How to Write a Hook For a College Application Essay
Learn how your essay can stand out by utilizing attention-grabbing hooks. Let’s dive into what makes a good hook and review some college essay hooks examples.
College admissions departments read thousands of personal essays every cycle. Getting your writing to resonate with a reader is a challenge. There is no magic formula to write a narrative essay example; however, one item that can help you is a high-quality “hook.”
College admissions departments read thousands of personal essays every cycle. Getting your writing to resonate with a reader is a challenge. There is no magic formula to write a narrative essay example; however, one item that can help you is a high-quality “hook.”
What is a Hook?
A hook is an intriguing opening to a story. Something that immediately grabs the attention of the reader. Hooks come in a variety of feelings and formats. Hooks can be tense or funny. Long or short. Hooks can be an anecdote or a question. There are many different ways to write an essay introduction. Be creative and use this to your advantage! When you write a hook, feel free to get inspired by personal narrative essay examples and college narrative essay examples.
Why is a Hook Important in a College Essay?
You usually have less than 500 words in a college application essay. That isn’t much space to tell a rich, authentic story. Keep in mind that college admissions teams read thousands of application essays each cycle... so writing a memorable 300 word essay or a more concise 250 word essay is no easy task. A hook helps to address these challenges and is the perfect way to start a college essay. A hook lets you quickly suck a reader in and moves your story along. An admissions reader is likely to remember a unique hook.
As mentioned, the hook at the beginning is most important when planning your college essay, but knowing how to end a college essay is also crucial to leave a lasting impression on the admission officers. If you are unsure about when should you start writing your college essay, you should consider seeking essay coaching or looking at process essay examples for inspiration.
How to Write a Hook for a College Application Essay
Narrow your focus
To pack the maximum amount of punch into a college essay or personal statement hook, narrow your focus. Start small and build your hook outward. Adding supporting details and language is typically easier than having to trim. Plus, as we’ve already touched on, you only have a limited amount of words. Being concise is essential.
Be descriptive
Readers need to be able to visualize your story quickly. A hook is a way to catch a reader’s attention instantly. Adding simple details can elevate a decent hook to a great hook. For example, say “blue car” instead of “car”. Adjectives bring your story to life and make your narrative essay stand out. Also, when looking at research essay examples or process essay examples, you’ll notice how detailed descriptions improve the narrative.
Be vulnerable
People are reading your work, not robots. How were you truly feeling when that event happened? What was your first thought when you heard the news? Expressing emotion can make your hook come alive and feel more relatable, especially in a personal essay. Looking at personal statement examples for college can also provide ideas on expressing vulnerability effectively.
Don’t be afraid to experiment
Behind every great hook is some degree of trial and error. Being open-minded and willing to mess up a few times is necessary to find your best hook. You will see in the examples below that good hooks and unique college essay topics often come from brainstorming exercises. Try a handful of random college essay prompt exercises or ideation techniques to get ideas flowing (here are some examples). You can experiment with the formatting as well. Some people like to begin their personal statement by asking the reader a question. Others prefer to open with a metaphor to help the reader connect different topics.
Experimentation can take place at any point in your process. For example, you could try writing your hook after you’ve written your personal statement. If you’re unsure where to begin, our college essay coaches can guide you through brainstorming exercises.
Attention-Catching College Essay Hook Examples
A typical college essay prompt is to write about a challenge you overcame. The well-crafted hook example below is excellent for writing about overcoming a challenging life situation.
At six years old, I stood locked away in the restroom. I held tightly to a tube of toothpaste because I’d been sent to brush my teeth to distract me from the commotion. Regardless, I knew what was happening: my dad was being put under arrest for domestic abuse. He’d hurt my mom physically and mentally, and my brother Jose and I had shared the mental strain. It’s what had to be done.
This high-quality hook immediately transports the reader and is clearly from personal experience. The writer shows vulnerability but doesn’t over-dramatize. The focus is narrow and sets the tone for the entire essay.
Here's another: the hook below was inspired by a brainstorming exercise focusing on hobbies. The writer loves food and used his passion to launch an authentic and multifaceted montage essay. This hook and essay got the writer into their first choice college, Stanford.
Since 1941, my family has had an odd tradition.
Three days a week, my great-grandfather Pop brought home ribs. After dinner, he'd go around the table inspecting each plate, making sure each rib was stripped down to the bone. If he found one morsel, you couldn't be excused. Pop believed that, before you could leave the table, you had to finish your ribs.
This lesson has stuck with me. Whether I'm staying up until two in the morning to figure out the Radius of Convergence of a Power Series or identifying solutions to countless concerns issued by my school district, I strive to finish my ribs.
But this is just one of many lessons food has taught me…
This excellent hook proves you can create something intriguing from a mundane occurrence. Writing about something readers can easily visualize themselves doing, like eating and sharing food, is relatable. Don't get too caught up trying to be “cool” or “edgy.” Note that there is no fluff in this hook. Every sentence provides a detail or moves the story forward.
Here's one more hook for an “overcoming a challenge” prompt as a final example. What differentiates this hook from the previous two is that it is entirely based on feeling. Instead of a major or everyday event—something external—this hook looks inward.
The clock was remarkably slow as I sat, legs tightly crossed, squirming at my desk. “Just raise your hand,” my mind pleaded, “ask.” But despite my urgent need to visit the restroom, I remained seated, begging time to move faster. You see, I was that type of kid to eat French Fries dry because I couldn’t confront the McDonalds cashier for some Heinz packets. I was also the type to sit crying in front of school instead of asking the office if it could check on my late ride. Essentially, I chose to struggle through a problem if the solution involved speaking out against it.
A narrow focus and vulnerability make this hook shine. There are six sentences about a single character trait: the writer is shy. The writer quickly builds a solid foundation for their essay, which makes the reader’s job easy. By describing themselves in this way, they display a lot of positive vulnerability. Finally, similar to the previous food-based hook, this hook is relatable and capitalizes on universal experiences.
Wrapping Up
We hope these examples help demonstrate how a good hook is a powerful writing tool. A hook demands the reader’s attention, sets the tone for the essay, and makes a lasting impression. It's your chance to go "beyond grades" with college admissions officers. Use these strategies whether you’re writing a 500 word essay, personal essay, or narrative essay.
As you begin writing, keep in mind:
No one writes a truly great hook on their first try. You'll need to brainstorm and experiment. Trust us, the finished product will be worth the work!
Just start writing! There is no single, correct way to craft your hook. Don’t slow your creativity down by trying to be too precise.
If you want more support creating your hook, we can offer 1:1 college essay services tailored to your needs and goals. Whether you need an editor or someone to help you brainstorm, our expert writing coaches are a couple of clicks away. Schedule your no-cost consultation to work with an essay coach today!
