College Admissions Insider

Waiting is the most agonizing part of the college admissions process. You send off your materials and then keep clicking that refresh button until the decision arrives (or your phone dies).

But for a select group of applicants, that waiting period is significantly reduced. These are the students who applied Early Decision or Early Action to their top-choice school or schools.

These students could get a decision as early as December instead of the following March or April — a huge relief, to be sure. Plus, many schools admit Early Decision applicants at a higher rate than Regular Decision applicants.

But before you click submit on an early application, you'll want to make sure you've gone over all the pros and cons for doing so.

In this episode of College Admissions Insider, Dean of Admissions Kevin Mathes ’07 covers everything you need to know about Early Decision and Early Action.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Bucknell admissions dates and deadlines
• General info about applying to Bucknell
• For prospective students
• For parents of prospective students
• Blog post: When to apply for college
• Bucknell Virtual Welcome Center

Hi, everyone. It's Brooke Thames from College Admissions Insider. Before this episode starts, I wanted to let you know that, every so often, we'll be revisiting past conversations we've had here on the podcast that may be especially relevant to where students and families are in the admissions process.

Think about the latest TV series you binge-watched. Did it start by saying, "In this TV show, you'll meet a messed-up family with lots of problems." Probably not. It likely threw you right into the story, sharing something interesting just a few moments after you pressed "play."

In other words, it hooked you quickly, and it did so by showing, not telling.

What if you applied this same strategy to application essays? In this episode of College Admissions Insider, we'll share how to create an application essay that an admissions office won't be able to stop reading.

We invited two Bucknell students who wrote killer application essays to share a little about their process. They'll also read an excerpt from the essays, to give you an idea of how they turned their unique story into unforgettable prose.

Our guests are Meghan Tran, a management student from New Jersey, and Kelley Francis, an arts & sciences student from Colorado.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Essay tips from Bucknell Admissions
• Application dates and deadlines
• Plan a visit to Bucknell
• Undergraduate admission requirements
• @iamraybucknell, our student-run Instagram
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students

Hi, everyone. It's Brooke Thames from College Admissions Insider. Before this episode starts, I wanted to let you know that, every so often, we'll be revisiting past conversations we've had here on the podcast that may be especially relevant to where students and families are in the admissions process.

Are you wondering how to take your high school athletics game to the collegiate level? Determining whether you should seek to compete in NCAA Division I, II or III sports or continue your involvement at the recreational level can be confusing, but we’re here to help you make the best decision for yourself, based upon your level of commitment and investment.

On this episode of College Admissions Insider, we're exploring the different ways students can pursue athletics in college.

Our guest is Natasha Wilson, Senior Associate Director of Athletics at Bucknell.

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Transcript for Episode 71: Pursuing College Athletics

Whether you're looking to graduate early, get a taste of college level learning or simply challenge yourself with an advanced class, taking an AP, IB or dual enrollment course could take some work off your plate once you get to college.

Courses like these often earn students transfer credits, which can be applied to your college transcript and count towards certain required university courses — all before you’ve even arrived.

On this episode of College Admissions Insider, we'll further define what transfer credits are, how you get them and the process of submitting them to the school of your choice.

Our guest is Sarah Paris, transfer records coordinator at Bucknell.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Info about transferring credits to Bucknell
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Application dates and deadlines
• Plan a visit to Bucknell
• @iamraybucknell, our student-run Instagram
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students
• Bucknell Virtual Welcome Center

Life is full of firsts, from our first steps to our first car, to the first time we leave home to attend the college of our choice. 

But no one faces life's milestones alone. Experiencing every new phase alongside us are the family members who nurture and cheer us on. This episode of College Admissions Insider is for those family members who are preparing to send their student off into their next new phase: college. 

We'll hear advice for navigating the emotions, shifting dynamics and increasing independence that comes with your child's first year away. 

Our guests are John and Son Huang, two Bucknell parents who gone through the college transition several times with several children.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Info for prospective parents & families
• Info for current Bucknell parents & families
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Application dates and deadlines
• Plan a visit to Bucknell
• @iamraybucknell, our student-run Instagram
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students
• Bucknell Virtual Welcome Center

Hi, everyone. It's Brooke Thames from College Admissions Insider. Before this episode starts, I wanted to let you know that, every so often, we'll be revisiting past conversations we've had here on the podcast that may be especially relevant to where students and families are in the admissions process.

Life is full of firsts, from our first steps to our first car, to the first time we leave home to attend the college of our choice. 

