<p>So I play soccer but have to desire to do so in college. I have an uncle who is a professor at cornell and multiple cousins who went there. But what else is a good hook? </p>
<p>cousins and uncles don’t count at many if not most schools. now if your uncle were to adopt you 
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<p>hooks are something that the school wants: a celebrity student or student child of a celebrity who won’t embarrass the school and who will attract readers of people magazine to the campus; a second baseman who hits from the left; a xylophone player for the band; someone whose ECs make them look like the second coming of Warren Buffett; a 4.0/2400 at a school with no other 4.0/2400s; a characteristic that would help the Dept of Admissions “round out a class.” What do you have that schools might want? Don’t kid yourself that what you have is valuable until you see the admissions letter.</p>
<p>Rice, W&M, Dartmouth, georgetown, northwestern, yale for my dreams haha. I have published some short stories and may win some awards in scholastic. Writing and science are my strengths, so I like my chances with TASP. Is that a good hook? </p>
<p>When coaches start pursuing you for your soccer skills, pay attention, but until then…meh. It’s always good to have someone other than a parent (never a good thing) advocating for you with the admissions office. Coaches find students AOs want so that the coaches themselves get what they want. Being good at a sport is not worth much until you have an advocate. It works this way with members of the advocate members of the board of trustees, too.</p>
<p>So if I don’t even want to play in college what do u think are good non sport hooks? </p>
<p>Are you African-American or Latino/Hispanic? Both of those are hooks at most schools.</p>
<p>You have no hooks. You will have to get in based on your academic achievement and EC’s.</p>
<p>^^Exactly, you are like 90-95% of the students in this country, you have to fill out an application and get in on talent and ability alone. No golden ticket. </p>
<p>For the record, URM status is not a hook - no one is holding a spot for them based on URM status alone. Neither is legacy status, which generally only provides a small boost. The only true hooks are recruited athlete or developmental. Celebrity status can give you a leg up, but there aren’t many of those and there are plenty of stupid celebrities.</p>
<p>Hooks are generally something that you cannot control. Aside from being a recruited athlete, you can’t gve yourself a hook.</p>