bucknell supplemental essay prompts

Bucknell University Supplemental Essay 2022-23

Bucknell supplemental essay 2022-23.

A top private liberal arts college, Bucknell University is located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. If you are considering applying to Bucknell, you’re likely a motivated student with many accomplishments. As such, your application to Bucknell might include high grades, several extracurriculars, and perhaps stellar test scores. But, it’s important not to overlook a key part of your application: the Bucknell supplemental essay.

In this guide, we’ll review which Bucknell essays are required and how to write a standout  Bucknell supplemental essay. We’ll discuss Bucknell essay prompts—including the very common “why major” essay—and how to approach them.

Before writing your Bucknell supplemental essay, it’s important to learn more about Bucknell University itself. Learning about a school can help you write a strong Bucknell supplemental essay.

Bucknell Essays: Quick Facts

• Bucknell University Acceptance Rate:  33%.  U.S. News  ranks Bucknell as a more selective school. 
• 1 (~600-650 word) personal statement
• 1 (~ 250 word) Bucknell supplemental essay
• Bucknell University Application:  Students must submit their Bucknell University application through the  Common Application or the Coalition Application . Make sure to have all of your Bucknell University supplemental essays and other  required application materials  ready when applying. 
• Early Decision: November 15th
• Early Decision II: January 15th
• Regular Decision: January 15th 
• Bucknell University Essay Tip:  There is only one Bucknell University supplemental essay to complete. Use the space to provide specific information about your interests and how they fit with Bucknell’s offerings. 

A Closer Look at Bucknell University

Bucknell is a small liberal arts school with a student population of 3,741 as of fall 2021. Each year, around 12,000 bright students apply to Bucknell, of whom just under 4,000 are admitted on average. As a result, the Bucknell acceptance rate stands at around 33% . This makes Bucknell admissions fairly selective.

Without a doubt, Bucknell is one of the best colleges in Pennsylvania . The Bucknell University ranking in U.S. News is #37 among liberal arts colleges. With 64 areas of study and a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Bucknell offers students an array of academic opportunities in an intimate learning environment.

Students can enroll in one of Bucknell’s three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences , the College of Engineering , or the Freeman College of Management . Moreover, Bucknell connects students with a wide array of research opportunities and experiences beyond the classroom like study abroad and internships.

Socially, Bucknell’s rural location helps in fostering a strong sense of community among students. According to student reviews in Niche , Bucknell’s fraternities and sororities are also a major part of social life on campus.

As we can tell, Bucknell has much to offer students. However, in your Bucknell essays, it’s important to showcase not only Bucknell’s strengths but yours as well. As we continue, we’ll dive more into the Bucknell essays and, specifically, the Bucknell supplemental essay.

Does Bucknell have a supplemental essay?

Yes, Bucknell does have a supplemental essay. Now that we’ve answered the question “Does Bucknell have a supplemental essay?”, let’s get into the details. There is one Bucknell supplemental essay that is 250 words in length. The Bucknell University supplemental essay prompt is:

Please explain your interest in your first-choice major/undecided status and your second-choice major, should you opt to list one.

In the world of college essays, most prompts are asking students to talk about the same few topics. This question is what we consider a “why major” essay. Later, we’ll discuss this type of essay and how to write a compelling response. Before we do so, let’s take a look at all of the requirements for Bucknell essays. 

Bucknell Essay Requirements

As you put together your Bucknell application, you’ll want to give special attention to the essays. The Bucknell essays are an opportunity for you to showcase parts of your personality and experience not evident elsewhere on your application. These can range from hobbies and personal interests to influences from your unique background.

In total, there are two Bucknell essays required for the application. First, there’s the personal statement. Both the Common App and Coalition App require you to write a personal statement . This same personal statement is then submitted to all the schools which require one. But you might be wondering, what is a personal statement?

A personal statement is an essay of 650 words or less that introduces you to admissions officers. It showcases your personality and unique voice. You may find that many sample personal statements do not focus on something spectacular or life-changing. Instead, effective personal statements demonstrate the writer’s unique qualities, are detailed and compelling to read, and are well-written. 

Secondly, you’ll have to submit a response to the Bucknell supplemental essay prompt. Since this essay is only 250 words in length, you’ll have to be concise as well as compelling and convincing. In a later section, we’ll provide tips for how to write the Bucknell supplemental essay.

Bucknell Supplemental Essay #1- Why Major Essay

By now, we’ve explored the Bucknell essays you’ll write for your college application. In this section, we’ll dive deeper into how to reply to the Bucknell University supplemental essay prompt. As a reminder, the Bucknell supplemental essay prompt is: 

This type of essay is called a “why major” essay. In a “why major essay,” your goal is to share your academic passions with admissions officers. If you have already chosen a major, your essay should provide a compelling story for your interest in that area. For undecided applicants, a strong Bucknell supplemental essay still illustrates their academic curiosity and interests.

Basic Tips for the Bucknell Supplemental Essay

To brainstorm, consider your earliest memories of being interested in that subject and consider what prompted your interest. Did you watch films that sparked your interest in math? Maybe you used to spend long summer days reading in the park. Or perhaps, you have a passion for taking apart electronics to see how they work.

Your essay doesn’t need to be extremely formal, either—rather, prioritize showing your genuine passion for your major. Admissions officers are interested in how your mind works and what energizes you. This is, after all, a big part of why they would want to admit you.

Furthermore, another goal of the ‘why major’ essay is to emphasize why you want to study at a specific school. Bucknell’s admissions staff know you are applying to multiple schools and could probably find your major at many of them. As such, they might be wondering, why Bucknell? To answer this question, you’ll have to do some research and learn more about what makes Bucknell special.

For example, in the Bucknell supplemental essay, you might emphasize research questions that intrigue you. Other common themes are specific research opportunities you’d want to explore or professors whose research aligns with your interests. Furthermore, you might highlight study abroad opportunities you would take advantage of or clubs that would feed your interest. 

How to choose a major?

You might be wondering, what if I don’t know which of the Bucknell majors is for me? There are so many majors that it can be hard to choose , but being undecided is no problem. You’ll notice in this prompt that Bucknell allows you to write about your undecided status as well. With this option, you should still give admissions officers a sense of what kinds of questions or topics interest you.

We’ve learned a lot about the Bucknell supplemental essay. You might be curious how to even begin writing the essay. In the next section, we’ll look at more suggestions and tips for writing the Bucknell supplemental essay.

