Question Regarding Disadvantaged Status

[HuskyUC]

Hey guys, I've been looking through older posts about this question and I can't seem to find a concrete answer to my question.

My parents are immigrants to the United States and I am the first one in my family to go to college and receive a degree. My father is a taxi driver and my mother does not work due to health reasons. Our family income for a household of 4 is lower than 40k/annually. This is below the poverty line. My parents sacrificed a lot so that I could focus on my education and made that my priority which it has been. Throughout college, every semester I received the Pell Grant and my family is on Medicaid. During college my father suffered from a heart attack which drastically cut down on how much he was able to work.

I know that on paper this seems bad but my parents thankfully never made it seem that way. They have forgone a lot of their own wishes so that they could fulfill mine in hope for a better future. I definitely have learned the value of hard work and to be ambitious, which is something that has been a learning experience to say the least.

If I were to apply as disadvantaged, in my essay I would definitely focus more on what I learned coming from this background rather than just a sob story that begs for pity. I know that schools want to see how my past experiences have shaped me so I was thinking I could use my situation to express that. My personal statement has nothing to do with any of the above mentioned concerns.

I was debating on whether or not I should apply as disadvantaged. Some threads say that it may hurt an application, and others say that if you aren't disadvantaged this just raises more questions. What is your guys' take on the matter? What would you do in my situation?

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[whitepapertree]

Whoever told you disadvantaged hurts an application was BSing. Schools like to diversify and it's a great PR boost for the school to be including disadvantaged students. Mark yourself as it.

 

[HuskyUC]

Whoever told you disadvantaged hurts an application was BSing. Schools like to diversify and it's a great PR boost for the school to be including disadvantaged students. Mark yourself as it.

Yeah that's what I was thinking as well... In past threads people made the impression that being disadvantaged would hurt your application because you would be less able to pay back loans. But the way I see it is that not many people have an extra 250k laying around to pay for dental school either so I am unsure whether it would have any effect whatsoever.

 

[strep mutans]

Our family income for a household of 4 is lower than 40k/annually. This is below the poverty line.

You didn't state a specific number for your family income, but just fyi, the federal poverty guideline for a family of 4 in 2015 is 24,250/yr. If your family makes more than that, I wouldn't say anything about being below the poverty line. You can say that money is really tight, sure, but be careful not to say something that is untrue and/or could be viewed as dishonest. (Source: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/15poverty.cfm)

If you feel that your circumstances put you at a disadvantage, put it on the app. It's not a disadvantage to be disadvantaged lol. That'd be pretty harsh.

 

[dentstudent79]

Just say you're an immigrant and you automatically get accepted anywhere, I wouldn't worry about a thing

 

[ajj70]

I think that your situation is exactly why they have the disadvantaged status, people that have had to overcome some pretty significant hurdles and still succeed. I agree about the line about the poverty level though, you technically are not at poverty level, but you are from a low income family and that is enough. I would make sure you have Minnesota on your list. The have a specific question on their secondary about how you would bring diversity to their class!! ...assuming your GPA and DAT are within range.

 

[cpain]

So is being poor considered disadvantaged? Neither of my parents had jobs growing up ( and still don't) with a family of 4( due to them being lazy "disabled" pigs). I still felt like I had all the opportunities other kids had pretty much raising myself, thanks to the government and your families' tax dollars (not being sarcastic, I'm seriously thankful).

 

[ajj70]

So is being poor considered disadvantaged? Neither of my parents had jobs growing up ( and still don't) with a family of 4( due to them being lazy "disabled" pigs). I still felt like I had all the opportunities other kids had pretty much raising myself, thanks to the government and your families' tax dollars (not being sarcastic, I'm seriously thankful).

Put that story a little more eloquently and yes, you have a fantastic story for being disadvantaged. My take on this is that they want students that have risen above and chosen a path that will get them out of the cycle of poverty or in your case, the lack of motivation by your family to support themselves or better themselves. Think about a couple choice you made that made all the difference today--mainly that you obviously did well enough in school to go on to college and then in college, are doing well enough to apply to dental schools. How many people do you know that did the same or would do the same given the same circumstances? Don't sell yourself short. You probably had to work twice as hard as most of us just getting through the day. How many times did you come home from school and have cookies waiting for you at the table to eat while studying and have a nice meal prepared for you so you didn't have to take the time to do that yourself (just making assumptions based on your description of your parents). Did your parents take you on college visits and push you to do well in school or was all of that self-motivation?

 

[ajj70]

Also, I don't know that this category is only for "poor" people, but people that have had to overcome great odds. We have a neighbor that has gone through heck and back with medical issues, 4 surgeries just last year, in and out of the hospital countless times through high school, etc. but still managed to graduate top 15% of her class in high school, at a very competitive high school, very active in clubs, music, etc. She is just amazing. She wants to go to medical school and work with patients with her same medical condition. I would consider that "disadvantaged"...but I'm not on the admissions committee . Luckily they finally figured out what was wrong with her and her last surgery should be her last one and she will be good to go from here on out.

 

[cpain]

My parents were trying to make me pay them rent ( on a habitat for humanity home they stopped making payments on long long ago) when I was in high school riding my bicycle to subway everyday after school lol. My step dad was a verbally abusive alcoholic so I spent most of my days locked up in my room (being told you are a useless piece of **** everyday gets annoying after a while). I also had the unique opportunity of obtaining a juvenile record at 12 years old. I definitely feel like other people had it easier than me, but I also feel like this made me stronger and there are a lot more people out there who have it way worse than I do. They need a more "black and white" statement of what disadvantaged is instead of it being relative to what each person thinks.

 

[swindoll]

Just say you're an immigrant and you automatically get accepted anywhere, I wouldn't worry about a thing

This is a pretty rude thing to say, dentstudent79. Not to mention that it's inaccurate.

 

[ajj70]

My parents were trying to make me pay them rent ( on a habitat for humanity home they stopped making payments on long long ago) when I was in high school riding my bicycle to subway everyday after school lol. My step dad was a verbally abusive alcoholic so I spent most of my days locked up in my room (being told you are a useless piece of **** everyday gets annoying after a while). I also had the unique opportunity of obtaining a juvenile record at 12 years old. I definitely feel like other people had it easier than me, but I also feel like this made me stronger and there are a lot more people out there who have it way worse than I do. They need a more "black and white" statement of what disadvantaged is instead of it being relative to what each person thinks.

I don't think that the situation is black and white though. I would certainly put that on an application in your situation. It's great that you can see beyond your homelife and that is EXACTLY what they are looking for in my opinion. Many people in your situation would have curled up in a ball and taken the abuse or would be in jail by now....

Yes, there are people that had it way worse, but that is not what they are asking. They are asking for your personal statement.

 

[HuskyUC]

Thanks for the responses and clarifications guys. I agree with what everyone has posted. It could always be worse being in a situation but you never know. All that's important is that you learn from your circumstances and defy the odds. Does anyone have any pointers for the disadvantaged essay?


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[strep mutans]

Thanks for the responses and clarifications guys. I agree with what everyone has posted. It could always be worse being in a situation but you never know. All that's important is that you learn from your circumstances and defy the odds. Does anyone have any pointers for the disadvantaged essay?

Written for med school but still applicable: http://www.usnews.com/education/blo...t-it-means-to-be-a-disadvantaged-md-applicant

 

[HuskyUC]

Written for med school but still applicable: http://www.usnews.com/education/blo...t-it-means-to-be-a-disadvantaged-md-applicant

Great read. Thanks so much for the link!