<p>what is considered a hook for stanford? (besides: first gen, URM)</p>
<p>the current people accepted, could you list the hook that you had?</p>
<p>D had no legacy, no URM, no sport, only the national merit and AP awards, good SATs and grades(not perfect), hard classes,.....but on her letter in handwriting it said they were impressed with her becoming a leader within one year of transferring in as a junior. Is that a hook?</p>
<p>^^ no -- it's good, but it's not a hook.</p>
<p>To the OP: not all those who were accepted to Stanford had a hook.</p>
<p>I think the handwritten note on the acceptance letter is revealing!</p>
<p>My son's note complimented him on his essays!</p>
<p>"they were impressed with her becoming a leader within one year of transferring in as a junior"</p>
<p>I don't get this sentence, could you elaborate? She became a leader at her old college? How so? And wouldn't transferring as a junior mean she spent two years at her previous college?</p>
<p>^^ I think the OP means transferring to a new high school.</p>
<p>yeah i think she was using that as an example to respond to my hook question.</p>
<p>I think the handwritten note compliments everyone on their essays, if I'm not mistaken. Did anyone get a note from Dean Shaw that DIDN'T compliment you on your essays? I'm just curious :P</p>
<p>I got 3 handwritten notes - one from my regional admission counselor, one from another Admission counselor (Asian American community liaison), and one from yet another admission counselor (native American/native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander liaison) - one mentioned that I possess "a unique perspective needed on campus," the second congratulated me and wrote a little note regarding my essay, mentioning that Stanford students are indeed more than a number, and the third was just another congratulatory note citing my balance of work, study, and home life as proof that I will undoubtedly thrive at Stanford. I was overwhelmed with the personalized responses in the weeks following my acceptance, and it became the deciding factor in choosing Stanford over anywhere else.
At first I was confused with receiving a brochure about both Asian life and native life at Stanford along with the notes, but then I realized that while Pacific islanders are lumped with Native Hawaiians and just native community overall, Pacific islanders are also associated with Asians as well, so it makes sense now. I agree with FresnoMom in that the handwritten notes do reveal quite a bit about what makes each admit unique, in that it's not necessarily congratulating us on writing decent essays, as much as it is praising your efforts as conveyed in the essays.</p>
<p>I don't think we should concern ourselves about hooks. They tend to give a sense of false confidence. Also, capitalizing on and relying on such are not one and the same.</p>
<p>besides first gen and URM... you can attach a check for $400,000 on your application made out to your regional admissions officer.</p>
<p>what exactly is a first-gen?</p>
<p>First generation of your family to go to college? isn't that basically the opposite of being a legacy (which is -the- hook)? Educate me folks. Because I'm a first gen technically (my mom has a nursing degree from Haiti but thats it, really)</p>
<p>^^ first-gen = first generation in your family to go to college</p>
<p>Some consider it a hook, but I don't think it is. It's definitely something that will help and may be a bit more than a "tip," but it doesn't quite fit the definition of "hook."</p>
<p>one hook would be being an international student who is NOT asking for financial aid and who has good scores, grades, activities etc....that almost close to guarantees admission</p>
<p>^ I'm from Canada, not asking for financial aid, have a 2280 SAT and 800/780 SAT IIs, participate in Band, Trivia and numerous math contests, have gotten 100 in every math course I've taken (except grade 9), top marks in other sciences, ranked #1, numerous math contest awards.</p>
<p>Yet I don't see it happening. We'll see how it turns out.</p>
<p>when i said international, i meant excluding canadians and mexicans, who ARE ELIGIBLE for need based FA....however, other internationals, for whom Stanford is NOT NEED BLIND, will have a significant advantage if they're not askin for aid....</p>
<p>WAIT.</p>
<p>Quag_mire are you saying that as a canadian (transfer) applicant I'm elligble for need blind?</p>
<p>Because if you are I'm kissing you right on the c***.</p>
<p>umm sure, ur need blind lol, canadians and mexicans are need blind</p>
<p>Do I really want to know what letters those three asterisks are replacing...?</p>
<p>umm, if those three asteriks are indeed what i think they are, then "undisclose" should know that im a male, not a female :D</p>