How to write the Bucknell Supplemental Essay?

Up until now, we’ve explored how the Bucknell supplemental essay is a “why major” essay. We’ll now take a look at additional tips for writing a strong Bucknell University supplemental essay. 

Write about what genuinely interests you

Undoubtedly, the Bucknell acceptance rate is competitive. With an estimated 12,000 applications each year, Bucknell admissions officers must read many essays. Indeed, they probably hear about many of the same common or “safe” topics and interests over and over. Surely, there are few things more boring than reading the same essay a thousand times. For that reason, it’s critical that your essay stands out . 

One of the most important things in an impactful essay is to write about topics that genuinely interest you. In this way, your essay will inevitably feel authentic and contain your unique voice. Don’t try too hard to make your essay sound interesting—it will be if it’s about your life. For example, if you know you love chemistry because you love studying the ingredients in makeup, then write about that. No topic is too small to be the focus of your essay.

Focus on a core theme

The Bucknell supplemental essay asks you to write about your top one or two academic areas of study, or majors. As a high school student, you may have multiple interests that you are exploring. While this is totally fine, remember that you have only 250 words of space in this essay. As such, it’s important to pick one or two themes to focus your essay on.

How do you choose which of the Bucknell majors to highlight? Spend some time reflecting on your academic and personal experiences. Look for trends between them. For example, perhaps you had many pets growing up and loved studying animal anatomy in biology class. Perhaps this is a sign that biology—and a pre-vet path—could be for you. 

Remember, you can always change your area of study once you get to college. Maybe once you arrive there, other Bucknell majors will draw you in. That’s perfectly okay. In fact, it’s very common. An estimated 50-75% of undergraduate students change their major at least once while in college. No one at Bucknell will look back at your supplemental essay and critique your decision to switch majors. Most importantly, admissions officers want to see that you’ve given thought to your future and are specifically interested in Bucknell’s offerings.

Be specific

Without a doubt, the key to writing a convincing and compelling Bucknell supplemental essay is to be specific. Rather than saying, “I have always been interested in biology,” find a story that illustrates your long-held interest in biology. For example, maybe you played with science experiment kits as a child. Describe your experience with those kits and their connection to the present day. With these details, you’ll set your essay apart from the thousands of others that the admissions officers must read.

Reference Bucknell 

One of the most important ways to be specific in your Bucknell supplemental essay is to reference Bucknell. For example, identify specific areas of study, research opportunities, study abroad programs, or anything else that relates to your interest. By referencing Bucknell’s offerings, you demonstrate that you’ve not only done your research but truly want to attend the school.

The Bucknell supplemental essay is critical for having a strong application. However, it is only one piece of your application. Now that we’ve reviewed key tips for writing a good Bucknell supplemental essay, we’ll investigate the role that the essay plays in the admissions process. 

Bucknell Essays and the Bucknell Admissions Process

At this point, your core question might have shifted away from “Does Bucknell have a supplemental essay?” You may be asking, ”What role does the Bucknell supplemental essay play in the Bucknell admissions process?” In this section, we’ll explore the factors that influence admissions. 

First, it’s important to recognize that the Bucknell acceptance rate isn’t very high. This is one fact that influences—or is influenced by—the high Bucknell University ranking. As such, it’s important to give your application thought and make every effort to stand out.

Thankfully, you have many opportunities to make your case, since the admissions process is holistic in nature. This means that admissions officers look at multiple aspects of your application to consider who you are as a whole student to understand whether you would fit well at their school. From transcripts to recommendation letters , each piece of the application requires careful consideration. 

Now, we’ll explore a few of the key pieces of your application and how they fit into the admissions process:

Undoubtedly, a critical piece of your Bucknell application is your transcript and Secondary School Report (SRS). You probably know about transcripts, but the SRS is a form that reports your grades and facts about your school. Through these records, schools can get a sense of your academic performance over your high school career.

They might be looking at factors such as class rigor, changes in your grades over time, or your electives. Besides your transcript, the SRS gives further context for your school environment. An SRS may include your class rank, counselor notes on your character, or your school’s demographic and academic information.

Test Scores

As of 2020, Bucknell is piloting a five-year test-optional policy. As such, SAT or ACT scores are not currently required for the 2022-2023 school year. This doesn’t mean that you can’t submit scores. In fact, if your scores strengthen your application by being at or above the average range for admitted applications, then you’d likely choose to submit them. If they are omitted, then admissions officers will weigh other components of your application more heavily. 

One important note is that if you are admitted to Bucknell, you are still required to submit test scores for the school’s internal research. However, at this point, your admission will be guaranteed regardless of your test scores.

Writing strong responses to the Bucknell essay prompts is an important part of your application. This is especially true if your grades or test scores aren’t as strong as other students who apply to Bucknell. As we mentioned, your essays will be weighed more heavily if you choose not to submit test scores. So, to create a strong application, spend time responding to the two Bucknell essay prompts. 

To summarize, the first essay is the personal statement, which is required for most Common App or Coalition App applications. The personal statement is your introduction to Bucknell and showcases your personality to admissions officers. The second essay is the Bucknell supplemental essay, which provides more context on your academic goals should you attend Bucknell. In this essay, it’s important to be specific about why you want to attend Bucknell. More specifically, admissions officers want to know how attending Bucknell will help you pursue your academic passions.

Indeed, every part of your application is critical. However, the essays are the best place within your application to showcase your uniqueness. If you respond authentically to the Bucknell essay prompts, admissions officers will have a hard time turning down your application.

Bucknell Supplemental Essay – 5 Takeaways

When applying to college, there are many steps in the process. In this article, we introduced you to the Bucknell essay prompts and focused on the Bucknell supplemental essay. We’ll now highlight five takeaways that you should keep in mind as you work on your Bucknell application:

Main Takeaways

1. bucknell is a competitive school with lots to offer.

As we described above, getting into Bucknell isn’t easy. The Bucknell University ranking makes it one of the top schools in the nation. Specifically, it shines in the liberal arts, which offer a well-rounded approach to education. Bucknell’s offerings allow students to learn both in and out of the classroom. The school attracts motivated students who want to be part of its strong community. The essays in your Bucknell application should demonstrate your keen interest in specific aspects of the school. 

