<p>I did something before high school that I think is a pretty cool hook. I had to stop in grade 9 and only "self-study" I guess you could say due to more school work/school related ECs and such. Is it ok to include it on an application? I still practice it but I do not formally train anymore. I love it. </p>
<p>?Thanks</p>
<p>You can put whatever you want on the applications. However, I'm not sure an adcom would give much weight to something you claim to love, but didn't love enough to prioritize.</p>
<p>It's out of the ordinary but how is that a "hook"? I don't see its value, frankly. Be glad for your achievement but it doesn't say "wow" to me.</p>
<p>thats not a hook.</p>
<p>I'm a national champion of a certain sport. That's the hook. I won that title in 8th grade I think, than stopped in 9th grade because school got more time consuming. I don't formally train regularly anymore but I do "self-study" I guess you could say.</p>
<p>So, no point in including something like that?</p>
<p>you might include it but not let that be the main point. Like i was champion of asfsdhfsdlfsdk and that helped me with .askfdsknf..</p>
<p>If you still do in in your spare time, I'd include it.
If you don't mind me asking, what is it? I'm rather curious.</p>
<p>sheed, yeah, I just want it in there because it's pretty unique.</p>
<p>Johnson, it's a form of martial arts. I'd rather not say the specific one because it be easy to look me up online.</p>
<p><em>shakes fist at all those crazy people out there</em></p>
<p>Very cool. Personally I'd include it, but ONLY because it was national level, and because you're still doing some form of it today.</p>
<p>I wouldn't say it's a hook because you didn't continue it (formally) in high school. But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to include it.</p>
<p>I'll I'm saying is that if it was that competitive of a thing, then there is no way you would have given it up during HS. It definitely would not be a hook, even if you did it in HS. It doesn't help the college at all.</p>
<p>How can you be a national champion in 8th grade? Your body isn't physically developed enough to excel in any sport. Do you mean national elementary school champion? I won the state middle-school sprint title when I was in 8th grade. I put it on an additional sheet I am sending in, but there is no mention apart from there. I wouldn't consider it a big deal, and some obscure martial arts is much less of a deal, even if it is on a national circuit. In fact, I listed it as the 10th award on my application. I at least will be sprinting for whatever school I go to, whereas martial arts helps nothing. If anything, tie it in with a character trait. Discipline etc. to supplement your essays.</p>
<p>It was really bad of you to have stopped formally competing in it. REALLY bad. It basically took the worth out of it. If you have time to "self-study" it why didn't you have time to continue competing? You can write it, but not a hook.</p>