I’ve lived my whole life allergic to practically ninety percent of the Earth. I’m allergic to all types of grass, trees, and the weirdest of them all, salt water. That means my own sweat has the potential to kill me if I don’t take benadryl before exercising. I’ve learned to cope with it and it has made me into a stronger person who’s determined to research this strange “disease” so no one has to suffer like I am.
Thus I was wondering if this is an interesting enough hook for Ivy leagues, honest opinions please? If you’re wondering what my stats are, check my previous threads.
It doesn’t make any sense at all. You naturally sweat all the time, so you’d be dead. Salt water is not the same as sea water, and benadryl isn’t enough to stop someone from dying from a severe allergy.
I think you need to get yourself to the Mayo Clinic or something, and stop worrying about college. Like, how can you eat?
I’m pretty sure salt water is IN our bodies naturally, so not sure how that works out… but either way, it’s not a hook. It’s an interesting essay…and possibly a cause for you to swing down to the medical center at your eventual college and figure out how you could SURVIVE on campus.
Agreed, not a hook. Many applicants have issues be it health, learning disabilities, difficult family situations etc. that they deal with and that make them stronger. You can write your essay about it but it is not a hook.
But it could make you unique/interesting. Like anything else, it’s more about how you deal with the cards you’re dealt than the cards themselves that determine how well you do.
Not unique, but rare. It is definitely not a hook but it will make a good college app essay. Don’t depend on a single hook to get you in to an Ivy League.
The honest truth is, if you have a sincerely compelling essay/story, you most definitely have a shot at any Ivy League - however that is easier said than done.
A hook is something the colleges want/need (rich donor, linebacker with 4.0 speed). Do you think they need someone allergic to 90% of the earth? It could be an interesting essay topic.
Oh okay I understand now, thanks everyone! @rhandco well somehow I’m allergic to salt on my SKIN. I SWELL up from any type of salt water whether it’s from the ocean or not. I got an allergy test done to determine it because no doctors believed it as well. @TheDidactic
I would suggest you pick a college that is either near a moderate sized city or university with a medical school so that you will have access to good medical care for your situation. If you are getting immunotherapy or thinking of doing so, then it will be a necessity.
I want to hug you right now. You get the struggle. I have almost the same problem as you but just less severe. My allergies are so bad that I missed a huge part of grade 9 and 10. The problem with allergies is that (stupid) people ride it off as being ‘just allergies’ without understanding that at the magnitude we experience it, it’s basically an autoimmune condition. I might want to write my essay about the lack of social awareness on allergies and asthma. People don’t realize how crippling getting asphyxiated every time a douche decides to spray Axe is.
Well…speaking as the parent of a kid with serious nut allergy…I’m not so sure this is a great topic for your essay, either. You are essentially telling the college that you will need potentially costly accommodations to deal with your allergies. I’m not sure that’s helpful.
A hook is like: We need a violin player, a Russian major, a Right fielder…no college needs someone allergic to salt water. Do your best in school and apply to schools that match your stats. If you are high enough, throw in an ivy or two. Your predicament may make a good essay topic, though.
^^^^I don’t think a given major is really a hook either (unless perhaps the applicant has already done scholarly work in the area) since colleges are well aware that student can change majors once they enroll in college. I’d say the most common hooks are legacy, especially of a large benefactor of the school, athletic recruitment, some other huge unusual achievement (ex. Olympic athlete) or URM.
And in terms of @Hunt comment, if the OP chooses to write the essay on allergies, there should probably be a section about how the problem is being managed to minimize disruption etc…