Qualifications for Admission

The requirements for matriculation of undergraduates as specified below apply to students admitted for the regular academic year or for summer session.

Bucknell University is interested in selecting for admission those students who can best take advantage of the educational opportunities offered at the University. The University receives many more applications than it has spaces available in each year’s incoming class. Therefore, Bucknell’s Admissions Committee considers applicants’ intellectual capabilities as well as their ability to uniquely benefit from, and contribute to, the academic and co-curricular life of the campus.

In considering candidates for admission to the University, the members of the Admissions Committee undertake a thorough evaluation of the quality of the admissions application; the secondary school curriculum of the applicant, with emphasis on both rigor and performance; aptitude for college study as reflected by the SAT or ACT tests; written recommendations on behalf of the applicant; school and community activities; indications of special talents; and evidence of strong personal qualities of character and leadership. The admissions committee views more favorably those with the best academic preparation in secondary school and a sincere interest in contributing to the myriad aspects of Bucknell’s residential learning community.