I’m currently the Programming Vice President for my youth group board (Jewish) and have served as other leadership positions on this in the past. Is this a “hook” or is it anything that colleges will appreciate in admissions? What about selective colleges like Northwestern, Columbia, NYU, and more?
You misunderstand what a “hook” is. A Hook is something a school desperately is looking to fill. Your leadership position is commonplace. It’s a central part of YOUR story and profile, but no one is looking for VPs of youth group boards to fill an institutional need.
Agree, you don’t understand what a hook is. What you are doing is an extracurricular activity and will be viewed as such. Most applicants to top schools have strong extracurricular activities. A hook is a reason why a school wold want you in particular over and above other applicants with a similar profile. Examples of hooks are being a recruited athlete, the child of a large donor to the school, Malia Obama etc.
“Hook” has to do with various versions of “admission by category” as determined by institutional needs and priorities. Applicants with a “hook” compete not with the whole pool but within specific categories such as varsity athletics, ethnic or geographic diversity, institutional legacy and loyalty, musical and artistic proficiency, academic programs, and even gender.
OK! Thanks so much for your help!