<p>here we go!</p>
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1. How is the economics department at Bucknell in terms of academic excellence?
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<p>my only complaint with the economics department at bucknell is that it is not as quantitatively heavy as i would like. then again, im getting a phd in mathematics, my definition and preferences are not universally shared. in fact, over the years i had a few friends get upset at me after taking an economics class i had assured them didnt have much math. so... take that for what its worth.</p>
<p>in terms of the quality of teaching, i was very impressed. i have also taken quite a few economics courses at penn state and can pretty definitively say that the quality and rigor of instruction is stronger at bucknell. at least two thirds of my econ courses at bucknell were better than any undergraduate course i took at penn state. only one left me underwhelmed, though apparently some people really like his courses.</p>
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2. How is the economics department at Bucknell in terms of job placement in investment banks (such as Goldman Sachs, etc.)?
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<p>satn gave you the data. keep in mind, though, that many of the most qualified students bucknell (or any school) produces go to graduate school. for example, i know at least two additional econ majors with offers better than any on the above list who are now pursuing phds. also keep in mind that a lot of people would much rather not be in investment banking than in it (i know i would be in quantitative research or private equity if i werent in grad school). </p>
<p>at the end of the day, though, my suggestions for landing a 'top' job are as follows. get a great (3.8+) gpa. take as many math courses as you can. and have SOME background in programming, accounting and basic business. </p>
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3. Are the people at Bucknell really as preppy as the rumors say they are?
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<p>as i have said before on this forum, im not exactly sure what it means to be preppie. i wear a collar every day, own expensive flip flops and like patchwork madras. i even play golf! does that make me preppie? because i am also very active in leftist political movements, am pursuing a phd in mathematics (not exactly a haven for well-dressed or, heck, even well-showered people), and dont particularly like lacrosse.</p>
<p>i guess my point is that, though many students on campus own a ralph lauren polo, it doesnt say a lot about the people themselves. my transition from rural central pennsylvania to the bucknell 'bubble' was not a difficult one because, aside from the fact that some of my hallmates were REALLY excited about a trip to visit a local organic farm, they really werent much different than my friends from home. nice, smart, outgoing people. and not at all concerned about the fact that you might be wearing sweatpants and an old tshirt.</p>
<p>(i would also like to note that other than ralph lauren, youre not going to see a ton of logos on campus. people generally dress well (when theyre not wearing tshirts and sweats), but unlike the people in high school who cover themselves in abercrombie/american eagle/etc logos, its really not part of a 'status' race.)</p>
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4. Is Lewisburg, PA, a generally nice area to live with fairly priced venues?
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<p>like many smaller college towns, lewisburg appears on many '100 best small towns in america' type lists. and its justified, as the town really is quite cute. there are some great places to eat just a short walk downtown and prices are, by most standards, really low. im not sure about the current shopping situation, but there were some small student-oriented shops (as well as nicer shops with artsy stuff) when i was a student a couple years ago.</p>
<p>in terms of off-campus housing, it ranges from the typical kinda cruddy to really nice, though the university is working on a plan to improve the quality of all off-campus housing as a part of its plan to better integrate the university with downtown lewisburg. (a good deal of off-campus housing sits in the nine(?) square blocks between the two.)</p>
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5. How is the housing at Bucknell? Are there mostly singles, doubles, triples, etc? Is it well above average, above average, average, below average, or well below average?
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<p>none of the on-campus housing options are likely to blow you away, but the university has worked to make all of the housing good. i remember showing quite a few prospective students my freshman dormitory (swartz, before it was renovated) during 2004 accepted students day and saw a lot of surprised people when i pointed out that it was the 'worst' place to live on campus. </p>
<p>as ilmor said, most freshman rooms are doubles, though there are other options (apartment-style, singles and two-room doubles) available starting sophomore year.</p>
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6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Bucknell's huge greek life?
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<p>if you like the idea of being in a greek organization, their presence is an obvious advantage. and at bucknell, being a 'frat boy' is not a prerequisite for going greek. theres a frat full of what many would consider engineering nerds. theres a sorority with similar types of people. </p>
<p>that said, from the perspective of someone who chose not to join a fraternity, here is my take:</p>
<p>the biggest direct advantage of having frats on campus as an independent student is that you dont have to pay to party. no need to buy beer. no need to pay a cover. just get dressed and have some fun. house party, a weekend long event with tons to do and continuous live music, run by bucknells greek organizations, is also amazing, whether you drink or not.</p>
<p>indirectly, because of the universitys perception as a drinking school, bucknell sponsors tons of free events every weekend. concerts, comedians, movies, free bowling, late night events (though, admittedly, im not sure theyd be fun sober)... all kinds of stuff. and almost all of it is free.</p>
<p>there will also be tons of opportunities to attend formals with your friends who dont have dates, if getting dressed up is your thing.</p>
<p>disadvantages? well, your friends who do go greek are going to be pretty busy during the whole rush/pledge process each year. a few people on your hall will probably get a bit too into the whole party scene. and, yes, there will be drunken people on your hall friday and saturday nights at 2am. if thats a real problem, though, there is a substance-free hall on campus.</p>
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7. Oh, and are there any fitness tests, and is phys ed required? I'm asking because there are fitness tests at Hamilton, along with mandatory phys ed courses.
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<p>as imlor said, nope!</p>