<p>I was just wondering if my ECs are strong enough hooks. I'm currently a junior.</p>
<p>My two main points are:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I do freelance graphic design for small dotcoms; I started in the middle of freshmen year and built my portfolio while steadily increasing rates. I've designed CD covers for a couple of small artists. Cumulative income is $10,000+.</p></li>
<li><p>Photography. Started in the middle of my sophomore year. Cost of my equipment (DLSR and lens) purchased with the money I made from freelancing. Contest history: Won grand prize x1 (national), finalist x2 (international), exhibited x1 (international), published x1 (national), published x1 (international). Will be entering more contests, current contests were won in a 6th month period after I started photography. Camera intern for tri-state KEY Club District Convention. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Another mini-hook might be traveling to Taiwan summer between soph + jr year under Red Cross to help children, elderly, and mentally challenged kids. Cost for the trip was paid by myself with the money I made from freelancing. I might try something similar again summer between jr+soph year if I don't get into TASP (will try applying). </p>
<p>Assume my other stats are standard/slightly below Harvard's standard (2200*SAT, 4.0UW, 7APs by end of jr year, KEY Club/CSF, large OK public high school).</p>
<p>*Will retake after studying for SAT (I took it cold in the middle of sophomore year just to see where I was at without prep)</p>
<p>I'm kind of hoping that photography is a unique hobby for an Asian and set me apart from the other Asian Californians applying. </p>
<p>What is a ‘hook’, in the strict sense then?</p>
<p>Just URM/Legacy/Recruited Athlete? </p>
<p>I was under the impression that hooks were something that popped off the application and set you apart - national championships, huge amounts of money raised, IMO, etc. B/c in the case that it’s just the above three, the kids who don’t have 'em… just don’t/are kinda screwed.</p>
<p>In the strictest sense, “hook” describes URM status, legacy status, recruited athlete status, and international olympiad medals.</p>
<p>This is not relevant, however. Whether or not someone calls a significant aspect of one’s application a hook, it has the power to help just as much.</p>
<p>If so, I should probably include my photography portfolio instead of my graphic design portfolio, right? Since I’ve gotten international recognition for it?</p>
<p>Harvard has a new major in visual arts, and Drew Faust has said explicitly that they are trying to diversify the campus a little with more students in the arts (they also added a drama major and maybe a film major, I believe).</p>
<p>I would think that your photography (w/awards) and graphic design would both be “hooks”, which I also think include some unusual and well-developed talent. It is also impressive that you have paid for so many of your activities yourself, with your earnings from the graphic design.</p>
<p>I would think you would have a really good chance of getting in to Harvard, personally.</p>
<p>That’s a nice thought, but no. It still stands that the only true hooks are URM, athlete, development, legacy (sort of), and nat’l/int’l olympiad (sort of) status. Your work in photography may very well help you but it is far from a hook. In other words, understand that you do NOT have a really good chance of getting into Harvard without a hook, and that in all likelihood you will not develop some sort of hook unless you discover African-American lineage in your ancestry or something whacky like that.</p>