2026–27 application cycle

Bucknell University supplemental essays

Every writing prompt on the Bucknell University application, with word limits, taken from the application itself. One prompt.

  • Prompt 1Required

    Your major interest

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

    How to approach it

    An academic-interest prompt wants the origin story and the evidence, not the resume. Pick the moment the interest became yours, show one or two things you did about it on your own, and let the school see how you think when nobody assigns the work.

Common questions

Bucknell University essays, answered

How many essays does Bucknell University require?

Bucknell University lists 1 writing supplement for the 2026–27 cycle, all required. That is on top of the main personal statement.

Do the Bucknell University supplemental essays matter?

Yes, and more as selectivity rises. Grades and scores put you in the pool; supplements are one of the few places you control what the reader learns about you, and a generic why-us essay is one of the most common self-inflicted wounds in admissions.

What Spike does with this

Get help planning Bucknell University essays.

Spike helps students connect each prompt to their own experiences, outline a response, and revise without ghostwriting.