<p>Hello, I would like some help determining how Princeton admission officers would look at this.</p>
<p>Confirmed Hooks by Friends and Teachers:
-First Generation College Student
-Distinct Geographical Residency
-Socioeconomic Diversity--less than $30,000</p>
<p>Unconfirmed Hooks by Friends and Teachers:
-Divorced Family
-Dad is a veteran
-Level of Applicant's Interest--I drove five hours to an interview and did everything else I could to make Princeton see that I really wanted to go there except a letter since my interviewer said that is not a good idea
-Number 1 Choice
-Lifeguarding (I can't get a confirmation on this but this seems to help out a lot of people when looking at the acceptance forums)
-Valedictorian/Salutatorian? (Ranking have not officially come out--I have not made a B it is just that if I am not a Valedictorian the girl who is took more French Classes than I did; however, I have taken every other difficult class ranging from AP to CP)
-Taken Every AP class at school--Passed every AP class
-Talent/Abilities--Science Fair Winner?</p>
<p>Thanks. I would just like to know if anyone could help me figure out which of these unconfirmed hooks are hooks and aren't hooks. Also, the only thing that I am not up to par with our ACT and SAT scores. I am missing 50% by a few points; however, I am the 94% in my state and the 99% for writing scores.</p>
<p>None seem like hooks to me. Some aren’t even “really good” to quote Idiosyncra3y.</p>
<p>Your SAT’s are below the median for Princeton? The low end of the middle 50% for Princeton is 2100. That includes athletes, legacies, etc. From what I see over 2200 is more the range and over 2300 is what they are looking for. A hook would be being an olympic athlete, curing some disease, writing a novel (that is actually published), etc.</p>
<p>Good luck. I am sure you will get into a great school. Princeton may be a reach.</p>
<p>The confirmed hooks are good. Being a first generation student from, say, Alabama could be a big plus. The rest of it will come down to your application.</p>
<p>You appear to be a strong applicant, but you don’t have a hook.</p>
<p>A hook would be if you were a recruited athlete, the child of a significant donor, the child of a US Senator or someone similarly powerful, a high stat URM, or a legacy applicant.</p>
<p>First generation, socioeconomics, and State residency are minor tips at best.</p>
<p>Divorced parents, veteran dad, and level of interest are nonfactors.</p>
<p>Lifeguard, Sal, max APs, and science fair are positive factors, but not hooks.</p>
<p>As I said, you’re strong. You might be accepted and you might be rejected. If you’re accepted, the financial aid will be great. I hope you have some good safeties.</p>
<p>^I do think state residency could make a difference for some applicants. A high scoring applicant from a Northeast county where there are hundreds of applicants has a * much * tougher time getting in than the high scoring applicant from Alaska.</p>
<p>General, people say achievements are what you do, and hooks are what you simply are. If it wasn’t due to effort, but instead the family you were born into, it’s a hook.</p>
<p>Still, a lot of your stuff is pretty impressive. They’re still ‘hooks’ in the sense that they’d make adcoms take a second look.</p>
<p>Thank you guys for the responses. They all have been helpful. ccuser18
“The confirmed hooks are good. Being a first generation student from, say, Alabama could be a big plus. The rest of it will come down to your application.” Did you know I was from Alabama? Also, how do Princeton Admission officers judge on applicant’s interest? That topic hasn’t really been addressed on any of the Ivy League forums.</p>
<p>The problem with interest is that they know that everyone is interested in Princeton (and the other ivies). So many applicants would drive 5 hours for an interview, visit the campus weekly, get a tiger tatoo…It goes without saying that when they can only accept less than 10% of the applicants, interest is there.</p>
<p>What you do have going for you is your residence, first gen, income, but your SATs need to be higher - 1700, correct? Then again, you never know.
Where else did you apply?</p>
<p>Yes, my SATs are above 1700, I think my ACT is a 27 which is 88% for national and I think 94% for state and SAT equivalent is 1900 with a writing score of 10.My SAT II were so, so both of them being at the 50% mark (Chemistry and Literature). I should have taken Math II which I probably could of scored an 800 on.</p>
<p>I’m not sure where, but i read recently that Princeton has been caring less and less about geographic diversity… it’s not something they particularly try for- it just happens.</p>
<p>Why stress out about how many “hooks” you have now?</p>
<p>Chances are, you’ll probably be rejected along with the other 90%+ of Princeton applicants. Stop looking for validation, do something fun, and just wait a little more than a week. You’ll know soon enough.</p>
<p>Sorry ccuser18 if that came off arrogant. I wasn’t trying to be, my teachers wanted me to take Math II instead of Chemistry but I insisted that I had retained enough Chemistry to make a decent grade. I was wrong. However, I can’t change anything now and whatever happens, happens for a reason. I just hope something good will come out of all of this.</p>
I should have taken Math II which I probably could of scored an 800 on.</p>