Is it as much of a hook as URM?
Yes. It is a significant hook.
It is valued differently at different colleges. It could provide a boost at some schools but it won’t get you into a college you are not otherwise qualified to attend.
Currently at highly selective colleges, there are well publicized efforts to increase the first-generation low income (FGLI) students to their campuses to address 1) their traditional economic divide in the student body, and 2) the socio-economic inequities.
It is not a hook, although it is a tip at many schools. It is nowhere near as significant as being a URM.
Sooo is it a hook or not?
It might help a tiny bit, but in reality, the whole package has to be there: GPA, tests scores, EC’s, and LOR’s.
I don’t think it isn’t as significant as URM. My kids are URM and the schools based a lot of their scholarship money on the URM status and EC cultural activities. That’s what my son’s and DD1’s schools did.
Hooks are determined by each school based on institutional priorities. If the schools you’re applying to have a desire to increase the number of first gen students, it’s a hook. If, otoh, they care more about SES diversity, your family’s income, rather than education, could matter.
Remember though that no school wants to admit students to meet institutional goals if the student is not going to do well. From a practical pov, this means that you need to be a qualified applicant first and foremost.
It depends. Each college, where not prohibited by law, is free to define what it considers a hook, is free to define said hook, and is free to decide how much of a bump, if any, said hook will give an application. In almost all cases, any hook will not compensate for a less-than-average-for-that-college application. Additionally, most colleges will not reveal to you what it considers a hook.
Bottom line is, it will be at least beneficial for you if you are a hard working student.
It is not a golden ticket.
@skieurope should I contact respective colleges about what they consider a hook?
No, you should not contact colleges about what they consider a hook. They likely won’t tell you. Apply for schools that you are realistically qualified to attend (matches), schools where you are in the top 25% (safeties), and a few reaches, if desired. Then let the chips fall where they may.
It can be part of an interesting story or it can just be a check box. How you present it is important.
I know a “first gen” kid whose dad made it in software without a degree, kid went to top magnet public high school and lives in a million dollar house. His dad not going to college really isn’t that much of a story that shaped his life.
I agree with @mademoiselle2308
You can do some of your own leg work. Google Common Data Set and look at section C7 to see what level of weight First Gen gets compared to other application info.