Bucknell University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit · Selective · CDS 2024-2025
Bucknell University is a private institution located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Bucknell University admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 32%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1389 and an ACT composite around 31. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $40,429 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Bucknell University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Bucknell University?
Admitted students at Bucknell University typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Bucknell University weight in admissions?
Bucknell University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Recommendations
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Interview
- • State residency
SAT and ACT scores Bucknell University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 660–740, with an EBRW midpoint near 675. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 31–33. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1170 |
| 50th percentile | 1280 |
| 75th percentile | 1380 |
| % submitting SAT | 68% |
| 25th percentile | 26 |
| 50th percentile | 29 |
| 75th percentile | 32 |
| % submitting ACT | 19% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 58% |
| Top 25% of class | 85% |
| Top 50% of class | 96% |
| % submitting class rank | 21% |
How much does Bucknell University actually cost?
Published tuition is $64,772 for in-state students and $64,772 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,118 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $40,429 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 11% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $69,976 |
| Room and board | $17,560 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $40,429 |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Bucknell University
| Regular deadline | 1/15 |
| Notification date | 4/1 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | 11/15 |
| ED acceptance rate | 55% |
Will my child graduate from Bucknell University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in Pennsylvania parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Bucknell University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Bucknell University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Bucknell University
What GPA do I need for Bucknell University?
Admitted students at Bucknell University typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.
What SAT or ACT score does Bucknell University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 660–740, with an EBRW midpoint near 675. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 31–33.
How much does Bucknell University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Bucknell University after grants and scholarships is $40,429 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Bucknell University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Bucknell University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Bucknell University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.