We’ve noticed a new trend in the resumes of students who are first coming to us for Strategy Sessions. The term “passion project” is often listed somewhere in the text. It’s as though these students and/or their parents are under the impression that college admissions officers at America’s elite universities are interested in admitting students who have been working on a singular endeavor — and that’s simply not the case. Now don’t get us wrong. From atop our soapbox in elite college admissions, we at Ivy Coach have been shouting for nearly three decades that admissions officers at top universities seek not well-rounded students, but rather singularly talented ones. Together, these singularly talented students — whether the recruited baseball player, the award-winning science researcher, or the policy wonk future politician — form a well-rounded first-year class. But a “passion project” is not a singular talent. What’s the difference, you ask?

What We Mean When We Say “Singular Hook”

A singular hook is developed through a host of activities. Ultimately, there are ten activities that students can list on The Common Application. Several, though not all, of these activities should relate to that singular pursuit. If a student is a science researcher, several of these activities should thus relate to the scientific research they complete. If, on the other hand, an applicant lists a couple of science research-related activities, a few sports-related activities, some musical activities, and volunteering at a soup kitchen, that applicant has done their candidacy a disservice. In short, the applicant is all over the place. How is a student going to change the world in one specific way if they are so unfocused? And that’s precisely how admissions officers at America’s elite universities see it.

Why Well-Rounded Students Aren’t Worth Admitting

Think of it this way: every admitted applicant on an elite college campus is a gamble. Will they make the most out of their four years, or will they squander away their opportunity? Admission is a gift that can only be repaid by taking advantage of what your college has to offer. The little-known genetics lab on campus? If your hook is GMO-engineering, you had better use it. The archive full of feminist texts? If you’re a feminist advocate, why not dedicate a few hours a day to this cause? The well-rounded student, on the other hand, might check out that lab or archive, but they won’t devote their free time to these resources. Put another way, they aren’t worth admitting.

A Singular Hook Covers Several Activities. A “Passion Project” Is a One-Off.

And so it goes with the passion project. Anyone can take an afternoon to go canvassing in the neighborhood or write a research paper. Such passion projects don’t demonstrate a depth of commitment that can be sustained for four years. A singular hook, on the other hand, is the narrative throughline that weaves together your entire application. It may not apply to every activity or every letter of recommendation. However, it will certainly make a more lasting impression than a one-off passion project.

College Counseling Firms Touting a “Passion Project” Don’t Know What They’re Doing

Lastly, college applicants are making a mistake by using industry jargon on their applications. Just as waitlisted students should not call the love letters they send to the colleges that waitlist them Letters of Continued Interest, applicants should not write phrases like “passion project” or even “hook” or “spike” on their applications. After all, writing such phrases implies they understand exactly what admissions officers are looking for and are essentially trying to game the system. One doesn’t game the system by providing the blueprint of how exactly they’re gaming the system.

Moreover, college counseling firms that use the term “passion project” give you a clear signal to run for the hills. If you’re soliciting professional help from a group that believes a single project is sufficient for getting into a highly selective school, you have likely made the wrong call.