2. Applying to Bucknell requires a thoughtful approach

At CollegeAdvisor, we help students take a thoughtful approach to their college process. For example, we work with students to develop an application strategy, like workshopping essays and deciding on application deadlines . When you apply to Bucknell, it’s important to be thoughtful about how your application will look to an admissions officer. Not just essays, but your test scores and extracurriculars as well, will determine the strength of your Bucknell application.

3. The Bucknell essays are your chance to stand out

When colleges use a holistic admissions process, it means that they don’t strictly base admissions on one factor, like grades. Rather, they want to know who you are as a person on many different levels. As such, your essays are your opportunity to show who you are and what makes you different from other students. Take the time to brainstorm topics, draft a cohesive essay, and get feedback from others.

4. Strong essays are compelling

In this article, we’ve discussed some tips for writing a strong essay. The bottom line is that strong essays are compelling. In other words, they aren’t general or vague—they illustrate who you are through specific life events or details. They demonstrate that you have given thought to what your experience at Bucknell would be like. Lastly, they represent your unique voice. Reading various essay examples can help as you draft and revise your essays.

5. Be yourself

Our final and perhaps most important piece of advice is to be yourself, especially when writing your essays. If you find yourself wondering what admissions officers want to hear or embellishing experiences to impress, you’ve probably gone astray. Rather, spend time thinking about what is most important and interesting to you. Speak from your own heart, and you’re much more likely to be a successful applicant.

Now that we’ve introduced you to the Bucknell essay prompts and the Bucknell supplemental essay, it’s up to you to craft your essays. If you’re fighting stress over applications to Bucknell or any other school, CollegeAdvisor is here to help. With everything from essay guides to personalized advising, we’ve got what you need to succeed in your college admissions journey. In fact, our advisors can help you brainstorm topics, edit your essay, and put together a winning application strategy.

This Bucknell University essay guide was written by Courtney Ng . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Respond to the 2023/2024 Bucknell University Supplement

Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.

Learn about our editorial policies

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Bucknell University is a private non-profit university in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Bucknell is on the “ Hidden Ivies ” list– the list of highly selective liberal arts colleges that offer premier educations on par with Ivy League schools. Knowing how to respond to the Bucknell University supplement will be a great help to stand out from the rest of the applicants, so keep on reading to figure out how!

The Bucknell University Supplement

Bucknell University asks students to answer only one substantial question as a supplement to the Common App essay. The prompt is straight to the point so you do not have to worry about deciding between which prompt would make you stand out best. Still, we need to be prepared to create a well-thought out and honest response no matter what the prompt may be.

We are going to break down the prompt step-by-step to make it easier to understand and to write. After this, you’ll be a pro at respond to Bucknell’s other questions. Let’s jump right in!

Please explain your interest in your first-choice major/undecided status and your second-choice major, should you opt to list one. (250 words)

If you have chosen your major already

If you have already picked your major, that is great! Maybe that is what you see yourself doing for the rest of your life, or possibly not. Either way, you have a lot of time to figure that out and change your mind. But, for right now, let’s think about what made you pick that major when you were filling out your application to Bucknell. 

250 words is the perfect amount to describe your major. Maybe you will want to dive into your career of choice and how Bucknell is going to prepare you to get to that goal. Universities love to hear how they are able to help you succeed, as well as what you are going to be able to do for their college in your time there. Think about those things while you are writing.

Questions to consider:

• Why did you choose your major?
• What about this field of study draws you in?
• Do you know what you want your future career to be?
• What do you see yourself doing after college?

If you choose “Undecided” as your major

If you still aren’t completely sure about what you want to do in college, that is completely fine. That is what college is all about– learning more about who you are as a person, and growing into the adult that you are meant to be. This is something you can touch on in your essay, Bucknell is a great place for a student to learn and grow. 

• Why did you choose Bucknell University?
• What interests you?
• Did you particularly enjoy any classes in high school that you feel you’d like to keep taking in college?
• What are your goals for the future?

All of these questions can help you, and the admissions professionals at Bucknell, to better understand who you are academically and what your goals are for your future self. 

Final thoughts on the Bucknell Supplemental Essay

Ultimately, the admissions professionals chose to only provide one essay to make it easier on everyone involved in the process. Take that and run with it. Make the Bucknell supplemental essay your own, be honest with the college and with yourself about what you want in life– and if you don’t know yet, be honest about that too! College is about learning more about YOU, and they understand that. Collect your thoughts, speak your truth, and they will listen. 

Also see: College supplemental essay guides

Additional resources for students

Once you finish the Bucknell University supplement, give yourself a pat on the back, but remember, there’s more yet to do! At Scholarships360, we understand the stress that you are under while going through the college application process– trust us, we’ve been there. That’s why we have so many more tips and tricks for you to make the process a bit less strenuous. Whether you’re deciding how many colleges to apply to , how to choose a college , or when to take the SAT/ACT , we’ve got you covered.

What’s more, we have a host of resources to help you through the rest of your college essays. Check out our guides on how to write an essay about yourself , how to write a successful admissions essay , and how to adapt your writing to 250 or 500 word limits. We’ve even got a guide on how to respond to each of the Common App prompts . Good luck!

Start your scholarship search

• Vetted scholarships custom-matched to your profile
• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Other colleges to consider

• Lafayette University (Easton, PA)
• Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA)

Scholarships360 Recommended

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending now.

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

How to Write the Bucknell University Essay 2020-2021

The recording will load in a moment., about this livestream, bucknell university.

Learn how to write the Bucknell University essay and what Bucknell is looking for in an awesome essay.

Vinay Bhaskara will provide an in-depth breakdown of Bucknell's supplemental essay, discussing how to optimize and tailor a response to each one by breaking down the purpose of the prompts.

He'll also open up the floor to answer any and all questions about the Bucknell essay. If you’re not sure where to start, this livestream will help you figure out the best plan for your application.

Undergrad College: University of Chicago

Major: Economics

Work Experience: As a Co-Founder of CollegeVine, I lead the data science and admissions curriculum teams. I have worked with thousands of students and families over the course of 8 years. I have also spent time as a senior analyst in aviation operations, strategy, and marketing.

Other recordings about Bucknell University

Get to Know Bucknell University

Bucknell University Student Panel

Live Q&A with Bucknell Admissions Officers

"Essays: The Most Important Part of your Application"

How to Get Into Tech Without a Degree

Your Application in Today’s Environment

Getting Started: How to Build your Narrative

Popular recent recordings.

