<p>(I think I posted this in the wrong forum before.) </p>
<p>I went to a very competitive boarding school for two years and then had to leave because we could not afford it even with my scholarship. I live with my father, and my freshman-junior years handled the finances for the family (me, father, younger sister), as when his mother died he was unable to. At one point during my junior year, which is really the source of my low GPA (that's the worst, I know) we were homeless for a little over a month, and that year we spent the entire winter in a house with no heating (in the North East, as well). Then, this year, my father married somebody in Ohio and I had to handle the custodial argument with my mother (my father has full custody for good reason, but she still made a fuss over the move in court), and take care of my sister, talk to the lawyers, etc. So now, I've started late at a new school for my senior year, and I'm pretty confident that I'll pull a 4.0 uw. Sometimes I see people talking about circumstances like these as if they're hooks, but I don't know. </p>
<p>I don't know if I would even feel comfortable putting it in my application. It sounds a lot like an excuse for my not having handled a situation as well as I should have, you know? I also don't want to come off as incompetent, or as though I don't care about my studies though. What should I do? At all costs, I want to avoid my essay reading like a plea for pity. I need some advice. If this isn't a hook, can you tell me what is? Is it just winning an international competition or something?</p>
<p>Use the Search function on this forum for ‘hook’ and you will find many past threads that define hook, keep an eye out for Sikorsky’s posts as they are very good.</p>
<p>This is not a “hook”. However, you should ask your college guidance counselor to discuss some of this in their recommendation if possible. Particularly that you were homeless and living in a house without heat your junior year, as you stated your grades took a dip during that period.</p>
<p>First generation for college is a factor that colleges consider as desirable. </p>
<p>Your circumstances should be explained because that is the conditions with which you had to work under and it is unusual. Either have the GC explain it or write an essay about it or put a brief explanation under the Additional Information section because that is useful context for them when they evaluate your transcripts. </p>
<p>I’m sure it has not been easy to keep up with school and you shouldn’t feel bad to disclose it. You don’t have to write it as an excuse. You can either be straightforward and supply the information. Or you can make an essay which reveals how you have coped under the circumstances and how it has influenced your perspective and brought out your strengths and maturity.</p>
<p>Does the OP say they are first generation in their family to attend college? Agree, colleges do consider that desirable if it is the case. The applications generally ask about your parents’ level of education, so it just comes out in that questioning if it is the case.</p>
<p>You did ask about other things that are “hooks”. Depending on the school, hooks might be athletic skill, coming from an underrepresented minority group, being a legacy (parents/grandparents attended the college), or someone in your family is a past very large donor to school. A few people are “hooked” by their non-academic achievements (eg, Emma Watson probably had her pick of colleges).</p>
<p>I’d definitely include the explanation for your junior year on the comments section of your CA (if that’s what you’re doing) and mention it in interviews/essays when appropriate… Not sure it’s a hook, but first-gen in college might be an asset.</p>