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<blockquote> <p>Recruited athletics is NOT just another hook. A school can do without another mezzo with a lovely voice; it cannot do without a quarterback. And the same holds true for major donors.<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>Being a recruited athlete is another hook; it just happens to be among the very best hooks one can have. And I agree that it's not the same as being a talented mezzo soprano. Unless you are so good that you are actually publicly famous for it, being a good singer is a nice EC but not a hook.</p>
<p>A hook, by definition, is something about the applicant <em>that is of benefit to the school,</em>and nearly all hooks fall into one or more of these simple categories:</p>
<ol>
<li> Rich</li>
<li> Famous</li>
<li> Politically-connected</li>
<li> Son or daughter of #1, 2, or 3.</li>
<li> Recruited athlete</li>
<li> URM</li>
<li> Legacy</li>
</ol>
<p>And clearly, not all hooks are of equal value.</p>