<p>So this may sound like a dumb question, but what exactly constitutes a "hook."
I've seen so many replies to people that go like this, "You're a orm with no hook."
Well, clearly urm is a hook
So is legacy
So is RSI/TASP
What else?
I'm most confused about national awards, do any specific national awards (like Siemens) count as hooks?
Obviously not NMSF, AP Scholar, bla bla, but do any?</p>
<p>athlete: recruited athlete at a div I school is hooked
developmental: family donation in the $500,00+ range is hooked</p>
<p>Recruited athlete is a reliable hook. I say reliable because there is somebody with influence (a coach) advocating for you.</p>
<p>URM is a hook, but less reliable, I think, because although it is generally understood that the bar is lower for URMs, there is not an specific person advocating for you in the process.</p>
<p>Being a development case ($1M+ is probably the number) is a hook, and it meets my standard of reliability (the development office is your advocate).</p>
<p>Legacy varies by school.</p>
<p>In general, hooks only go so far, allowing otherwise qualified applicants to be ushered in the side door rather than standing in the lottery line at the front door.</p>