPA close to the school average of 3.56, based on your score merits, good extracurriculars and letters of recommendation will help you get in easily into Bucknell University. 

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Conclusion

Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college that now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and Freeman College of Management. 65 majors and over 70 minors are offered in the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural science, engineering, social sciences, management, as well as pre-professional advising and programs for law and medicine students. Approximately 3,700 undergraduate students and 50 graduate students are enrolled at Bucknell University. Admitted students come from fifty U.S. states and over 66 countries. 

The Bucknell University acceptance rate is 33%. To stand a better chance of getting into Bucknell, you must meet the requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores. 

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