What is a "hook"?

Applying to College
1

I’ve heard this term used a lot on this site.

Can someone please tell me what it means?

2

<p>A hook is a certain attribute of your application that makes you more attractive as a candidate for admissions.</p>

3

<p>It's more than that. Too many people on this site misuses that word.</p>

<p>A hook is something the colleges want, because it will benefit them not you. eg. URMs for Diversity, athletes for sports, development candidates for money, legacy for loyalty etc.</p>

4

<p>doits list is right, those on the key hooks. Then there are exceptional ECs, something national/international level taht's truly unusual, and things like publishing a best seller. Something very few other candidates have done. When you get to less selective colleges, lesser accomplishments can be hooks.</p>

5

<p>No, you're all wrong. [url=<a href="http://eladies.sina.com.cn/movie/poster/2000-04-19/331_hook.jpg%5DThis%5B/url"&gt;http://eladies.sina.com.cn/movie/poster/2000-04-19/331_hook.jpg]This[/url&lt;/a&gt;] is a hook!</p>

6

<p>Yes! I knew this would get me into college! (Polishes left han--er, oops--hook)</p>

7

<p>What do you call a pirate with a college degree?</p>

<p>A lawyarrrrrgh!</p>

8

<p>A hook is something that makes you EXTREMELY unique and sets you apart from the run of the mill "ivy league" college applicant. Being a URM, legacy, and an athlete are some of the common ones. Then there are rare ones like publishing a book, being really poor and from an area like south dakota or wyoming, etc...</p>

9

<p>I actually think that the word "hook" has two meanings depending on the context. One meaning is the big meaning of being an URM, legacy, athlete, development case or VIP. The other meaning is the small meaning that someone might say when referring to their particular EC. </p>

<p>A sentence using the big meaning is "In order to be a strong candidate, an unhooked applicant needs to have a minimum of a 2250 SAT." A sentence using the small meaning is "My hook is the fact that I have a very strong interest in chess."</p>

10

<p>The second meaning that you mention is an exemple of the word "hook" being abused. Using the word "hook" in that way confuses people and makes them think that somehow being merely good at chess will help them get into college. Perhaps a person is good at chess, has founded a chess club at his school, and helps organize chess tournaments in his community. You might call that a theme, but it's still not a hook. A hook in chess would be being a world chess champion. Another hook might be founding a national chess organization that has 10,000 members. Yet another hook might be writing a book on chess that sold 25,000 copies.</p>

<p>I don't mean this to criticize you in any way; I just find it very annoying when people misuse the word "hook."</p>

11

<p>i'm indian, but i've lived my entire life in indonesia. i go to a small american christian school. living in indonesia i've haven't had as many oppurtunities as guys in america..also i know the indonesian language better than my mother tongue since i've lived all my life here..</p>

<p>could this used as some sort of a hook?</p>

<p>thanks</p>

12

<p>dooit's definition is correct.</p>

<p>Many people confuse hooks with ECs. One simple way to think of it is that an EC is something that you do. A hook is something that you ARE (that makes you attractive to the college).</p>

13

<p>A hook is something that will make your application unique and/or useful to to the college when looking at admissions for their total class. Being an accomplished oboe player can be a hook for a student applying to a school where they NEED oboe players. Otherwise it isn't a hook at all. The reality is a hook will not get you accepted to a college...but it if you have all the right stuff otherwise to be accepted, it might make the difference between your acceptance and someone elses with otherwise similar profile.</p>