2024 Admissions Lessons and Falsehoods for the 2025 Applicant

Stand Out: Strategies for Resume Building

Try Before You Buy - The Benefits of Pre-College Residential Experiences

How to do research in high school

• Skip to Content
• Bulletin Home
• Institution Home
• Choose Your Starting Point
• I'm interested in attending Bucknell
• I'm a current Bucknell student
• I'm faculty or staff
• I'm a proud alum
• I'm family of a current or prospective student
• I'm interested in giving
• I'm planning to visit Bucknell
• The Everything Directory
• Admissions /

Applying for Admission

• Catalog A-​Z Index
• About Bucknell
• University Educational Goals
• College of Arts &​ Sciences
• College of Engineering
• Freeman College of Management
• Academic Support &​ Campus Life
• Academic Standards &​ Policies
• Qualifications for Admission
• Visiting Bucknell
• Decision Plans
• Academic Requirements
• Standardized Tests
• Entrance Deferral
• Advanced Standing for First-​year &​ Transfer Students
• Integrity of Application Process
• Medical Requirements
• Health Insurance Requirement
• Readmission
• Finance &​ Financial Aid Information
• Endowed Funds
• About the Catalog

To apply for admission as a first-year student, please use the Common Application available at commonapp.org , or Coalition Application (powered by Scoir) available at app.scoir.com/app/signup/1100235 . For your application to be complete, you must submit the following:

Common Application or Coalition Application (powered by Scoir), including the nonrefundable $50 application fee or fee waiver request.

All supporting materials, which include:

Questions specific to Bucknell University;

The personal essay (no supplementary essay is required);

Secondary School Report and school counselor evaluation;

Official transcript from each high school attended;

At least one teacher recommendation, preferably from a core subject; and

The Mid-Year Report, when available.

SAT or ACT scores, if the applicant chooses to include them on the application (SAT/ACT writing sections are not required). Applicants may self-report SAT/ACT scores on their Common or Coalition Application (powered by Scoir) for admissions consideration. If an applicant is offered admission and enrolls, an official copy of the SAT/ACT scores will be required.

​In the academic year 2019-2020,  Bucknell began a five-year, test-optional pilot program for which students are not required to submit an SAT or ACT score as part of their application. For the 2019-2020 application cycle, home-schooled students, international citizens and recruited athletes were required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Starting in the 2020-2021 application cycle through the remainder of the pilot program, all applicants may choose to be test optional. However, all students who choose to enroll at Bucknell will be required to submit an SAT or ACT score before they begin their first year. These scores will only be used in the assessment of the test-optional program and will not impact the admission decision already made . Note: If you have never taken the SAT or ACT and do not have scores available, you will not be required to submit a score upon enrollment. In the spring 2023 semester, it was determined to extend the test-optional pilot an additional two years. 

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Language Tests (PTE), or Duolingo English Test (DET) if English is not your first language or if it was not the primary language of instruction for at least three years of your secondary school education.

Early Decision applicants must submit the Common Application or Coalition Application (powered by Scoir) Early Decision Agreement form, including all required signatures (applicants, parent/guardian and school counselor).​

• CSS PROFILE and Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA), if you are applying for financial aid.
• The merit scholarship application, if you're applying for merit scholarships .
• All international applicants must submit a certified bank statement with either the International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA) if applying for financial aid, or the  Financial Certification Document  if not applying for financial aid . 

If you are applying as a transfer student, you must submit:

Common Application or Coalition Application (powered by Scoir) for transfer students, including the nonrefundable $50 application fee or fee waiver request.

Common Application College Instructor Academic Evaluation for Transfers or Coalition Application Recommendation ;

Common Application Transfer College Report  or Coalition Application Transfer Report ;

Common Application Transfer Mid-Term Report  or Coalition Application College Curriculum Report ;

Official transcript for each college attended;

Official secondary school transcript;

SAT or ACT scores (optional). Students who choose to submit test scores may self-report them on their Common or Coalition Application (powered by Scoir) for admissions consideration. If an applicant is offered admission and enrolls, an official copy of the SAT/ACT scores will be required; and

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Language Tests (PTE), or Duolingo English Test (DET) scores, if English is not your first language or if it was not the primary language of instruction for at least three years of your secondary school education.
• All international applicants must submit a certified bank statement with either the International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA) if applying for financial aid, or the Financial Certification Document if not applying for financial aid.

If you applied previously to Bucknell, the application fee may be waived and the official secondary school report may be retrieved.

Lewisburg, PA 17837 ph: 570.577.2000 Mailing Addresses

• Giving to Bucknell
• News & Media
• Working at Bucknell
• Emergency Information

Copyright © 2014 Bucknell University. All rights reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement

Print Options

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

All pages in Academic Catalog.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Bucknell University Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered

How bucknell considers admissions essays, what applicants should write about or avoid in their bucknell essays, how early decision works at bucknell.

In a normal admission year at selective schools, essays are the single most important personal component of your application. They constitute about 30% of your admissions decision. 

Since Bucknell is a liberal arts college, it traditionally places a higher level of emphasis than similar colleges on the essay. 

To understand why your essays are so important, it’s helpful to know how they get reviewed. When your Bucknell application is read, an individual admissions officer will do an initial read-through and then discuss it with a committee of their peers. These peers have read other applications and selected other applicants they think would be qualified. 

The admissions officer that reads your essay will need to think positively about you. They are your advocate and can help move you forward in the admissions process. There are likely two or three qualified applicants for each spot they have available, so ensuring the admissions officer agrees that you are a strong applicant is necessary. 

Your essays are the best way to establish that relationship with the admissions officer. By reading your personal statement, they can get to know you on a personal level and determine what makes you a qualified candidate. 

More information about Bucknell’s 2022-2023 Essay Prompts is available here . 

The most important thing about an applicant’s college essay is that it portrays who they are. 

It is helpful to avoid overly cliché topics or themes that may be contrary to a particular school’s beliefs. If a student is submitting an application to a religious institution, for example, discussing why someone may be against religion would not be the safest choice for an essay. Similarly, talking about the COVID-19 pandemic could be considered overdone in recent years, as many students choose to focus on that in their applications. 

Instead, thinking about what personal experiences are the most meaningful can be helpful. How do those experiences impact daily life or long-term goals? Referencing extracurricular activities or the motivation behind a particular career choice, if relevant, can both be beneficial too. Highlighting those activities offers admissions officers a glimpse into how an applicant could contribute to their campus. 

