<p>-_- Tell that to the admissions director at UPenn…</p>
<p>You do realize schools aren’t honest about hooks, right?</p>
<p>You do realize that the Common Data Set info is verifiable and to be trusted? See the U IL law school director who changed data and was fired.</p>
<p>I think that if you have some sort of unique situation (such as being a first generation to go to college, a first generation American, or being recently orphaned, etc.) and you describe how adapting to a new environment or coping with struggles has played a role in your development as a person, that would be considered a “hook.” As long as you don’t use your unique situation as an excuse, it can be valuable in terms of letting admissions officers understanding the type of person and student you are and can be.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Well…maybe…if you define hook to mean “some sort of unique situation that plays a role in your development as a person.”</p>
<p>But if by hook, you mean “a trait or attribute that will make colleges want to admit one student over others with equal or better objective qualifications,” then I really don’t think being first-generation anything, or even being orphaned, is going to cut it. </p>
<p>Colleges say in their brochures that they are interested in your development as a person, but the blunt truth is, they’re more interested in doing things that benefit the college. Colleges and universities want to attract the best faculty and students they can–in that order of priority; they want to increase revenue; they want to build new buildings; they want to develop programs that will increase the institution’s prestige. I just don’t see how orphans fit in with those objectives.</p>
<p>popcharlie93~</p>
<p>I find it very hard to believe that the UPenn admissions director told you that First Generation is a hook. From collegeboard, here is the info that UPenn self reports. Notice that First generation college student doesn’t even rank as Very Important or Important. It is last in the Considered list.</p>
<p>Very important admission factors:
Character/Personal Qualities
Application Essay
Recommendations
Rigor of secondary school record</p>
<p>Important admission factors:
Extracurricular Activities
Standardized Test Scores
Academic GPA</p>
<p>Considered:
Alumni Relation
Class Rank
Geographical Residence
Interview
Racial/Ethnic Status
Talent/Ability
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
First generation college student</p>
<p>As a general rule, if you have to ask if something is a hook or not, it’s not.</p>
<p>Idk why ohiomom thinks she’s a pro, but if you look anywhere especially on CC you will find being first gen is a hook. As used here a hook is something that you didn’t necessarily have control of that just happened or you did something huge. Being first gen says a lot, if you had exact same stats and maybe lower than someone with parents that have PhDs you will get in over them because you haven’t had the advantage of being in the environment of well educated folk. Therefore it is a hook</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>First gen is generally considered to be a tip factor, not a hook. This is not an argument about what ‘ought’ to be, but rather, how things actually work in the admissions process. If you read the posts on this thread carefully, you will see that ohiomom is not the only member to state that first gen is not a hook, please see posts by Erin’s Dad and Sikorsky. And please note that ohiomom has provided primary source data, here is a link to the Penn 2011 Common Data set with that information:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.upenn.edu/ir/Common%20Data%20Set/UPenn%20Common%20Data%20Set%202010-11.pdf[/url]”>http://www.upenn.edu/ir/Common%20Data%20Set/UPenn%20Common%20Data%20Set%202010-11.pdf</a></p>
<p>I agree with BernieMadoff
First generation is definitely a hook! My counselors this year have talked about the UC’s accepting a lot of first generation kids these past few years so it’ll help you there!</p>
<p>I am sure the UCs are accepting a lot of first-generation applicants. Among them, they admit a whole lot of students. I am also sure that the UCs are accepting a lot of white people, a lot of rich people, a lot of people who studied French, and a lot of people whose middle initial is C. “Accepting a lot” really doesn’t mean too much. I am sure that the UCs have lately also rejected a lot of first-generation applicants, as well as a lot of applicants from those other groups.</p>
<p>I’ll continue to believe the published reports–and also entomom, who has more than five times as many posts as you, Bernie Madoff and I have put together.</p>
<p>They’ve been accepting more and more first generation students these past few years is what I was trying to say…
meaning it does give you an edge when applying, but no, it does not guarantee admission, as nothing really does. Besides legacy maybe TT</p>