<p>I like to think that I am in some sort of special situation. Let me give you a premise: </p>
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<p>My freshman year grades are mediocre. We're talking A's and B's (mostly B's first quarter, mostly A's second quarter). Before that, I went to an academic center where I received many B's. The classes I took were high school level, so they contributed to my high school GPA. I received one C in PE (it appears on my transcript, but is labeled a "Non-Credit Grade").</p>
<p>Sophomore and Junior years I had a turnaround. Straight A's in all honors classes sophomore year; 4 APs junior year and straight A's second semester (one AP B first semester). Taking 5 APs this year.</p>
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<p>ACT: 32
Taking three SAT subject tests and SAT soon.</p>
<p>I don't feel like listing all my extracurriculars, but I am a part of around 6 clubs to which I am highly dedicated (posts in nearly all, active member in two, founder of one, editor of school newspaper).</p>
<p>HOOK: I am an immigrant. I arrived in the United States near the age of nine, and I essentially had to learn English from scratch. Ironically, English has been one of my strongest subjects. I have always enjoyed reading good literature (currently, I am enjoying a lot of Sartre). I took the AP Language test with little to no preparation and scored a 5. Yes, I do have a Joycean command of the English language (just kidding).</p>
<p>HOOK 2: I am intensely passionate about politics and current events and my extracurriculars show it. </p>
<p>I am also of a very low socio-economic status. </p>
<p>Those really don't seem like hooks. Hooks are things such as URM status, legacy, athlete, published author, intel semifinalist/finalist, published research, low socioconomic status in ADDITION to hard family life and first gen.</p>
<p>i'm a freshman at yale, and that kind of story is a dime a dozen. (most of those students were nationally or internationally recognized for something else). the immigration thing is most certainly not a hook; neither is the passion for politics. passion is an expectation (in my opinion a requirement), and NOT a hook.</p>
<p>Well, in regards to having a low socioeconomic status, my family makes less than 24k per year and has recently declared bankruptcy. That makes academic life a little more difficult. For example, last summer, I had to work to help my family and contribute much of my time to helping my parents with their struggling small business (e.g. advertising, creating a website, developing some business strategies).</p>
<p>Immigrant and low socioeconomic status aren't hooks unless there are special extenuating circumstances, sorry. What do you offer yale that 4.0 GPA and superstar applicants do not?</p>
<p>Is being of low socioeconomic status coupled with the fact you have not seen your father since you were a little kid because he was alcoholic and abusive considered extenuating?</p>
<p>Also why didn't the OP apply for questbridge?</p>
<p>franchise--As people have said, those aren't hooks, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't apply. You have a fine record and sound intellectually curious. Yale is looking for top students of low socio-economic status. While I don't think your chances are better than average, it's worth applying.</p>
<p>Is being of low socioeconomic status coupled with the fact you have not seen your father since you were a little kid because he was alcoholic and abusive considered a hook?</p>
<p>collegehopeful78 - I wouldn't say that was a hook. Hooks are really only things like being a URM, recruited athlete, legacy, development admit. However, since Yale uses a holistic admissions process, your background does get taken into account, although no one can really tell you to what extent it may be helpful to you.</p>
<p>I don't think it matters what you call it. It is something that is considered because it provides context to your achievements. They don't have some quota they are trying to meet for low SES children of alcoholics.</p>
<p>HOOK: I am an immigrant. I arrived in the United States near the age of nine, and I essentially had to learn English from scratch. Ironically, English has been one of my strongest subjects. I have always enjoyed reading good literature (currently, I am enjoying a lot of Sartre). I took the AP Language test with little to no preparation and scored a 5. Yes, I do have a Joycean command of the English language (just kidding).</p>
<p>^ thats not a hook at all. i immigrated from the US when i was 5. in fact, our family was very wealthy in korea and when we first came to america, we lived in a rat infested one-room apartment in a very bad nieghborhood. My dad, once a corporate manager, was now reduced to working menial labor, the scars on his arms showing physical evidence.</p>
<p>but hey, im not including THAT in my apps :)</p>