Hooks are generally:
Legacy (Your parents went to Penn)
Recruited Athlete
URM (Under represented minority): Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Native American…
First Generation: Your parents didn’t go to college.
Your last name is Obama, Gates, Kennedy, etc.
Your relationship could help you if he has enough influence at Penn and you could get him to make some phone calls to the admissions department, but otherwise he is a great option if you have any questions about Penn.