For more advice on how to write the Bucknell essays, read CollegeVine’s Guide on How to Write the Bucknell University Essay , or look at an example of the Bucknell University Essay . 

Bucknell, like many schools, has seen a decrease in early decision applicants following the pandemic. As a result, applicants will have higher chances of admission than in other years when applying early to Bucknell. 

The Early Decision I application deadline for Bucknell is November 15, and students receive decisions in mid-December. The application deadline for Early Decision II is January 15, and students receive decisions in mid-February.

Both are binding plans, meaning Bucknell is the applicant’s first-choice school, and they agree to withdraw other applications if admitted.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Supplemental Essay Guide 2024-25

What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.

Acceptance Rate

Undergrad population.

• Liberal Arts (52)

* Tuition filtering is based on out-of-state fees

Agnes Scott College 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Alvernia University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide  

American university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, amherst college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, babson college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, bard college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide  , barnard college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, baylor university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide  , bennington college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, bentley university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, berry college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, bethany college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, bishop’s university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, boston college (bc) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, boston university (bu) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, bowdoin college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, brandeis university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , brown university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, bryn mawr college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, bucknell university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, butler university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, california institute of technology (caltech) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, california lutheran university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, capitol technology university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, carleton college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, carnegie mellon university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , catawba college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, centre college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, chapman university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, claremont mckenna college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide  , clark university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, college of mount saint vincent 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, college of william & mary 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, college of wooster 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, colorado college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, colorado school of mines 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, columbia university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, cornell university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, culver-stockton college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, d’youville university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, dartmouth college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, davidson college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, drexel university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, duke university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, earlham college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, elon university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, emerson college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, emory university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, flagler college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, fordham university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, george mason university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, georgetown university 2023-24 essay prompt guide, georgia state university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide  , georgia tech 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, gonzaga university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, harvard university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, harvey mudd college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, haverford college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, hillsdale college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide  , hofstra university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, illinois institute of technology 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, illinois wesleyan university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, indiana university bloomington 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, ithaca college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, johns hopkins university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, kalamazoo college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, lafayette college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, lehigh university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, lewis and clark college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, linfield university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, loyola marymount university (lmu) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , lynn university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, macalester college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, malone university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, manchester university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, marist college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, mary baldwin university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, massachusetts institute of technology (mit) 2023-24 essay prompt guide, meredith college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, monmouth college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, moravian university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, morehouse college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, mount holyoke college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, new york university (nyu) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, north park university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, northwestern university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, occidental college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, oklahoma city university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, olin college of engineering 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, pepperdine university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, pitzer college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, pomona college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, princeton university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, providence college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, purdue university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, rensselaer polytechnic institute 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, rice university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, saint elizabeth university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, santa clara university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, sarah lawrence college 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, scripps college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, seattle pacific university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, smith college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, soka university of america 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, southern methodist university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, st. john’s college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, stanford university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, stonehill college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide  , swarthmore college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, syracuse university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, texas a&m university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, texas christian university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, the college of idaho 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide  , the george washington university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, the new school 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, trinity college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, tufts university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, tulane university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of california 2023-24 essay prompt guide, university of central florida 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of chicago 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of cincinnati 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of colorado boulder 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of florida 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of georgia 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of illinois urbana-champaign 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, university of maryland 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of massachusetts amherst 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of miami 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide  , university of michigan 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of minnesota twin cities 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of north carolina (unc) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of north carolina at charlotte 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of north carolina at greensboro 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of notre dame 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of oklahoma 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of oregon 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of pennsylvania (upenn) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of pittsburgh 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of richmond 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, university of san diego 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of san francisco 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of southern california (usc) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of texas at austin 2023-24 essay prompt guide, university of tulsa 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of vermont 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of virginia (uva) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of washington (uw) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of wisconsin-madison 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, vanderbilt university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, vassar college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, villanova university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, virginia tech 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, wake forest university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, washington and lee university 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, washington university in st. louis 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, wellesley college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, williams college 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, worcester polytechnic institute (wpi) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, yale university 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide.

Contact us to learn more about our one-on-one advising services!

• I am a * Parent Potential Partner School Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which kind of private school application are you working on? * Preschool Primary School (K - 8) High School (9 - 12)
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• YouTube Tutorials
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

Add Project Key Words

Supplemental Essay Prompts: Breaking Down the Most Common Questions

Padya Paramita

September 24, 2020

College applicants often underestimate the importance of supplemental essays and mistakenly put them off until the last minute. However, you should know that they make up a crucial component of your application. Different colleges have various characteristics that they look for in incoming students and supplemental essays are often what they use to determine a good fit. So, don’t underestimate the supplemental essay prompts that await you.

There are certain common patterns in supplemental essay questions that you might recognize across different colleges. Many admissions officers want to know why you’re interested specifically in their university. Others might want to know about the impact you’ve made in your community. To help guide you through the different types of questions, I’ve outlined the categories of common supplemental essay prompts, examples of schools that use them, and tips for students in order to optimize their chance of  receiving an acceptance letter.

Why School Essays:

The most common type of supplemental essay prompts is the “why school” essay. Let’s take a look at how different colleges frame this question this year.

Barnard College : What factors influenced your decision to apply to Barnard College and why do you think the College would be a good match for you? [Max. 300 words]

Tufts University: Which aspects of the Tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short, Why Tufts?’ [100-150 words]

Northwestern University : Other parts of your application give us a sense for how you might contribute to Northwestern. But we also want to consider how Northwestern will contribute to your interests and goals. In 300 words or less, help us understand what aspects of Northwestern appeal most to you, and how you'll make use of specific resources and opportunities here.

For any of these prompts, make sure you’ve conducted your research! Explore the detailed requirements, courses, faculty, and resources available to undergraduates and see how they align with your profile and interests. Emphasize your “demonstrated interest” in the school — drive home that you’re the right fit for this college and vice versa. You might explain how well you understand the mission or educational philosophy of the school or program. You must focus on how one or two particular aspects of the college suit you. Be as specific as possible and make sure that you show your enthusiasm.

Schools can definitely tell if the examples you’ve provided in the “why school” essay are generic or taken from a different response. If it’s relevant to every single college, you’re approaching this essay incorrectly. If there’s information that’s easily found on the first page of the school’s website, you must try harder. The “why school” essay needs to include information that is unique to that particular school. So include names of classes, professors, programs, extracurricular activities, and other specific factors and resources that only exist in that school that you’d take advantage of and elaborate on why.

