Considered a hook?

Hi everybody,

I’m currently applying from the U.S. Territory and Pacific Island of Guam, located in the Marianas Islands.

I was wondering if, in your opinion, this would be considered a “good hook.” My academics and ECs are slightly above average at best. I understand that hooks don’t at all guarantee admission, but I wanted to put the question out there and gauge what my chances would be as I need all the push I can get. I also understand that international applicants have a more difficult time getting in, but as I said, Guam is a U.S. Territory so that wouldn’t be a problem.

My ethnicity is Chamorro, or “Pacific Islander” as some call it. As I’m sure most reading have never heard of Guam or Chamorros, I think it’s safe to say that my island and people are the definition of underrepresented. Is BC big on diversity and giving special consideration to applicants who fall under the definition of “minority?”

Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope I receive responses soon.

pretty much all colleges are seeking greater diversity, and BC is one of those. However, while Pacific Islander fits the diverse category, its not much of a hook, which is generally URMs, recruited athletes and the like. At best, its a plus factor in your app.

If you like BC definitely apply.

Good luck.

btw: Not only have a I heard of Guam, I had a roomie from your territory in Grad School.

@bluebayou Thanks for the quick response. I will definitely still apply. And wow! How unexpected. It’s nice to hear that people out there know of the Island.

I think you can use your Guamanian background as a hook because you are a pacific islander and there aren’t too many of those students at the colleges.

Apply widely. You are not an international candidate per se because Guam is a US territory and your education is supposed to be somewhat similar to US systems.

Go for it!!!

@“aunt bea” Thank you for the encouragement! I’m definitely going to apply and hope for the best.

Use that Chamorro in your essays! Its a unique language!

My cousins are ½ guamanian. Guam was short of teachers several years ago, so they sent one cousin to the mainland for his education in California. He got his teaching degree and returned to Guam to teach HS math.

Good luck!!!

Dear aubreymariano : Best of luck with your application to Boston College. When applying, focus solidly on your academic and related credentials : course load, GPA/rank, English/Science/Math/History/Foreign Language for all four years of High School, athletics, voluteerism, club activities, leadership positions, work history, community impact, school spirit and more.

The reason that I mention all of these areas is that they should all be more important to you than identifying a “hook”. You want to be accepted because you can do the work for four years a long way from home. Your essays will want to tie your global experiences to making Boston College a better community for the current and incoming students.

Note that there are Boston College Service Trips to the South China Sea rim (Phillipines comes to mind immediately although 1500 miles away from Guam). Perhaps those past year trips might help you better understand how to weave your diversity factors into your application.