But no one faces life's milestones alone. Experiencing every new phase alongside us are the family members who nurture and cheer us on. This episode of College Admissions Insider is for those family members who are preparing to send their student off into their next new phase: college. 

We'll hear advice for navigating the emotions, shifting dynamics and increasing independence that comes with your child's first year away. 

Our guests are John and Son Huang, two Bucknell parents who gone through the college transition several times with several children.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Info for prospective parents & families
• Info for current Bucknell parents & families
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Application dates and deadlines
• Plan a visit to Bucknell
• @iamraybucknell, our student-run Instagram
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students
• Bucknell Virtual Welcome Center

Hi, everyone. It's Brooke Thames from College Admissions Insider. Before this episode starts, I wanted to let you know that, every so often, we'll be revisiting past conversations we've had here on the podcast that may be especially relevant to where students and families are in the admissions process.

College is more than a place to learn, meet interesting people and grow. For most students, it's also where you'll live — perhaps for four years of your life.

Young people who may be accustomed to living in their own room at home will suddenly be sharing a room (and bathroom) with others. 

That fact makes finding the right housing fit just as important as finding the right academic fit. So how do you do it? 

In this episode of College Admissions Insider, we'll swing those doors wide open. Our guests are Stephen Apanel, Bucknell's Director of Housing Services, and Ashley Hubler, Bucknell's Assistant Director of Housing Services.

Listen as we discuss the benefits of off-campus and on-campus housing, specialty housing options like Affinity Houses, and roommate selection.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Bucknell Housing Services
• Residential Colleges at Bucknell
• Bucknell's Affinity Houses
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students

Hi, everyone. It's Brooke Thames from College Admissions Insider. Before this episode starts, I wanted to let you know that, every so often, we'll be revisiting past conversations we've had here on the podcast that may be especially relevant to where students and families are in the admissions process.

College is more than a place to learn, meet interesting people and grow. For most students, it's also where you'll live — perhaps for four years of your life.

Young people who may be accustomed to living in their own room at home will suddenly be sharing a room (and bathroom) with others. 

That fact makes finding the right housing fit just as important as finding the right academic fit. So how do you do it? 

In this episode of College Admissions Insider, we'll swing those doors wide open. Our guests are Stephen Apanel, Bucknell's Director of Housing Services, and Ashley Hubler, Bucknell's Assistant Director of Housing Services.

Listen as we discuss the benefits of off-campus and on-campus housing, specialty housing options like Affinity Houses, and roommate selection.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Bucknell Housing Services
• Residential Colleges at Bucknell
• Bucknell's Affinity Houses
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students

Hi, everyone. It's Brooke Thames from College Admissions Insider. Before this episode starts, I wanted to let you know that, every so often, we'll be revisiting past conversations we've had here on the podcast that may be especially relevant to where students and families are in the admissions process.

Maybe you've spent years volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, helped establish a community garden in a food desert or raised a significant amount of money for a medical organization close to your heart. These kinds of passions can follow you to college, where you can continue to get involved and even receive funding to do it.

In this episode of College Admissions Insider, we are talking about how you can translate your passion for service into amazing college experiences. We'll cover the different types of engagement opportunities you might find at college, how to best present your past service activities on your application and how you can even receive scholarships to continue your engagement work as a college student.

Our guests are two Bucknell staff members: Lynn Pierson, director of Bucknell's Office of Civic Engagement; and assistant director of admissions Carrine Phillips.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Bucknell's Office of Civic Engagement
• Explore our Community Engagement Scholars Program
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Application dates and deadlines
• Plan a visit to Bucknell
• @iamraybucknell, our student-run Instagram
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students
• Bucknell Virtual Welcome Center

Maybe you've spent years volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, helped establish a community garden in a food desert or raised a significant amount of money for a medical organization close to your heart. These kinds of passions can follow you to college, where you can continue to get involved and even receive funding to do it.

In this episode of College Admissions Insider, we are talking about how you can translate your passion for service into amazing college experiences. We'll cover the different types of engagement opportunities you might find at college, how to best present your past service activities on your application and how you can even receive scholarships to continue your engagement work as a college student.

Our guests are two Bucknell staff members: Lynn Pierson, director of Bucknell's Office of Civic Engagement; and assistant director of admissions Carrine Phillips.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Links:

• Bucknell's Office of Civic Engagement
• Explore our Community Engagement Scholars Program
• Info about applying to Bucknell
• Application dates and deadlines
• Plan a visit to Bucknell
• @iamraybucknell, our student-run Instagram
• Build a Bucknell Custom Viewbook
• Latest news for prospective students
• Bucknell Virtual Welcome Center