<p>When people read my stats they said that I didnt have a good hook, to draw me out of the crowd of everyone else. Isnt having an internship doing cancer research w/ the government a hook? I dont know too many high schoolers w/ that opportunity. If i wrote about this in my application couldnt it be helpful. I was just wondering what some hooks would be?</p>
<p>True hooks are things that you usually can't control -- legacy, celebrity status, URM, recruited athlete... These are the types of things that will truly put your application in a different pile and will make them be considered apart from everyon else's. </p>
<p>That being said, your internship is really cool and will help your application. It is an EC, not a hook, but its not a typical EC and you should do your best to highlight it in your application.</p>
<p>I would give what you have more weight than a 1600, assuming you show something for it (i.e. some results etc.). MIT was impressed with some research a friend of mine did, and he wasnt even top 15 in his class, so that might help you. It's certainly a hook; it isn't international recognition, or alumni status, but it's what you have, so be proud of it.</p>
<p>Research is a hook, but it's becoming rather trite these days. It's good that you wrote about it in your essays. I think you'll be alright. You're from MD so I'm assuming you did an NIH internship??</p>
<p>kinda, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, not on the main campus at Bethesda</p>
<p>"True hooks are things that you usually can't control -- legacy, celebrity status, URM, recruited athlete... "</p>
<p>Usually spectacular achievements (like 4 gold medals at IMO) are considered hooks as well.</p>
<p>whats IMO?</p>
<p>international math olympiad, for people who are crazy good at math</p>
<p>International Mathematics Olympiad.</p>
<p>Unless I missed something, there are five of these int'l math/sci olympiads: math, bio, chem, physics, and informatics (IMO, IBO, IChO, IPhO, and IOI).</p>
<p>o, would i have heard of it through school, or do people have to find this out or themselvves?</p>
<p>My school participates in the AMC (American Mathematics Competitions), so that's how I came to know about this.</p>
<p>He wasn't in top 15% of his class, did research, and still got into MIT?</p>
<p>cool research must be a hook then. what do you want to be when you are older?</p>
<p>me? i want to do chemical engineering...</p>
<p>no no, wasnt of the top 15 kids of his class. Of about 530 kids he's in top 5%.</p>