Both of these are aspects that make your application stand out
Spike: Something that you can control, can be developed by having related ECs that go in depth for a certain topic. Basically serves as the focal point of your application.
For example: An applicant who won an international award for Computer Programming, won various local competitions for coding and CS, designed websites for 15 local small businesses for free over lockdown, camp counselor at a computer programming camp, took 2 CS courses at their local community college over the summer, and has a business where they fix computers.
Hook: Something you can’t control, and can be things such as being a minority or having legacy status. These will also set you apart from others.
For example: Triple legacy applicant whose parents are consistent, generous donors. Or an indigenous applicant from North Dakota: a highly underrepresented ethnicity from a very underrepresented state.
