<p>What happens if you’re an accomplished scientist with many hours of research and published work, but you are also the school’s track star, taking the 1st place spot at the interscholastic competition and a regional one as well? Would this actually damage my application, since most applicants have one solid hook? Should I underplay one of the activities?</p>
<p>i’ve always thought it’s better to be well-rounded than having a “hook”, and having two main interests also shows your dedication to your activities.
anyway, i’ve always thought the whole “hook” idea was lame. i didn’t have a hook, i’m a package-- it’s odd to see only part of yourself as extremely desirable in my opinion.</p>
<p>Winning regional competitions isn’t quite a “hook” but it boosts your application a lot. Your hook is your science research.</p>
<p>Unless u get recruited for running i dont see how either is a hook. I thought that hooks are things that the colleges absolutlely need at the collleges such as diversity, athletes, band/orchestra players, applicants with wealthy and generous parents, etc.</p>
<p>It sounds like u have great ec’s but i dont think either is a “hook.” BUt if u did have 2 hooks, then it would definitely be a good thing.</p>
<p>Research isn’t a hook. These days, tons of applicants have it.
Track isn’t a hook unless you’re recruited.</p>
<p>So your 2 hooks may have just been reduced to 0.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>“So your 2 hooks may have just been reduced to 0.”</p>
<p>i don’t think “tons” of applicants have published research but yea, i agree, research isn’t really that big of a hook</p>
<p>To be entirely honest, I was using running and science research as hypothetical examples. It just seems to me that, all over college guides, they advise you to show one strength and one passion. I’m wondering now whether having passion and determination to excel in two different fields would make me a less competitive applicant - because there are definitely ways that I could underplay one of my “hooks.”</p>
<p>Don’t underplay one of them! Like epidemic said above, you are a package- don’t have everything depend on one “hook.” You want to show that you are, for lack of a better description, a “star”- you focus on a few main things and excel in them (get it? instead of being round, your strengths would form 4-5 strong “points” in your application). These days, well-rounded is overrated. You need to be amazing in a few things, though there’s no set limit to that.</p>
<p>Make sense?</p>
<p>what exactly constitute’s being your school’s track “star”? What are some of your top times/performances? If you can be recruited then it’s definitely a hook. Otherwise, it won’t carry as much weight and isnt realy that special</p>