Why Major Essays:

Next, we have the “why major” essays. For prompts such as these, you must prioritize clarity and precision when explaining your interest and background that make you a strong candidate for your intended major, as well as detailed knowledge of the school and its programs. Some example essay questions are:

University of Illinois: Please provide an essay that explains why you chose your intended program of study. What interests you the most about this major? Please be specific - those evaluating these essays are highly interested in your response. If Undecided, what areas of study do you look forward to studying in college? [50-500 words]  

Bucknell University: Please explain your interest in your first-choice major/undecided status and your second-choice major, should you opt to list one [Max. 250 words]

Start with an idea or a problem that you find most compelling within your intended field to show your unique approach to the discipline. Use your response to explain your academic interest — not your major. Your major should be determined by your interest, instead of your interest by your major. Connect your past experiences and academic activities to your interest. How did your intellectual curiosity develop out of your activities? Identify which major or program would best help you explore your interest before sitting down to write the essay and then explain why.

Why School + Why Major

Sometimes, supplemental essay prompts may combine the “why school” and “why major” questions. Schools that do so are:

NYU: We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. What motivated you to apply to NYU? Why have you applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and or area of study? If you have applied to more than one, please also tell us why you are interested in these additional areas of study or campuses. We want to understand

- Why NYU? [Max. 400 words]

University of Michigan: Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? [Required for all applicants; 550 word limit]

For prompts such as these, you must divide your essay into two parts. Admissions officers don’t just want to know why you’re applying to the university generally; they expect you to go into greater detail about the campus(es), school, and major you’ve picked. Think about what makes you excited to attend college in the campus you’re applying to. But, don’t  just fixate on the location, because your main focus should be explaining why the particular university is the best institution to pursue your interests and goals, rather than the campus setting. Then dive into the major. Think about specific resources that are available within your chosen department that you can’t find elsewhere.

Notice that this type of essay should mainly cover academics. A university’s clubs and student organizations may make it an alluring place for you, but the question explicitly asks about your choice of study. Look through the website and think about what you can write that won’t be common in other students’ essays. Is there a professor whose research resonates with you? Would a particular psychology or sociology class perfectly fit in with your 10-year plan? Remember that admissions officers are trying to figure out why you’d make the most of your experience on campus. So, talk elaborately about how you would take advantage of the facilities and give them a sense of the ways in which you’d make a valuable addition in the classroom.

Essays on Your Activities

Another really common set of supplemental essay prompts involve asking you to expand on one of your activities, or questions that ask which activity you would pursue for the rest of your life if you could only pick one. Some example prompts are:

Harvard University : Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. [Max. 150 words]

Vanderbilt University : Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. [200-400 words]

California Institute of Technology : Describe three experiences and/or activities that have helped develop your passion for a possible career in a STEM field. [10-120 words each]

The reason colleges ask these questions is because they want to know the kind of community impact you’ve made — have you affected the people around you? What kind of impact have you had on your community? And impact isn’t only about numbers of people you’ve reached. It’s about how much you’ve affected certain people and which kind of people you’ve connected with and why.

The bigger the scale of impact the more impressive it is. Not only should you write about an involvement that appears on your activities list, but you should choose one that appears high up since it needs to be an activity that looks really important to you. The best extracurriculars cannot be explained fully in the small amount of space they give you in your activities list description. 150 characters including spaces is hardly enough to explain the impact you have had in your most important extracurricular. Use your response to expand on what kind of leadership you demonstrated in the activity. If it’s something new you started, expound on why are you’re so motivated to spend time on it and what relationships you built along the way.

Identity Essays

Some supplemental essay prompts want to hear more about your background — who you are, where you come from, what unique perspectives you can bring to the college. The key to this essay is to capture a part of you that you haven’t necessarily talked about in your personal statement. Example prompts include:

University of Washington: Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. [Max. 300 words]

University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill: Expand on an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far? [Max. 250 words]

University of Pennsylvania : At Penn, learning and growth happen outside of the classroom, too. How will you explore the community at Penn? Consider how this community will help shape your perspective and identity, and how your identity and perspective will help shape this community. [150-200 words]

Colleges want to gauge how you would add to the diversity of their campus. Remember, the word “diversity” doesn’t only include factors that are out of your control such as race or ethnicity. If you want to talk about your cultural or religious community - since your familial background is one of the topics that many of these prompts have primarily encouraged - that’s great! But if you believe it wouldn’t make you stand out, think about a community that you’ve found thanks to an extracurricular activity or work experience. No matter what community you choose, you shouldn’t dedicate all of your words to your explanation of the premise. 

This essay should be about you — think about how your perspective has been shaped by the community, and vice versa. How would you be different had this community not existed? Make sure you haven’t elaborated on this part of your profile elsewhere in your application. This essay is a great way of providing more context on something meaningful, that admissions officers wouldn’t easily be able to guess.

Short Responses

Some colleges have a list of shorter questions that they expect you to answer in one line, or a couple of phrases. These can trip you as you might be used to seeing questions that ask for at least a couple paragraphs in answers. Schools that ask shorter questions among their supplemental essay prompts include:

Columbia University : For the four list questions that follow, we ask that you list each individual response using commas or semicolons; the items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. No explanatory text or formatting is needed. Please respond to each of the three short answer questions in 200 words or fewer.

• List the titles of the required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (150 words)
• List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (150 words)
• List the titles of the print or digital publications, websites, journals, podcasts or other content with which you regularly engage. (150 words)
• List the movies, albums, shows, museums, lectures, events at your school or other entertainments that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school (in person or online). (150)

Princeton University : A Few Details:

• Your favorite book and its author
• Your favorite website
• Your favorite recording
• Your favorite source of inspiration
• Your favorite line from a movie or book and its title
• Your favorite movie
• Two adjectives your friends would use to describe you
• Your favorite keepsake or memento
• Your favorite word

If you know that you’ll be applying to one or more of these schools, keep a running list of your brainstorming. Give yourself time to really think about your answers — you want to distinguish yourself from the competition. Discard your first 5-10 ideas — these are usually too obvious, too common, and too cliché. As you come up with new entries, scrutinize the implications of your answers. What does each answer contribute to your reader’s understanding of you and your interests? Avoid obscure answers as those might not convey much about your profile. Think about what is important for your reader to know about your answer in order to understand its relevance. Keep the goals of your overall application in mind — how does each answer contribute to your persona, interests, or activities?

