<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I'm wondering if I have some sort of "hook" in the admissions game. </p>
<p>On my application, I am listed as White (European), White (Middle Eastern), and unregistered Native American (Quechua, no organization). I am also hispanic. </p>
<p>I am a "first gen," i.e., part of the first generation in my family to go to college. Would anyone know how to note this on the common app? Or is it already noted in the "family" section? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>A hook is something that makes an admissions committee say “well, we wouldn’t accept you, but because of [hook] we will”. Native American or Hispanic ancestry and first generation college status can help you out, but not to that degree.</p>
<p>First generation status should be already noted in the family section, yes.</p>
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<p>I don’t see it quite this way. I think a hook is more like something that makes an admissions committee say, “Well, we’ll select you from among the pool of qualified applicants,” even if there are other candidates in the pool whose objective qualifications may be better. </p>
<p>There are plenty of URMs and legacies who don’t get admitted to selective colleges and universities. Belonging to a class of students that the college wants to attract isn’t enough all by itself. I’d like to think there are lots of linebackers and power forwards who don’t get in, too, but I have a harder time saying so with confidence.</p>
<p>Agreed, URM status means nothing if the rest of your application isn’t up to par.</p>
<p>Being Hispanic/African American/Native American isn’t going to do anything for you if you have crappy grades or test scores: URM status is NOT a one-way ticket into a college nor is it a free pass for getting bad grades or an otherwise poor application. However, if you are a URM, a college may pick you over a bunch of similarly qualified Asians/whites. In addition to this, keep in mind that many colleges will look at your background as a whole. A black or Hispanic student who grew up with a rich doctor dad and a wealthy lawyer mom in happy suburban town his entire life is probably not going to get the same treatment as a black person who grew up lower-middle class to parents who are HS drop-outs in a rough neighborhood in the Bronx.</p>
<p>EDIT: I realized I never answered the OP’s question. Yes, you have a decent hook - and if the rest of your application is sharp it could work well in your favor. I’m not sure if the Native American status will do much if you are not registered, but being Hispanic will help out. First-gen is a very small tip to your application as well.</p>
<p>According to conventional wisdom, URM status will get your application put in the URM pile rather than the general pile. There you will compete against the other URM applicants. I think Rob1995 has it about right, although I am not as confident that your background will be considered a hook. It depends on the socioeconomic factors and degree of involvement in the culture(s). Millions of people in the US have some Cherokee background, for instance, and probably 99.999% of them would not be considered hooked for that reason.</p>
<p>Edit: I just googled Quechua. Is it safe to assume that one of your parents or grandparents is of both Hispanic and Quechua ancestry? I do not think that that would be considered “Native American” in US college admissions.</p>
<p>Yes, I am well aware that race isn’t a determining factor- an application is holistic after all. </p>
<p>@consolation: One parent is of mixed Hispanic and Quechua blood. The Common App considers the “Original People of the Americas” to be Native American. I checked the “other” box and wrote in Quechua. </p>
<p>As far as involvement goes, I am not able to participate with the tribe due to geographic differences. I have read several books. I do self-identify with the tribe.</p>