I have a son who is a senior and going applied and was accepted into the honors program at our state university. We didn’t know about CC until it was too late. He has excellent grades, ec’s and a good amount of community service, but none of this is winning him any private scholarships. I have learned so much on here already that I think I can really help guide son #2 who is just in 7th grade. Next year will be his last before his grades count on his High School transcript. Now that we know that you need a “hook” for college apps and even scholarship applications we are wondering how you go about choosing one. Would anyone already accepted into college be willing to share their “hooks” or give advice on how to work towards one? My younger son loves animals so maybe something with animal based charities… Any help would be appreciated. I am glad I found out about all of this in time to give him good advice!
You don’t just make up a hook. A hook is something that’s already happened to you.
Hooks are things like parents/grandparents as alumni (legacy), first-generation college student, URM, being recruited as an athlete, etc.
If you’re lucky enough to be able to do research while in high school, that can also function as a hook.
Your son should not choose activities simply for the purpose of college admissions or creating a hook. Instead, he should choose activities that he enjoys and is interested in, and should become deeply involved with those activities. This will end up looking much better than a horde of activities selected for resume-building purposes, as such selection is usually plainly obvious and doesn’t look good.
As for what you should play up on your application, it’s important to emphasize those activities that meant most to you and in which you were most involved. Activities in which you accomplished something are much better than activity name- and leadership title-dropping, as colleges aren’t impressed simply by names.
Thanks - I see your point. At least now we know that he should get involved early and do what he really enjoys. I wish that high school counselors would give all of this information to Freshman, rather than have Seniors find out too late that there was “stuff” they should have been doing for the last four years…
Find an interest and pursue it with passion! Can be sport, community service, research, arts, music, business, science, math competitions, writing, learning languages. Try a lot of different things and stay with the one that really means something to you. This comes through in your life experience and creates a hook. Try to pursue it to the highest level.<br>
These are all hooks in our community: playing viola, national level jazz sax player, winner of playwriting competition, painter with gallery level work, INTEL winners, tap dancer, swimmer, crew, field hockey, lacrosse, published writer, entrepreneur with successful landscaping business employing adult subcontractors, national and regional soccer team players, community fundraisers, political campaign workers, international aid volunteers.
a heartfelt significant community service project can be a great hook. Look at the Prudential spirit of community award state winners. from this link, you can see info on projects that won the award from all 50 states (2/state = 100 ideas). all these projects were done over multiple years and show significant commitment and leadership. [State</a> Honorees & Distinguished Finalists](<a href=“http://spirit.prudential.com/view/page/soc/15089]State”>http://spirit.prudential.com/view/page/soc/15089)
Thanks for the great suggestions 
I also suggest doing something meaningful each summer besides a vacation. Such as:
Intern
p.t. job
community service
summer school
college prep program
Many kids at our competitive public high school have high test scores/high gpa, lots of ec’s and community service during the school year but then spent their summer ‘at the beach’ and are now shocked at the rejection letters they’re receiving from highly selective colleges. It’s sad to see so many disappointed at not being accepted in their top college choices. And their parents thought the rigorous course load with tons of AP’s was enough and their kids deserved the summer off.
@mominaz
your so right I am a junior,
And I’m in a pretty big school (4000)
And they tell up nothing till around the end of junior year!
I think Cal Newport put it best when he said that high school research is the new class president when it comes to applying to top schools.
That isn’t to say that research can’t be a tremendously valuable experience for the applicant or for an application, just that’s it’s extremely commonplace.
Civil Air Patrol/JROTC
Socalmother - you are so right about the summers. We DID NOT know this with our son who is a current senior and this is super valuable information. It would be nice for the HS counselors to maybe mention this to students… oh well. Thanks again for the useful information. This son is going to at least have a fair shot to at least know what he should be doing. Thanks everyone for your information. I am saving this all.
^Don’t forget that summer jobs are well-regarded by adcoms. No need to shell out a couple thousand for an expensive program.
Would surviving childhood cancer be considered a hook? If so, would it make up for average grades incurred during the treatment process?
I have a nephew who trained and cared for seeing eye dogs.
the colleges seemed to like that.
I never thought too much about hooks, but would fencing be a hook? It is pretty hard work…haha.
How is being first generation a hook?
And I think that surviving cancer would be a hook! It is a great story to tell and it shows courage