<p>-I don't really care about size; however I would prefer either a decent football or basketball tradition with a great student section at the games
-Academically rigorous and full of intellectuals
-Not in the middle of nowhere; if not a large city, at least a decent college town
-My SAT is 2050 and my UW GPA is 4.0/4.0 (however I may get my first B this year in a college level writing course). My strength of schedule is most rigorous. I am taking the ACT this Saturday and hoping for a 32 or 33. Worst case scenario 31 because I have been too busy to study
-My ECs: I am the wrestling captain, I am on track & field, I am in Men Encouraging Non-Violent Strength, this summer I am going to Latin America for 6 weeks and living with a host family in a poor rural area in order to work on a Community Based Initiative with community leaders. I will be living with one other English speaker, and he/she will be my age; this will be a great experience and will definitely by my "hook." I also have 60 hours of volunteering in the Jewish community
-I live in Wisconsin
-I will need decent financial aid; my family's income is about $50,000/year
-Caucasion</p>
<p>Umm, living in another country for 6 weeks and doing some work there isn’t much of a hook. Unless the work you do is extremely impressive.</p>
<p>Grinnell would be a perfect fit except that it is rural. The surrounding town is quaint but small and Des Moines and Iowa City are an hour away. However, few schools are a perfect fit and Grinnell does meet all your other criteria, including a basketball team with a good record and an avid following.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/grinnell-college/438138-why-grinnell.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/grinnell-college/438138-why-grinnell.html</a></p>
<p>UW Madison is an obvious recommendation. It’s a big enough school that you should be able to find some intellectual students.</p>
<p>Ray–Building latrines, raising money for the community to work on community based initiatives (planned in-country), running camps for little kids, and the experience. I could also write my essay about how I started wrestling as a freshman and this past season I was 21-15 and am now the captain.</p>
<p>M’s Mom–the area looks a little to rural for me; however, I know that Grinnell is a great college</p>
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<p>Like I said, not a hook. There are numerous applicants that are involved in similar endeavors, albeit yours is in another country (which isn’t enough to make it a hook). Hell, even I’ve raised money for various initiatives and I barely mentioned them in my app. A hook is something that colleges actively recruit for. </p>
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<p>That’s more of a hook, if you can wrestle on the varsity level. And essay topic don’t really need to have anything to do with hooks.</p>