<p>Living in another country isn't a hook, but it is an interest factor that may catch their eye.</p>
<p>Is having a family with no HS education a hook? Neither of my parents finished highschool (father dropped out 8th grade, mother 10th).</p>
<p>Thankya ;)</p>
<p>It isn't a hook, but it is something to tell about.</p>
<p>Actually, no HS education is a hook as is 1st generation college (from the immediate family will due). I don't like the idea of banking on this or any hook, however.</p>
<p>I don't think it can qualify as a real hook....</p>
<p>It is. <em>10 characters</em></p>
<p>NO IT ISN'TTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>AAAAHHHHHHH</p>
<p>You're SO stupid...you moron!!!!!!!</p>
<p>jk....w/e...I don't really know...</p>
<p>LOL.</p>
<p>All a hook is is an uncontrolable factor (i.e. race, income[this one is up and coming], parents' backgrounds in their careers and in education, alumni parent(s), etc.)</p>
<p>alright great.. family no hs education = hook.. thankya all!</p>
<p>"All a hook is is an uncontrolable factor"</p>
<p>I'm afraid not. RSI, Intel STS Finalist, and Olympiad winners can all be attained and are considered hooks.</p>
<p>thats not a hook....</p>
<p>a hoook is something taht you can bank on</p>
<p>sry i didnt see the post..i agree with you sr662. But I think Intel STS finalist comes out after decisions are made already so I don't think that can really help. Siemens Westinghouse Regional or National Finalist might be a hook</p>
<p>Everyone has misconstrued the term "hook." The work "hook" does give the image of a fish biting into a hook (the college looking at an applicant) and being reeled in (the college accepting the applicant).</p>
<p>But, it's original meaning had to do with uncontrolable factors like the ones I mentioned in a previous post. Now-a-days, people think of things you can bank on as a hook.</p>
<p>the majority of people who apply to harbard have something like that on their resumes, a hook makes you unique from everyone</p>
<p>Eh, maybe I'm just too old school. That's the original definition of the term. Tell you the truth I like the "unique factor" better than the former.</p>
<p>Would this be a hook? </p>
<p>Having a lot of conflict and disruption in your life. I.e. Displaced from New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina, parents divorced and now living in two different states, mom remarried to step dad, lost million dollar business with huge lawsuit, a few people in my family have recently died, switched schools four or five times since middle school, crazy neurotic Jewish family, etc.</p>
<p>I wonder if people can ever focus on your own strenghts rather than the weaknesses of other people. Sure some things are really sad but what does it all show about you?</p>
<p>"I wonder if people can ever focus on your own strenghts rather than the weaknesses of other people. Sure some things are really sad but what does it all show about you?" </p>
<p>Well, that is what you have to tell the colleges. You have to tell them how these hardships have made you resilient and determined or something. You take what you have and play it for all its worth until you stand out. While somethings are just sad alone, other sad things can make you a more sophisticated, well-rounded person. Hey, it might sound cheesey, but sometimes it is true. Going through hardships is supposed to make you stronger, so I wouldn't say it is focusing on other people's weaknesses. "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." So let's say your dad has some disease and you write an essay on it that tells how you have learned to help him and make him proud. Well that is a lot of times sincere and powerful stuff. Colleges would rather have a person that has been through it all than a little miss perfect that doesn't know anything about the world around them, but knows Trigonometric Functions by heart. Of course Harvard would want a balance of both. They want the absolute brightest and well-rounded, tough person. At least that is what I think.</p>
<p>I agree with you golden</p>
<p>Hmmm... would being thrown out of your house be a unique identifying factor? Or being in a garage band?</p>