a new 'ask a recent graduate your bucknell questions' thread...

[one2go]

New question:
What is the bank most kids use? And, debit cards, credit cards or checks?

[satn87]

Sovereign Bank or M&T Bank. They have a common on-campus ATM (M&T owns it and lets Sovereign people use it at no charge).

Debit cards which will also function as ATM cards are most common .

[satn87]

your bank will probably give you a few free starter checks when you open your account (6 in case of Sovereign), and you order more when you need them.

[one2go]

Thanks! Looks like M&T has free checking and no min balance. Sounds good

[kaleigh3]

Thanks to Eric's insight and additional comments from several of you, my daughter is very seriously considering the Res Colleges. We have a couple more questions:
1. What is the coed living arrangement for the residential college students. We were under the impression that Bucknell Freshman housing was coed by floor or wing and that all dorm bathrooms were single-sex. Is that the case for the Res College students?

2. Are Foundation Seminar's required for all Freshman or just the Res College students?

3. Do Res College students stick together "too much" or do they branch out and have meals and social time with other friends?

[breckw]

my financial aid offer was really, really low. is there any negotiating in this area? my family doesn't have any means of income at this point. my father is terminally ill and in a vegetative state and will not be (and has not been for the past 4 months) financially supporting my education. my parents are also going through a divorce right now, so my mom (who would solely be paying for my college education) has enormous attorney bills every month. the divorce also means that a lot of my family's money and assets are tied up in a trust that has yet to be divided between my parents and cannot be touched until the divorce is final.

bucknell is my first choice school and i'm really worried that with such a low offer i won't be able to go...

any advice? i'm visiting campus next week; maybe i could meet with some financial aid advisors there?

[satn87]

kaleigh3 -

1) Yes, res. college students have coed dorm halls and single sex bathrooms in the dorms. Res college freshman live in Smith or Mcdonnell and might have non-res college people living in their hall as well (i did). As far as living arrangements go, you can think of res colleges as a good way to get into Smith or Mcdonnell (the best freshman dorms). Res college housing is just like normal freshman housing except that you're guaranteed very good housing.

2) Res college students take a foundation seminar from the res college that they belong to. that is particular to them. its just like another course with a joint project at the end. besides that, engineering students have a seminar of their own (ENGR 100), management students have MGMT 101. the res college seminar will likely fulfill a social science/humanities requirement and a writing requirement as well.

3) Res college students will likely find things in common with other res college students and become good friends. BUT they definitely do branch out and meet other people/have other friends, etc. As you would expect, that depends on the person in question. its very easy enough to make friends outside of your res college.

[Whistle Pig]

Sadly, that's the bum rap on BU. Stats show it's pretty much merited. Unless you're destitute or already a candidate for the Rhodes, best git your finances in order.

[JustaMom5465]

Current students: have any of you had any luck purchasing textbooks online? I've seen several threads saying this is a great way to save some $$. Just wondering if it is something that is possible or if you are pretty much tied to the bookstore. I'd imagine that you'd need to know the books needed prior to start of semester.

[satn87]

after the 1st semester, you can email the professors you'll have classes with the next semester, before that semester starts. you'll be able to know which professors you'll have when you register for classes at the end of the 1st semester. the profs. will give you the ISBN if you ask for it, you can go to the bookstore website, find the book for the course (the bookstore site does not display the ISBN though, but you find it by searching for that course) and compare prices for New, Used (25% off) versions of the book on the bookstore site with the price of the book on Amazon, for example. if sufficiently cheaper, you can go for Amazon. or whichever online merchant you prefer.

[tennismom02]

Satn87 - Thanks for answering all of my res college questions so completely. Your info. will definitely help my daughter w/ her decision!

[Ashelia]

Eric or satn87, I'm in a somewhat less-hectic-but-still-problematic situation as breckw (I hope the best for you; your situation sounds horrible) with financial aid. Any comments about money negotiations?

[janlake]

Breckw - your financial situation is very unusual and should be looked at more closely by the financial aid office. Definitely make an appointment to see them and talk with them about what you wrote here. Sometimes the past year's income tax info just doesn't match with what one is presently going through.

[4my3kids]

Thanks, satn87 for your explanation. Hopefully my ds will read and use the information to help make his decision.

[NudderBudderO2]

Hi there!

Did you ever work in the admissions office or by some other means know what the admissions officers like to see? I was wait listed and reallllyyyy want to get accepted! I already wrote them a supplementary letter and one of my teachers has written a recommendation.

Thanks!