<p>The "how did he get in" thread had me thinking about the subject of hooks. In our community a fair number of kids go to schools they might not ordinarily get admitted to because of athletic skill. And music, artistic skill and urm status usually help but what else? What truly constitutes a hook? Is being a boy these days a hook? Is the ability to be full pay? Is it a hook to be from Montana? Though stats are significant and often we don't know people's true realities, what might make a difference? Is it a crap shoot or dependent on the school? These days it seems like every little bit helps.</p>
<p>This is a very common question. [College</a> Confidential Site Search Results - College Confidential](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/search_results.htm?q=what+is+a+hook&sa=Google+Search&userInput=&sitesearch=collegeconfidential.com&cx=013579521852154800353%3Avvp1k6kluvq&cof=FORID%3A9]College”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/search_results.htm?q=what+is+a+hook&sa=Google+Search&userInput=&sitesearch=collegeconfidential.com&cx=013579521852154800353%3Avvp1k6kluvq&cof=FORID%3A9)</p>
<p>Ability to overcome obstacles seems to be a hook.</p>
<p>The cynical part of me thinks you are on the right track when you ask about being a boy, or the ability to pay as being hooks.</p>
<p>From my own experience in watching who gets accepted where from my daughters circle of friends, the ability to pay seems to be a significant hook.</p>
<p>There will be many who will comment on this thread who will argue the opposite, but in my little world, that is what I see.</p>
<p>The usual hooks except for one are inherited ones that have nothing to do with one’s own ability and effort: relation to alumni, race/ethnicity, gender, relation to very large donor, relation to prominent person of some kind, place of residency, etc… The exception is recruited athlete.</p>
<p>A hook, in admissions speak, is any additional advantage that makes a candidate attractive to a particular college. This will vary from school to school and from year to year. </p>
<p>Some candidates may try to hide their hooks, preferring to be admitted on only merit (parents tend to discourage this) while others will fight furiously to exploit even the most inconsequential connections. Such hooks may include athletic ability, minority status, veteran status, alumni connections, special talent (e.g., art, music, theater, writing, etc.), under represented socioeconomic background (e.g., first-generation college), geography, gender, VIP status, ability to pay full tuition, or miscellaneous institutional needs.</p>
<p>Having a hook can give a candidate a higher rating from the get-go or can pull an application from the deny pile and put it into the admit (or wait list) stack. Hooks come into play most often when judging equally qualified candidates.</p>
<p>For example, if a college has to select one of two students who look the same on paper, and one is the daughter of an alumnus and the other is not, the daughter is probably going to get in over the non-connected student.</p>
<p>However, no matter how well connected or how gifted a student is outside of the classroom, if he doesn’t have the grades or the ability, he won’t—or shouldn’t—be admitted. And, if he does get admitted for special reasons, those connections won’t guarantee that he will succeed. One college even had to turn down its own president’s son!</p>
<p>The hooks below are the ones discussed most often—and most passionately —in admission committee meetings:</p>
<p>Alumni Connections
Athletes
Students of Color
Talent in the Arts
Legacies (at some schools this is only a hook when applying ED)
Facbrats</p>
<p>[n]The Invisible Hook—Institutional Need/mission**</p>
<p>One reason that an applicant is admitted to a particular college while a similar- seeming (or even less able) applicant is not can be due to a fuzzy factor known as “institutional needs.” These needs, are likely to vary from college to college, and—even within a single school—from year to year. One season an institution may be after more women, Midwesterners, or hockey goalies; the next time around it could be scientists or string musicians. Applicants do not have control over these needs and are rarely aware of them. </p>
<p>here are a couple of threads that can help you out</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/373513-nyc-moms-dads-possible-get-into-hyp-nyc-without-hook-2.html#post4479608[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/373513-nyc-moms-dads-possible-get-into-hyp-nyc-without-hook-2.html#post4479608</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/376940-hooks-what-exactly-they.html#post4510781[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/376940-hooks-what-exactly-they.html#post4510781</a></p>
<p>Here are my two personal experiences with hooks:
- Two athletes who matriculated at two “need-based” schools on scholarships. One a free-ride the other a 3/4. Both are safely in the upper-upper-middle-class which in this area makes them easily 1%'ers nationally.
- A close relative of mine lives next door to the Admin Director of a nationally known LAC. His advice to my relative when her kids applied for college was: Do not check the box that says you are applying for financial aid. Even if you need it, get accepted first and then negotiate with the FA office after.</p>
<p>Hi, </p>
<p>I am wondering if any of you could tell me if my situation could be considered as a Hook. </p>
<p>My native country (both parents are from) is Colombia, and I lived there for 10 years. When I was 10 I moved to London and lived there for 4 years. And when I was 14 I moved to Australia and have lived here since. This means I am a colombian boy applying from an Australian school. Having been exposed to so many different cultures, I think Ive developed a much more global view of the world. I put a lot of emphasis on this in my main essay. (applying to duke early decision in november 2013)</p>
<p>tonyy121 you did not write the reasons for these moves. If you are a refugee, that might be a hook, but if you are a wealthy glove-trotter, probably not.</p>
<p>Hook —> Passion</p>
<p>Do something that the kid is really passionate about. Schools want oval kids that they bring together into rounded classes. The passion of each kid rubs off on the others, and expands their world view.</p>
<p>Passion is doing something, and taking it to a higher level. Don’t just tutor elementary school kids, start a Leggo league club for them to expand their horizons.</p>