<p>Seems to me, when folks on CC speak about admissions to elite LAC's, typically the word "hook" comes up. Seems to me, FWIW, to be the deciding factor when looking at various students who are very homogeneous on the SAT results. We all know that the essay is critical as well, but I thought it would be fun to hear about others "hooks" as they apply. We talk of them, but never about them. C'mon folks, tell us your hooks. I'll start:</p>
<p>D applied to Amherst ED:</p>
<p>Danced ballet for ten years with state ballet (20-25 hrs. per week). Should be worth something, I hope!</p>
<p>BJM8, someone will surely come on to protest your use of "hook" to describe what is clearly a "tip". LOL. At least it's a tip unless she's recruited to a ballet program at the school. THEN it could be a big hook. It's all so confusing to me. </p>
<p>D has a potential "hook" in that she is a "recruitable" basketball player. I say "recruitable" instead of "recruited" because all her D3 schools are so far away from D, their recruiting territory anyway, there is zero chance they would have ever seen or heard of her except by her contacting them. At some schools the coaches suggest that they have some sway. As to whether they will use it, I'm not nearly so confident.</p>
<p>But she does have an interesting diversity tip for urban schools as we live on a ranch and D does ranch-y things for fun and profit. Rides, does ranch chores, raises livestock for sale. D met with a diversity scholarship coordinator at a very selective school and asked her how many rural kids she had in her tutelage. The lady thought about it and after a while responded "I don't think we have any now that you mention it". Might be worth a tip between two equal candidates. Then again, what do I know? My job appears to be to stay confused.</p>
<p>I have one arm, three legs, and a third nipple that I put on display to visitors for $1.00 a peek so I can feed my nine children and fifteen sisters.</p>
<p><em>LOL</em> You know...I've seen the one arm and three legs thing before; but the third nipple really really gets my attention. Is it in the middle of your forehead?</p>
<p>The third nipple is only a "hook" if the school is graduating most of it's third nipples this year. Unfortunately, most small LAC's and even some of the larger universities only need 1 or 2 third nipples every 2 or 3 years, so you need to research carefully, visit the schools, and peak under the shirts of current students to identify where the nipple is likely to be a hook and where it's probably just a tip.</p>
<p>well, the closest thing I applied to was the Emory scholars program, and my "hook" if you can call it that was my mom's recent death, following my caring for her for 3.5 years in a battle with cancer. It sucked, but made for a damn good essay.</p>
<p>Yeah me too....but remember everything happens for a reason....</p>
<p>My "hook" is......i dunno lol
- im from NZ, middle earth lol
- am part maori
i dunno if that is a hook cause it doesnt seem very interesting, but maybe the admissions people will find it interesting cause I've got a feeling they dont get too many admissions from New Zealand!!!</p>