Members of the admission staff are seated in the lounge of the newly constructed Freas Hall. Fitz R. Walling, who was the Director of Admissions, is seated on the right in the photograph. To his left are Richard C. Skelton, Robert A. Scott, and Richard C. Tyrell, who were Assistant Directors of Admissions. Before the appointment of Mr. Walling in 1955, admission to the university had been a function of the Registrar's Office. In 1959, the Admissions Office began to publish freshman class profiles, which were distributed to counselors of secondary schools. In the mid-1960's, the Assistant Directors spent much time during the fall and winter months off campus making school visits and participating in "college nights". Prior arrangements would be made with school counselors for visits, and a staff member would usually visit three or four schools per day, as well as participate in several college nights per week.

Before selecting members of the Class of 1969, who entered Bucknell in the Fall of 1965, the Admissions staff visited approximately 400 secondary schools and interviewed 2,200 applicants. The 748 students who enrolled in this class had an average SAT Verbal score of 601 and an average SAT Math score of 648. The average SAT scores for the 478 entering males were 587 Verbal and 660 Math, and the average SAT scores for the 270 entering females were 627 Verbal and 627 Math. In 1965, students were admitted by degree program so that credentials of applicants were evaluated in relation to their proposed program of study and the competition for that program. By the mid-1960's, Bucknell was cultivating new geographical areas for students. Students in the Class of 1969 came from 33 states, the District of Columbia and seven foreign countries., but seventy-six percent of the students came from the Middle Atlantic Region. Eighty-seven percent of the students were graduates of public secondary schools. Seventy-nine members of the Class of 1969 received $ 109,600.00 in financial aid in scholarships and National Defense Education Act loans.

In comparison, the students in the Class of 1965, who were admitted in 1961, came from 21 states, the District of Columbia and eight foreign countries. The 655 students who were members of this freshman class had an average SAT Verbal score of 557 and an average SAT Math score of 595. The average SAT scores for the 428 males were 541 Verbal and 600 Math, and the average SAT scores for the 227 females were 587 Verbal and 584 Math. Eighty-seven percent of the students were graduates of public secondary schools. In 1961, 72 freshmen received $42,000.00 in financial aid in scholarships and National Defense Education Act loans.