Bucknell University

Date: Nov 30 2010
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
As a third year student, spending maybe too much time at Bucknell and with others who are also at least a little "Bucknell", I've come to really value my experience here. I mean, say all you want, but ultimately there will be a marginal difference between Bucknell and its peer schools. The academics are great, and the professors are really quality all at the accessibility to a low student:faculty ratio. Bucknell doesn't always give you a full load to juggle, but it definitely gives you in terms of academic work, a real intellectual challenge. Of course, strategically you can completely avoid this, but at the same time, it's not hard to find. And it's really not hard to find people who value learning despite the lack of apparent seriousness on campus toward intellectual work. This is not Reed College.

Apart from having good academics and a very beautiful campus (not to mention great services and extra curricular resources that we pay tons for…), Bucknell by essence of what it is can teach a person or at least reinforce some great life skills. Learning how to be presentable at all times, speaking clearly, not being completely under-socialized, juggling fraternity/sorority life, friends, the gym, school work, extra curricular activities all at the same time and doing it well. It's definitely a useful kind of pragmatism to get used to.

And really you get attractive people with at least some extent of a stupidity filter on—it's not perfect and doesn't filter for people who don't have common sense, but you typically don't have to deal with your obliviously average bro or dumb sorority girl on a regular basis as you would see at any run of the mill college.