All of your short answers could follow a particular theme — your answer to questions about your favorite movie or TV show could be a great way to show that you’ve pursued your academic interests through more than just schoolwork. Or, you could highlight a passion outside your intended major, such as sports or cooking, by mentioning relevant books or magazines. Don’t list big names such as The New York Times as your favorite website or publication just because you think it sounds impressive. It will probably be one of the more common answers anyway. Go through your browser history, DVD collections, music library — to determine answers that are true to you.

Supplemental essay prompts are designed to help colleges understand why you’re a perfect fit for their institution. Take advantage of the common question patterns to understand what schools look for from the different prompts, then convey how you would uniquely contribute to campus and make the most of the school’s resources. You got this!

Tags : supplemental essays , supplemental essay prompts , common supplemental essay prompts , supplemental essay prompts 2020-2021

Schedule a free consultation

to find out how we can help you get accepted.

College essay resources

6 tips for writing great college essay supplements, school supplements.

Brad Schiller

Worried about all the supplemental essays that college applications require?

Don’t panic. We have a strategy that should simplify the process of getting those pesky additional essays written — and improve your chances of admission while you’re at it.

Tip 1 — Brainstorm compelling experiences

The secret to writing a great college admissions essay is to show the admissions officer that you have what it takes to succeed on campus. But how do you do that? By describing experiences that show you have one or more of the 5 Traits that colleges look for in applicants:

• Drive (aka grit)
• Intellectual Curiosity (academic interests)
• Contribution (helping others)
• Initiative 
• Diversity of Experiences

Since the personal score comes from all of your written components, Prompt’s method is to brainstorm all your best experiences until you have 3-6 that you think are the most compelling. 

If you want a free tool to help you brainstorm, you can create a Prompt account to access our brainstorming modules. 

For most students, you’ll use the best 1-2 experiences for your personal statement, also known as the Common App essay. You should use the rest of your experiences to answer the essay prompts each college asks, including why us, why major, quirky short answer questions, everything. (We recommend writing out your essays college by college, so that each application is a cohesive whole showcasing your potential to succeed. That is: do all of Barnard, then all of Amherst, then all of Penn, until you’re done.)

Tip 2 — Write about actions you took that created impact and growth

Colleges will find your experiences compelling if they are:.

• Active — you’re describing the steps you took to make something happen, or to learn and grow. (You’re not describing a situation you happened to find yourself in, or your feelings, or your preferences/thoughts/philosophy.)
• Impactful — admissions readers love to see proof (quantifiable if possible) that things would be different if you hadn’t been there. Examples include: number of students recruited (say, for a club); an amount of money raised; number of wins since you became team captain. Think creatively, and you can probably come up with a compelling metric to show your impact.
• Focused on learning — colleges look for growth, so it’s great if your past experiences led you to know more about something or to improve a skill.

If that makes sense, let’s also check on the opposite side, and make sure you don’t fall into some common pitfalls. 

Common topics that are less compelling to colleges than you might think :

• Recovery from injuries
• Service trips, (unless you can quantify a meaningful contribution)
• Childhood experiences, or family vacations, 
• Playing video games
• Moving cities/transferring schools,
• Despite what many people think, “tragedy” and “trauma” rarely make for great college admissions essays . 

Truthfully, any of these topics could be done well — if they focus on your own actions, growth, and impact. It’s just that they often lead students to write essays that are more passive. While they might showcase real struggles, they don’t necessarily say much about your character or potential to succeed on campus. 

(By the way, easy topics that are often more compelling than students think are extracurricular activities and work experiences.)

Tip 3 — Be specific, concrete + paint a clear picture of the effort that went into your achievements

College admissions officers love specific, concrete details. (Come to think of it, that might be true for any reader.)

What we’ve found in particular is that students tend to forget to describe the effort that went into any achievement. But that effort is often the most impressive part of the achievement.

Are you running a successful chess club? Tell us about how hard it was to recruit at first. Tell us how you made three different attempts, and kept improving as you went along. The reader is learning about your drive, perseverance, and initiative. The reader is impressed to hear you spent over a year recruiting to get to 15 regular chess club attendees. Much more then when you simply tell them you run a “successful” chess club. 

Specifics are always more impactful than generalizations, especially in super short essays.

This can also be helpful to bear in mind if you’re trying to cut down on your word limit; leave in concrete descriptions and cut general descriptions that aren’t earning their word count.

Tip 4 — Use uncommon/creative prompts to showcase your unique perspective

Many colleges have whimsical prompts that can feel daunting. (You know what we mean if you’re applying to MIT or the University of Chicago.) For example — how do you feel about Wednesdays? What are you supposed to do with that?

Generally, we find that colleges are looking for some combination of:

• How you approach creative questions in a way that shows quality of thought
• What’s unique and interesting about your intellectual curiosity or perspective.

Use each of these “fun” questions to show how thoughtful you are, and provide insight into the rest of your application. 

For example: Where would you travel if you could go anywhere?

One answer is: “Nantucket, because my family always goes there and I made a lot of good memories there.”

Contrast what you learn about that person with:

“Nantucket, because my trips there with my family sparked my interest in the island's whaling history, which in turn led me to read Moby Dick and discover my love for classic literature.”

The first person sounds somewhat passive. The second sounds like someone with a unique perspective who does interesting things. Note that it would be all the stronger if that person’s interest in literature were also evident elsewhere in the application. 

As you interpret a question like: how do you feel about Wednesdays? , don’t stress about the weirdness of it; instead, use it as an invitation to showcase something interesting about yourself (ideally that ties in with the rest of your application and the 5 Traits).

For example, you could write about Wednesdays being great because that's the day you lead Astronomy Club, or because of your love of etymology and how interesting it is that Wednesday comes from “ Odin’s Day .” 

Tip 5 — Answer all parts of the prompt

We know, this one seems obvious. But it’s worth mentioning because we’ve seen multi-part supplemental essay prompts trip up too many students.

Colleges don’t ask questions to which they don’t want to see an answer. Their writing supplements are there for a reason. And you don’t want to miss a part simply because you read the prompt too quickly or because you got so “into” your answer that you forgot to check it against the prompt.

The fix : After you’ve brainstormed your life experiences, but before you begin the actual writing, break the prompt up into its smallest pieces. Then outline what you’ll say for every piece.

