Non athletic "hook"

Being a real co-author of an article in a scientific journal helps
Being the best oboist in the state when the school you like is in need of an oboist
Winning "Best of Category" in the Intel Science Fair Finals


Those are the ones I know that "worked" based on people I know personally.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably the biggest hook is being a faculty kid.

I don't think that is true, and not a hook at all schools.

Athletic recruit is easily the biggest hook.

While true, it’s much harder to be a world class athlete than a good student.

For sure.

Fortunately you don't need to be a world class athlete to be hooked.

Exactly. You just have to be a URM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably the biggest hook is being a faculty kid.

I don't think that is true, and not a hook at all schools.

Athletic recruit is easily the biggest hook.

While true, it’s much harder to be a world class athlete than a good student.

hence the kids trying to get admitted though rich people sports where the competition is easier. DD may not be quite good enough at lacrosse, but field hockey needs players and to pool the select from is much smaller, DS may be a great linebacker but not quite quick enough, but rowing doesn't attract the same talent as football...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably the biggest hook is being a faculty kid.

I don't think that is true, and not a hook at all schools.

Athletic recruit is easily the biggest hook.

While true, it’s much harder to be a world class athlete than a good student.

For sure.

Fortunately you don't need to be a world class athlete to be hooked.

Athletics is the most obvious hook. My DC is at a local private and recruited athletes from the senior class are going to Brown, Cornell, John Hopkins, Stanford, Dartmouth, Columbia, University of Chicago. Some of these schools have 2 athletes attending.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably the biggest hook is being a faculty kid.

I don't think that is true, and not a hook at all schools.

Athletic recruit is easily the biggest hook.

While true, it’s much harder to be a world class athlete than a good student.

A hook = Any quality that would be brag worthy for the school. Primarily URM (because all top schools are desperate to increase those numbers) or some sort of “This would make a great article.” Admit.

Being Malala or Greta Thunberg is a hook

Anonymous wrote:Probably the biggest hook is being a faculty kid.

I don't think that is true, and not a hook at all schools.

Athletic recruit is easily the biggest hook.

Honors and ECs generally aren’t hooks. URM, legacy, potential huge donor, recruited athlete are hooks. Sometimes being full pay, though the most selective schools say they are need-blind

Probably the biggest hook is being a faculty kid.

Or something significantly less common than the thousands of other kids from Montgomery/Fairfax who play soccer/football/lacrosse/basketball/baseball/softball/volleyball. Eg, Fencing champion. Or won a national award for something.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone talks about kids with hooks getting into great schools. Can you provide some examples of things that count as “hooks” these days? I think I get the concept but I am not sure where a nice honor or cool EC becomes a “hook”?

Being URM.

No. Being URM isn’t enough. You have to be URM AND first generation college student.
Bigger than that is:
1. Rich legacy that donates
2. From Wealthy family
3. Athletic recruit

People love to post that URM is such a big hook and how unfair it is. In reality the best chance of being admitted is one if these three categories.

Anonymous wrote:Everyone talks about kids with hooks getting into great schools. Can you provide some examples of things that count as “hooks” these days? I think I get the concept but I am not sure where a nice honor or cool EC becomes a “hook”?

Being URM.

Everyone talks about kids with hooks getting into great schools. Can you provide some examples of things that count as “hooks” these days? I think I get the concept but I am not sure where a nice honor or cool EC becomes a “hook”?