I'm not sure to what extent the affirmative action impulse really seeks cultural representation or just strictly a balanced color palate. I find scant simarities between Ethiopian and African American cultures unless under the purvey of some pan leftist frame that depicts the global struggle against the legacy of European colonialism. In other word nothing at all when it comes to person to person interactions.
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But if it gets you into medical school then then that's all that matters right. So be encouraged by whatever you choose.
I'm sorry for hurting your feelings. The answer to your question just seemed too obvious, especially since you're a medical student. I suppose I should have turned the question back to you, asking: What percentage of your medical school classmates are 1. black and ethiopian? 2. Is that a minority?
Whether a person's identity categories makes them a minority is separate from whether they get URM status.
Here is the relevant Med-MAR info:
"You can participate in Med-MAR if you identify as as economically disadvantaged or as a member of one of the following racial or ethnic groups historically underrepresented in medicine: African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. You also must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident Visa holder."
Some schools may also look for specific populations, like schools in Cali looking for Hmong applicants, a URM subset of 'asian' which is ORM.
I agree with Nasrudin that there are often very well-educated folks coming from very different cultures or coming from wealthy subsets from within the states who did not necessarily have the same issues facing an African-American candidate who was not economically buffered (that was the group that started the whole affirmative action). I also agree with Nasrudin that if it helps, work it.
MCAT scores and standardized tests are known to be biased against african americans, but also immigrants, particularly in the VR section (the other sections not so affected) . So the low scores have a context, and may be interpreted with that context. hence URM scores generally having lower median. However, a 22 is *really* low, and not sure how it will play out even with urm .I'll leave it to you to find research that speaks to that. I have seen links to tables on gpa/mcat and chances in urm context on sdn before. did try and re-find, but no luck. Not sure if it is really correctable, though, as there are already two MCATS done (the first was lower, not sure what the average was between the two, and if MD schools usually take best score or average). A third may not do much except prove that something was corrected and the person is now good to go on standardized testing.
The english in these posts seems well-spoken. I don't know the particulars of the person's education, except from what I know by reading 'cutting for stone' by verghese set in the ethiopian/ eritrean context. i don't know if schools attended were elite, in english, or in refugee camps etc. i do know some kind of thought into what is making such poor performances is required at this point, though, as posters have said, to prepare decent answers for interviews, to prepare for further standardized test-taking hurdles, and perhaps to prepare for a third mcat.
the application seems quite strong otherwise. making sure the essays are written in a way that speaks to adcoms best will be important (get help in writing, know what to address and how). lower scores are often accepted from 'urm' (but not necessarily 'immigrant', so luckily op fits 'urm' as well as immigrant) d/t bias in standardized tests as revealed through ++ research, and also, b/c recruitment is for the purpose that urm is 'more likely' to 1. go into primary care and 2. serve underserved populations afterwards. (unfortunately, the percentage who actually do, although slightly higher than ORM, is not overwhelming if i remember). and the reasons for going into primary care may be d/t subtle discrimination in the culture of medicine that marginalizes certain people in the clinical training. ah well. nothing is straightforward. at any rate, know *why* the willingness to overlook, see whether you actually match that stuff (want primary care, want to serve underserved populations) and if you do, make sure to state that in the essay so that you are writing what people are looking for. all this is actually out there in published articles. i'm not going to provide sources for this paragraph though, unless you would like a biblio that i have developed while researching in these areas. p.m. me if you do. it can help organize your narrative to match what is actually being looked for...as long as that is with integrity, that you are actually matching what is being looked for, or seriously consider matching what is being looked for.
an smp or post-bac pipeline programme may be useful. usually for gpa rather than mcat, but perhaps a programme that sends many to a med school would be more likely to accept with a low mcat. that could be something to look at.
for some reason, i keep remembering your post, 'but i am BLACK'. after not mentioning it once beforehand. that does change advice, but seemed a little weird to knock down advice as poor for not including that piece of info, when that piece of info hadn't been provided.
hope some of this is helpful to you.
Edited to Add: agreeing with 'if it helps, work it'. however, also knowing that this runs rough-shod over integrity and ethics. so hoping that 'working it' to gain entrance will also create an obligation to realign with integrity, and look seriously at primary care and serving the underserved. just acknowledging that to say 'sit out' would mean you get disadvantaged when many of the people being helped by this process are actually also 'working it'. it's a larger issue. one that maybe you will feel obliged or moved to address by having 'worked it' yourself.
it's not a 'pure' ethics, but then again, most of life is not either. at any rate, i'm acknowledging that this does not sit easily as a 'purely good' thing to do or agree to to doing.