<p>I am gonna be a senior next year, and frankly I don't really have a hook. Is there any competitions or awards I can strive for thats not too late(since Im gonna apply in like half a year), I have a great deal of background knowledge, but I never really knew what to focus on. Thanks!</p>
<p>First of all, a competitions and rewards are not going to help you that much. This is why you often see many Ivy-league acceptees get in leaving the awards section blank. These things can only complement your interest, you cannot just “create” a new hook.</p>
<p>You can only build on your existing abilities and ECs. If you want to get a reward, make sure it complements your ECs. And remember, it’s never too late.</p>
<p>An EC or other activity can only be considered a “hook” if one has truly impressive involvement - in other words, a leadership position (probably President/Captain), extensive work outside the classroom, and excellent performance at the state, national, and/or international level. At the Ivies, an EC will never count as a “hook” unless it’s truly above and beyond what the majority of applicants have done. And for the Ivy applicant pools, the nation’s most competitive, that’s going to be very rare. So unless you have an EC along the lines of “gymnast at the Junior Olymics level” or “top-ranked national debater who placed 3rd at the NFL tournament”, an EC can’t count as a hook.</p>
<p>What does count as a hook is:</p>
<p>URM (underrepresented minority): being an enrolled Native American, a Hispanic, or an African American.</p>
<p>Legacy: if one of your parents attended the school for undergrad.</p>
<p>Athletic recruit: if the university in question wishes to recruit you for a particular sport.</p>
<p>First generation college student: if neither of your parents went to college.</p>
<p>Good luck with everything.</p>
<p>Most colleges base admissions decisions overwhelmingly on one’s grades and scores. Public universities also consider one’s state of residence. Virtually the only colleges that factor ECs and similar things into admission are places like Ivies that get so many high stat students that the colleges can use other factors to select students from its outstanding pool of applicants.</p>
<p>The most important thing you can do now is to maintain the highest grades possible because colleges will consider your first semester grades for admission. You also will need to maintain good grades to keep your admission because the college you accept will review your final grades and will rescind you if they’re not up to par.</p>