<p>i keep hearing all about "hooks." these are random things that make admissions officers like u, right? how important is it to have a hook? what qualifies as a hook? for example, wud being from a very rural area be a hook? thanks!</p>
<p>A hook is something like being a URM, a recruited athlete, etc… something that is very unique/rare in the admission process… </p>
<p>Its not extremely important, but it certainly helps your application. The thing about hooks is that you are either born with them or you developed them, its not something you can really just buy or something. For instance, I was a recruited athlete to Yale, and that was my “hook” in my application. However, I still would have been a competitive applicant (IMO) without the hook – it just helped and added support to my application.</p>
<p>ok thanks. this may be a stupid question, but what is urm?</p>
<p>Hooks are:
- URM
- Athlete (recruited)
- Legacy
- Celebrity</p>
<p>You are either hooked our not. If you are not, then there is nothing you can do about it.</p>
<p>Haha, its not a stupid question, I didnt know it either for the longest time.</p>
<p>URM means Under Represented Minority. In a world where top schools (especially Ivies) are trying to shed their WASPY image, they are giving preference to individuals who come from extremely ethnically diverse backgrounds who would serve to “add some spices to the universities cooking” to use a really bad metaphor.</p>
<p>thanks haha well crap that wont help me at all… oh well</p>
<p>Another hook would be a first generation college student.
I am a URM and first generation.</p>
<p>There is this one other fancy thing that Ive heard helps your application…</p>
<p>BEING A GOOD STUDENT WITH GOOD SAT SCORES AND GREAT ECS.</p>
<p>Just a nasty rumour though, probably shouldnt even pay attention to it :P</p>
<p>haha yeah ive heard that rumor too! im workimg on it, im just trying to figure out all the different aspects of the admissions process. my school doesnt do squat to help you if u want to go out of state.</p>
<p>^^^ hah same here. I gain all of information about the college admission process through CC.</p>
<p>yeah i have a few books and a few websites i use. im basically on my own lol it will b a miracle if i can get out of my home state</p>
<p>You can do it, just have faith! I have a few books also and other than my SAT scores, I feel extremely prepared to start applying in the fall.</p>
<p>It is a tip factor to apply to schools where your state is underrepresented. A kid from rural S. Dakota can have much lower stats at competitive schools than one from NY, MA or CA.</p>
<p>hahahaha I’m a URM!</p>
<p>yay for me! 
too bad for everyone else :/</p>
<p>I also think being a female + engineering at some places is also a hook.</p>