Tip 6 — Get feedback on clarity

Unless you’re working with a professional essay coach, we’ve found that the people in your life (mom, dad, auntie) don’t tend to give great essay feedback. They don’t know about the 5 traits, and often want to steer you in directions that don’t work for admissions officers. (Ex: The cool trip you took in middle school; that awesome award you won … but that doesn’t make for a particularly “active” essay.)

The fix: Train your reviewer. Ask your trusted adult to focus only on whether your essay is clear or not. Do they have questions they want to see answered? 

This is the best way for you to improve your essay. You want to make sure your admissions officer understands it as they read through it very, very quickly . (Admissions officers spend about 8 minutes per application — so when they get confused, they just move on and your admission chances suffer.)

Note : Once you’ve done 1-2 rounds of the “clarity” feedback, you can also ask for spelling/grammar feedback. But save that for last, as the clarity piece is really the most important. 

Bonus Tip — Recycle

Earlier in this article, we advised you to go school by school, or application by application. And that remains good advice.

But it doesn’t mean you can’t recycle much of your content. 

Many schools ask similar questions. Naturally, you’ll need to make at least a few tweaks. But that should not preclude you from using the major components of your supplemental essays for more than one school. 

We even have a free tool that can help (as part of your Prompt account ). 

Related posts:

• Mastering the Short Essay
• How to Write College Supplemental Essays
• The Simple "Why Us" Essay Strategy that Works

The above articles and a step-by-step guide to the college essay writing process can be found in our Help Center .

Related Articles

How to Write Your Waitlist Essay

Cassandra Cloutier

Your Waitlist Essay (aka, Letter of Continued Interest) serve two primary purposes: (1) share new (or additional) information that will make you a more compelling candidate and (2) confirm your level of interest in the school.

The Simple “Why Us” Essay Strategy that Works

A successful Why Us essay indicates you’ll likely enroll if admitted and shows why you’re a good fit. Focus on how your academic interests match what the college offers.

How to Write Every Ross School of Business Essay for the University of Michigan

This guide will help you develop compelling topics for both Ross School of Business essay prompts.

• Become a Writing Coach
• Writing Center
• Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
• Sign Up for an Essay Coaching Package
• College Essay Feedback for High Schools
• Prompt for IECs

Search & Additional Links

Additional links, meet bucknell.

• Plan a Visit
• Bucknell Stories
• Bucknell Magazine
• Bucknell Leadership
• Class Pages
• History & Traditions

Admissions & Aid

• Request Information
• Apply to Bucknell
• Tuition, Fees & Financial Aid
• Admissions Dates & Deadlines
• Virtual Welcome Center
• I've Been Admitted
• Find Your Counselor

Office of Admissions

• Office of Financial Aid
• Admissions Blog & Podcast
• Majors & Minors
• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Engineering
• Freeman College of Management
• Graduate Studies
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities
• Beyond the Classroom
• For Current Students

Life at Bucknell

• Housing & Dining
• First-year Experience
• Health, Wellness & Safety
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Free Expression
• Sustainability
• Arts & Performances
• Get Involved
• Commencement

Find Information For...

• Prospective Students
• Families of Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Current Parents & Families
• Prospective Employees
• Faculty & Staff

Find information for

@bucknellu social media accounts, meet our students social media accounts, admissions dates & deadlines, 2023-2024 dates • class of 2028, aug. 1, 2023.

Common Application, Coalition Application and Bucknell supplemental member questions are available.

Oct. 1, 2023

The CSS Profile financial aid application for the 2023-24 academic year becomes available. (This financial aid application is required for U.S. citizens, permanent residents and DACA students interested in Bucknell University need-based financial aid.)

Learn more about financial aid information for international students.

Nov. 15, 2023

Early Decision I applications, with completed Early Decision Agreement form, must be submitted.

CSS Profile (Bucknell CSS code 2050) financial aid applications are due for Early Decision I applicants.

Mid-December 2023

Admissions decisions become available to Early Decision I applicants via their online application checklist. (Admissions letters will also be mailed to Early Decision I admitted students. Financial Aid award letters are available electronically with the online admit letter.)

Jan. 15, 2024

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) due for Early Decision I applicants. *

*We understand that applying Early Decision I is a significant decision for both you and your family. This year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is anticipated to become available from the Department of Education in December. Applicants to Bucknell, including Early Decision I applicants, will have until Jan. 15 to submit the FAFSA.

Early Decision II applications, with completed Early Decision Agreement form, and Regular Decision applications must be submitted.

CSS Profile (Bucknell CSS code 2050) and the FAFSA (Bucknell school code 003238) financial aid applications are due for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants.

Enrollment deposits due for students admitted through Early Decision I.

Mid-February 2024

Admissions decisions available to Early Decision II applicants via their online application checklist. (Admissions letters will also be mailed to Early Decision II admitted students. Financial Aid award letters are available electronically with the online admit letter.)

Early March 2024

Enrollment deposits due for students admitted through Early Decision II.

By April 1, 2024

Admissions decisions available to Regular Decision applicants via their online application checklist at the end of March but no later than April 1. (Admissions letters will also be mailed to Regular Decision admitted students. Financial Aid award letters are available electronically with the online admit letter.)

May 1, 2024

Enrollment deposits due for students admitted through Regular Decision.

May 5, 2024

Any outstanding tax forms and verification documents for enrolling students due to Financial Aid.

June 1, 2024

Requests to defer admission for one year due to Admissions.

July 1, 2024

Official final high school transcripts for enrolling students due to Admissions.

Learn about applying to Bucknell

Important notes.

• If you are a US citizen or permanent resident applying for financial aid, the deadline for submitting the CSS Profile for Early Decision I is Nov. 15. For Early Decision II and Regular Decision, the deadline is Jan. 15. When you file the CSS Profile, you will receive an acknowledgment from the College Board that will serve as your confirmation. Bucknell will not be able to download your actual CSS Profile data into our system until late November. International students interested in applying for financial aid should refer to our website for timeline details.
• For the 2024–25 academic year, the CSS Profile will be used to determine the total amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive. Once we receive your FAFSA application, you may receive an updated award notification that will provide a breakdown of your institutional, federal and state grant allocations. While the FAFSA might lead to a change in where your financial aid is coming from (Bucknell, federal or state), the total financial aid package you receive will not change. If you have questions about financial aid, please reach out to the Office of Financial Aid at 570-577-1331.

Contact Details

One Dent Drive

Want to learn more about Bucknell?