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- May 5, 2015
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I'd like some advice from people who have been on adcoms.
I came from a rather poor family. We weren't homeless or anything, but there were years when we were living in trailer parks and surviving on beans or cans of tuna. Other years we were doing okay and had a cheap house, and for a couple of years even a house in a middle-class neighborhood. My parents never received any benefits, even though they would often have qualified. Too proud. They felt that taking unemployment or food stamps would mean they were "really poor", and not doing so helped them to keep their dignity, even with hungry kids.
I have never called myself disadvantaged in the past, but the process of writing up my personal statement has required a lot of introspection about my past. I've come to realize some things, but I also wonder whether they are "real" or just my fevered attempt to explain away poor behavior.
I did not do well in my undergraduate studies. Part of that was lack of good study habits, but looking back, I also think that part of it was lack of motivation. My goal at the time was not to get all As and become a doctor. It was simply to get a degree so that I would have a steady income and would not have to worry about where to live or what to eat. I had worked very hard in high school to get a full-paid scholarship to university, but once there I was rudderless. I didn't goof off in university, but I didn't try for great grades either. I spent most of my time on practical projects: learning things by trying out crazy ideas with other students and/or faculty.
(I am older now, and yes I am getting excellent grades after finding a purpose and going back to school)
So my question to the adcoms is this: Is it reasonable for me to talk about this in the disadvantaged section of AMCAS? Or does it all just sound like a giant excuse for poor grades in undergrad?
I came from a rather poor family. We weren't homeless or anything, but there were years when we were living in trailer parks and surviving on beans or cans of tuna. Other years we were doing okay and had a cheap house, and for a couple of years even a house in a middle-class neighborhood. My parents never received any benefits, even though they would often have qualified. Too proud. They felt that taking unemployment or food stamps would mean they were "really poor", and not doing so helped them to keep their dignity, even with hungry kids.
I have never called myself disadvantaged in the past, but the process of writing up my personal statement has required a lot of introspection about my past. I've come to realize some things, but I also wonder whether they are "real" or just my fevered attempt to explain away poor behavior.
I did not do well in my undergraduate studies. Part of that was lack of good study habits, but looking back, I also think that part of it was lack of motivation. My goal at the time was not to get all As and become a doctor. It was simply to get a degree so that I would have a steady income and would not have to worry about where to live or what to eat. I had worked very hard in high school to get a full-paid scholarship to university, but once there I was rudderless. I didn't goof off in university, but I didn't try for great grades either. I spent most of my time on practical projects: learning things by trying out crazy ideas with other students and/or faculty.
(I am older now, and yes I am getting excellent grades after finding a purpose and going back to school)
So my question to the adcoms is this: Is it reasonable for me to talk about this in the disadvantaged section of AMCAS? Or does it all just sound like a giant excuse for poor grades in undergrad?
