Adversity Essay

[nicejewishboi]

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So I was starting to pre-write my adversity essay and had an idea to write about how I dealt with anti-semitism on campus, how I was affected, and how I've learned to realize that I shouldn't have guilt for something I didn't do, but that I should continue to embrace what I believe and fight for a peaceful solution. I just don't want adcoms to think this is too political or controversial. Thoughts?... Also, do I have to include why this makes me want to go to med school? if yes, I don't think it will be the best topic...

 

[DokterMom]

If you are not Jewish and if the perpetrators are not [former] friends of yours -- in other words, if the incident is only tangentially related to you -- then I'm not seeing how "adversity" applies. I'm all for social justice and speaking out against hate-speech of all sorts, but the topic is how you overcame adversity, and if those adverse circumstances were other people's, then I'm not seeing it...

If you've not personally suffered through serious adversity, for goodness sake, say so! State plainly how fortunate you realize you are (before an AdCom mentally does it for you) then be brief about your minor travails or efforts to help others.

 

[Osminog]

how I've learned to realize that I shouldn't have guilt for something I didn't do, but that I should continue to embrace what I believe and fight for a peaceful solution.

This sounds to me like you're talking about anti-Zionism, not anti-Semitism. Bringing up the Middle Eastern conflict in an essay sounds like a bad idea.

 

[MC_Spartan]

This sounds to me like you're talking about anti-Zionism, not anti-Semitism. Bringing up the Middle Eastern conflict in an essay sounds like a bad idea.

Careful who you take advise from on this site, OP. Plenty of premeds eager to share baseless opinions.

Anyway, just remember that anything you put in your application/essays is likely to come up in an interview. In my experience on the interview trail, adversity essays were particularly popular to interviewers. If you can eloquently describe the obsticle you faced directly (not tangentially), how you addressed the obsticle directly, and how you grew from it than this is a worthwhile topic. Yes, you may run into an interviewer that disagrees with your views (I definitely did) but adcoms have rules that help them select for interviewers carefully. You should expect to be met with professionalism regardless of controversial topics. n=1, but I was accepted to the school that the interviewer and I obviously saw a particular controversial topic differently but had a cordial and professional conversation about it.

Best of luck to you

 

[nicejewishboi]

Careful who you take advise from on this site, OP. Plenty of premeds eager to share baseless opinions.

Anyway, just remember that anything you put in your application/essays is likely to come up in an interview. In my experience on the interview trail, adversity essays were particularly popular to interviewers. If you can eloquently describe the obsticle you faced directly (not tangentially), how you addressed the obsticle directly, and how you grew from it than this is a worthwhile topic. Yes, you may run into an interviewer that disagrees with your views (I definitely did) but adcoms have rules that help them select for interviewers carefully. You should expect to be met with professionalism regardless of controversial topics. n=1, but I was accepted to the school that the interviewer and I obviously saw a particular contriversial topic differently but had a cordial and professional about it.

Best of luck to you

Thank you for the advice! Yeah as you can tell by my username, I've been directly affected, so it would be a decent essay. My problem is I keep hearing people say that I need to explain why I want to go to med school because of it.

 

[Osminog]

Thank you for the advice! Yeah as you can tell by my username, I've been directly affected, so it would be a decent essay. My problem is I keep hearing people say that I need to explain why I want to go to med school because of it.

Can you elaborate on your experiences of anti-Semitism on your campus? I think it'd be helpful to know in addressing your concerns.

 

[nicejewishboi]

Can you elaborate on your experiences of anti-Semitism on your campus? I think it'd be helpful to know in addressing your concerns.

Ok, well last year, the word "Jews" was spray painted on the dumpster closest to my apartment. They also sprayed a line on my door... like marking where I am... (Not like the mezuzah didn't give that away lol). So I was gonna write that how because of that, Im helping spread awareness of the problem of anti-semitism across campus, and starting dialogues with other clubs and stuff like that.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Ok, well last year, the word "Jews" was spray painted on the dumpster closest to my apartment. They also sprayed a line on my door... like marking where I am... (Not like the mezuzah didn't give that away lol). So I was gonna write that how because of that, Im helping spread awareness of the problem of anti-semitism across campus, and starting dialogues with other clubs and stuff like that.

Man that’s worse than what I dealt with. I just got called a **** and mocked while the campus police did nothing (I didn’t expect them to arrest him or anything, but they are supposed to be looking out for students, and this guy was using a racial slur loudly in public). Also had a classmate go on an anti Semitic rant in class and was told it was okay because it was his opinion and I could respond rationally if I wanted.