**is this a hook?**

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>Chinese female, born in China, lived in China for first 8 years (up to the equivalent of 4th grade), came to America knowing little English</p>

<p>However, during high school education, taking an interest in language, specifically Spanish
Junior year courseload: AP Mando, AP Spanish, AP American Literature and Composition (receiving 96-99/100 in all classes) along with AP US and AP Euro taken sophomore year.</p>

<p>Also, in the range of 780-800 in SATII Chinese (w/ listening) and SAT II Spanish. Projected 4+ in both language APs. </p>

<p>Also, attends specialized high school in NYC.
Will be taking National Spanish Exam.</p>

<p>Shows extreme devotion to Spanish. Spent summer in Paraguay (spoke dialect similar to Spanish and Spanish), about 8 weeks. Also, takes part in an after school initiative (ESL program) to teach English to Chinese immigrants. Also, used experience in Mandarin to persuade voters in NYC who only speak Mandarin and have limited abilities in English, to vote in 2008.</p>

<p>Little to no interest in math or science, but top percent in classes.
Is this a hook for Yale. Is this something that is memorable in a pool of Yale EA applicants?</p>

2

<p>I don't know if it's a hook per se, but it's a pretty good theme to explore and discuss when completing your application, essays, and supplementals.</p>

3

<p>not a hook. a hook is something that colleges NEED to have. colleges don't need multilingual individuals. they need athletes, URMs, etc. definitely not a hook, but like static said, maybe a good angle to explore.</p>

4

<p>Sorry, not at all a hook. Cool, but colleges won't see it as any different than any other extracurricular.</p>

5

<p>"Hook" is an arbitrary term. While it may not technically be a "hook", it will help your application.</p>

6

<p>I think it could be. I like how you encouraged voters--that sounds awesome.</p>

<p>Remember:</p>

<p>Most CC'ers are wary of calling anything a "hook" because they hate admitting that someone is more unique than they are, etc. After all, people here are willing to sabotage others just to get in themselves--they are more skilled at criticizing and tearing down rather than support and praise (and if support/praise it ever happens, it is usually only after their own success has been secured).</p>

7

<p>^ I'm not an admissions sage.</p>

<p>But I wouldn't call this a hook, because if it is, this person should be assured that barring failing out of school, not applying, committing a felony (or higher crime that is prosecuted), they will get into Yale.</p>

<p>You're right....definitions are arbitrary......But calling my right leg a finger doesn't give me eleven fingers, and calling my thumbs specifically 'thumbs' doesn't mean I can only count up to eight.</p>

<p>@ Original Poster:
Expertise in your native language isn't impressive (I can't claim fluency in English as being impressive)</p>

<p>-Being active in your community (the voters bit)
-Exploring a different language (this would have to be Spanish, not English, as every foreign student that comes to the U.S. HAS to learn English...sorry again)</p>

<p>Are important, and are nice additions to your app.</p>

<p>That being said, Ivy league schools look for depth and breadth.</p>

<p>They want you to be skilled (or at least competent) in a wide variety of things, and they'd like you to be very....VERY passionate/excellent in some things.</p>

<p>If you're still a junior, you still have time to explore a wider range of interests than you have (or at least, than you have posted that you have explored), even if you can't have a 4 year concentration in something.
(Being in a top percentage of your classes is a good thing.....But it isn't a necessary or sufficient condition to getting in. It can't hurt -keep it up!)</p>

<p>You are right, you want to be memorable. You want to make your admissions rep fight for you.
However, none of us can tell you what about YOU will make YOU memorable to the adcoms. Your personal essay is where you can shine in that respect.</p>

8

<p>It's a passion. Passions are blunt tips/tips depending on how you spin them off in your subjective parts.</p>

9

<p>^Spinning blunt tips in subjective parts, eh?</p>

<p>Sounds like something in a movie they don't play in theaters.</p>

10

<p>Being a Trysexual you WOULD think that.</p>

11

<p>HA! (For the record, I'm actually a heterosexual male.....I just like making outrageous statements in addition to level headed and sincere statements {notice my first post on this})</p>

12

<p>I know. I love outrageous posts. Please.. continue.</p>

<p>You are the inventor of a useful term.</p>

13

<p>So yeah
@ Original poster: Please don't think my advice less valuable because I make terribly inappropriate jokes.</p>

<p>@Mal77: I dunno....Trysexual is a hard one to top.</p>

14

<p>But learning the top 3 language of the world (Mando, English, Spanish) That's gotta be impressive?</p>

<p>And yea, she took AP Mando to obviously get a higher GPA. </p>

<p>The whole Spanish-and going to South America- thing. Impressive?
I mean it's not too common for an Asian Female to delve into languages, specifically as the focus of a college application. </p>

<p>**** btw, this is not me I'm describing. I'm a male and go to a diff. school. Still specialized though.</p>

15

<p>**languages</p>

16

<p>Learning English is a prerequisite for a person to function as a student in the United States, so it isn't something that can be counted as "impressive". (also, the People's Republic began instituting mandatory English classes in 1990, so the end result of her situation isn't unique in that respect either)</p>

<p>Many students in the U.S. learn Spanish as a second (or even a third) language to a degree of hyper fluency (artificially creating the grammatical mistakes and elision of sound a native speaker of a language would, punning, using slang, being able to adopt a foreign accent in the target language, etc), so while it is good to have learned another language (let's not forget that the student learned another language), it's not a 'hook' or particularly memorable in its own right.</p>

<p>I wouldn't want the focus of the application to be 'learning languages', I would want the app to be "Here's what I did with my knowledge of language".</p>

<p>The bit about encouraging those who could legally vote, but might not have because of cultural difficulties (the laws apply to all citizens, even those who haven't learned English yet, after all), is very, VERY important. </p>

<p>It's important because it shows the impact the applicant had on their community after having learned. Contributing is held in high esteem by every admissions committee, and Yale's is probably no exception.</p>

<p>Again, to the person being described (forward this on to her, eh?); I would take the time to continue learning English, Spanish (and the dialect) and Mandarin to a degree of fluency in each. Even if you don't get into Yale, those are rewarding languages to know.
However, for the purpose of demonstrating ability, I would try applying those language skills. What can you do for your community, if you can speak Spanish/English, English/Mandarin.</p>

<p>Encouraging voters is one good thing; can you think of others?</p>

<p>(HINT: In NYC, the local service economies are essentially driving by immigrants, legal or otherwise that may speak only Spanish, or Mandarin!!! Could you remove some barriers for them??? !?!?!?!?!)</p>

17

<p>languages are cool. but lol, sorry if you didnt mean it this way, but i noticed you grouped "little to no interest in math and science but top percent in classes" with your final question "does this count as a hook?"</p>

18

<p>like someone said, it depends on how you show it. A hook is like what was in the 21; a Korean immigrant with one leg.</p>