Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:40     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:These sites will help you compare Bucknell to other colleges by Greek participation:

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Fraternities | US News Rankings https://share.google/htYZLeLEOw4NJYLcT

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Sororities | US News Rankings https://share.google/0d16Hc4ZNTh7dBbTX

OP here - thanks! It’s interesting that 43% of women are in sororities vs 31% of men in fraternities.

I’m never quite sure about schools with percentages in the 30s and 40s. It’s still a minority of students, but it’s a sizable minority. A little hard to parse out how a non-Greek student would do socially.


Either you are in a frat and hang out and party or you don't. There is nothing to do there.

So what do the other 55-70% of students do?
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:39     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:Bucknell is the Trinity College of central Pennsylvania. Agree with others not much prestige. Might get same outcomes as Penn State for half the cost.

T30 is “not much prestige”?

I really don’t know anything about Trinity either. Can you explain more? I assume it’s not a positive from the rest of your post, but it doesn’t actually give me any info.

DC isn’t interested in huge state schools. LACs and sm/med publics like W&M — 2,000-8,000 students or so.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:34     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:These sites will help you compare Bucknell to other colleges by Greek participation:

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Fraternities | US News Rankings https://share.google/htYZLeLEOw4NJYLcT

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Sororities | US News Rankings https://share.google/0d16Hc4ZNTh7dBbTX

OP here - thanks! It’s interesting that 43% of women are in sororities vs 31% of men in fraternities.

I’m never quite sure about schools with percentages in the 30s and 40s. It’s still a minority of students, but it’s a sizable minority. A little hard to parse out how a non-Greek student would do socially.


Either you are in a frat and hang out and party or you don't. There is nothing to do there.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:30     Subject: Re:Bucknell for sciences?
We toured the engineering school and were impressed by our tour guide's enthusiasm for their professors. Talked about going to get togethers at their houses and feeling very supported. DS didn't apply bc the campus was oddly quiet (we all asked if school was out) and it is very very preppy. Definitely didn't get the impression that it's a grind.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:30     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:These sites will help you compare Bucknell to other colleges by Greek participation:

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Fraternities | US News Rankings https://share.google/htYZLeLEOw4NJYLcT

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Sororities | US News Rankings https://share.google/0d16Hc4ZNTh7dBbTX

OP here - thanks! It’s interesting that 43% of women are in sororities vs 31% of men in fraternities.

I’m never quite sure about schools with percentages in the 30s and 40s. It’s still a minority of students, but it’s a sizable minority. A little hard to parse out how a non-Greek student would do socially.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:12     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:Bucknell is the Trinity College of central Pennsylvania. Agree with others not much prestige. Might get same outcomes as Penn State for half the cost.

What others?
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:05     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Bucknell is the Trinity College of central Pennsylvania. Agree with others not much prestige. Might get same outcomes as Penn State for half the cost.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 13:51     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:Not worth the money. Located in the middle of nowhere, sports are weak.

Thank you, but my stem-y, artsy, theater kid isn’t interested in sports, and the location isn’t a deal-breaker.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 13:42     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Not worth the money. Located in the middle of nowhere, sports are weak.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 12:27     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:Would also appreciate any insights on whether it’s more of a grind school or not, and how heavy-handed Greek life is. Thx!


Extremely heavy greek life. I know 3 people who were Bio majors there in the 90s. One is a doctor and the other two are on the street.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 12:24     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
These sites will help you compare Bucknell to other colleges by Greek participation:

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Fraternities | US News Rankings https://share.google/htYZLeLEOw4NJYLcT

2026 Colleges with the Most Students in Sororities | US News Rankings https://share.google/0d16Hc4ZNTh7dBbTX
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 11:51     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Would also appreciate any insights on whether it’s more of a grind school or not, and how heavy-handed Greek life is. Thx!
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 11:39     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
With respect to physics, Bucknell places among the relatively few LACs to have produced an Apker recipient.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 11:20     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
Anonymous wrote:I almost hate to ask because it opens up the conversation to the detested “pipeline to The Street!!” posters who have successfully made me completely write off Bucknell to this point. However we just had our first family meeting with (junior) DC’s college advisor and he suggested adding Bucknell to the list. DC is interested in physics or chemistry and wants access to theater and art opportunities as a non-major. I really only ever thought of Bucknell as very business-y, not stem-y.

Any non-Street-focused experiences folks could share?


Daughter has a friend there who loves it. Can’t comment directly on the sciences but the family cares about education and they wouldn’t have sent here there if they weren’t confident in the quality.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 11:18     Subject: Bucknell for sciences?
I almost hate to ask because it opens up the conversation to the detested “pipeline to The Street!!” posters who have successfully made me completely write off Bucknell to this point. However we just had our first family meeting with (junior) DC’s college advisor and he suggested adding Bucknell to the list. DC is interested in physics or chemistry and wants access to theater and art opportunities as a non-major. I really only ever thought of Bucknell as very business-y, not stem-y.

Any non-Street-focused experiences folks could share?