What Do Selective Colleges Look for in an Applicant? Hooks

What Do Selective Colleges Look for in an Applicant? Hooks
By Sally P. Springer|Marion R. Franck|Jon Reider
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

In admissions parlance, a hook is a special characteristic a college deems desirable, over and above the qualities it is generally seeking in its students. Hooks are institutional priorities that don’t appear explicitly on any of the admissions forms but that can be powerful factors, tipping the outcome in favor of the applicant. A good understanding of the different kinds of hooks and their role in admissions decisions can help you appreciate the many considerations beyond the traditional academic and extracurricular record that can lead to an “admissions tip.”

Most applicants compete not with the whole applicant pool but within specific categories, where the applicant-to-available space ratio may be more, or less, favorable than in the pool at large. . . . Students in the selected categories, which vary from institution to institution, have a “hook” because they help meet institutional needs. - Paul Marthers, dean of admission at Reed College, reflecting on admissions practices at selective institutions
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