Anonymous wrote:You'll find that people expand the definition as it suits them. Generally, it's something that meets a specific needs of a college. We might not know what that school's priorities are, which is why people guess a lot.

An individual might think their kid has a hook, but it that isn't something the schools they're applying to priorities, it's not a hook.

In your kid got into a school that it kid didn't, then anything your kid is that my kid isn't is a hook

You'll find that people expand the definition as it suits them. Generally, it's something that meets a specific needs of a college. We might not know what that school's priorities are, which is why people guess a lot.

An individual might think their kid has a hook, but it that isn't something the schools they're applying to priorities, it's not a hook.

Anonymous wrote:What counts as a legacy? I have degrees from 3 different top 20 schools (BS, AM, PHD) I have never donated to any. Would legacy still help or would lack of donations be held against DC?

What counts as legacy depends on the college. For many top schools, parent attending undergrad is all they will count. For some, parent attending a grad program might count a little. For very few, grandparent attending undergrad might count, but this is uncommon.

Whether donations are relevant for the legacy hook also varies by college. For most, donations are irrelevant; the admissions office is not having the advancement office cross-reference its legacy apps. The Big Donor category is a separate hook altogether and driven by the advancement office, not the other way around.

What counts as a legacy? I have degrees from 3 different top 20 schools (BS, AM, PHD) I have never donated to any. Would legacy still help or would lack of donations be held against DC?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:only real 100% admit hook is athletic recruit

all other things being mentioned will improve odds, but not guarantee

every 5 yr old male should play lax and every female should row - if you want guaranteed T20 admission. Both are easy sports to master - any kid can become ivy caliber with enough private lessons and coaching

Rotc is def a hook

is this true? any T20s with ROTC?

Harvard has ROTC. It is NOT a hook.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:only real 100% admit hook is athletic recruit

all other things being mentioned will improve odds, but not guarantee

every 5 yr old male should play lax and every female should row - if you want guaranteed T20 admission. Both are easy sports to master - any kid can become ivy caliber with enough private lessons and coaching

Rotc is def a hook

is this true? any T20s with ROTC?

Anonymous wrote:only real 100% admit hook is athletic recruit

all other things being mentioned will improve odds, but not guarantee

every 5 yr old male should play lax and every female should row - if you want guaranteed T20 admission. Both are easy sports to master - any kid can become ivy caliber with enough private lessons and coaching

Rotc is def a hook

only real 100% admit hook is athletic recruit

all other things being mentioned will improve odds, but not guarantee

every 5 yr old male should play lax and every female should row - if you want guaranteed T20 admission. Both are easy sports to master - any kid can become ivy caliber with enough private lessons and coaching

Z list

Faculty children

Wealth is not a hook. Maybe you were referring to the Big Donor category.

VIPs are few and far between, but yes, for that tiny number of people, a hook.

Recruited athletes are hooked. Non-recruited athletics is just another extracurricular activity.

Legacy is technically a hook, but not in the sense of the other categories. More like, the application will get a thorough read. Having high stats and legacy is not enough. Usually, a legacy would want to apply ED if the school offers it. Legacy is a hook at Harvard, but understand that Harvard still rejects more legacies than it accepts.

ROTC

Anonymous wrote:URM and 1st gen...but I have a feeling you already knew that.

+2 Also, geography can be hook, especially if you live in a rural location.

URM and 1st gen...but I have a feeling you already knew that.

So far reading this forum, I understand that there is a lot of talk about hooks

1. VIP (Malia/Sasha, famous teens, children of famous people, etc)
2. Legacy
3. Wealth
4. Athletes

Are there any other things considered hooks for Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown or Dartmouth?