Am I disadvantaged and if so...

[blackshade]

Am I disadvantaged and if so, how can I include it in my app? I'll be applying next cycle and several events have led me into this weirdo limbo where I'm nontraditional but also traditional.

I'll be graduating spring 21 at age 28. I grew up in the coal belt in a multi-generational home with my mother and elderly grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia. My mother worked the swing shift as a nurse and that left my grandmother as the primary caretaker after we got out of school. Speaking of school, I attended a small parochial school where I was bullied from around 5th grade on for being gay. I started refusing to go to school regularly in 7th grade and with my mother exhausted from working and my father absent (he's an alcoholic), no one forced me to go school. Because it was a private school, I was passed and graduated 8th grade despite never attending or completing any work, but was denied entry to affiliated high school, forcing me to go to the local high school (graduation rate: 73%). I engaged in the same shenanigans there (now addicted to MMORPGs and more than 12 hours a day logged into WoW) and ended up in truancy court, forcing me into the mental health system. I was transferred to a cyber school and then dropped out at 17 after completing exactly zero courses. In addition, during this period from approx age 16 to age 18 I served as one of the caretakers for my grandmother after she fell and went into physical decline, and helped her meet her needs daily (getting her out of bed, making breakfast, helping her to the bathroom, etc.)

I received my GED at 18 and eventually I started community college and transferred to a university. I still had some issues to workout so I've approx 20 W's (from a medical withdrawal), but as of right now I am 2 year separated from any issues and have a cumulative GPA of 3.84 and expect it will be higher at graduation.



TLDR:
1) Grew up with schizophrenic grandmother as primary caretaker
2) Effectively dropped out of school in the 7th grade after being bulled for being gay.
3) Took care of schizophrenic grandmother from age 16 to 18
4) Passed GED at 18 and eventually continued onto community college then transferred to a university.

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[M&L]

I am sincerely sorry for everything you have been through.
I am not sure if you are officially considered disadvantaged, maybe Goro might help @Goro

 

[Goro]

Am I disadvantaged and if so, how can I include it in my app? I'll be applying next cycle and several events have led me into this weirdo limbo where I'm nontraditional but also traditional.

I'll be graduating spring 21 at age 28. I grew up in the coal belt in a multi-generational home with my mother and elderly grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia. My mother worked the swing shift as a nurse and that left my grandmother as the primary caretaker after we got out of school. Speaking of school, I attended a small parochial school where I was bullied from around 5th grade on for being gay. I started refusing to go to school regularly in 7th grade and with my mother exhausted from working and my father absent (he's an alcoholic), no one forced me to go school. Because it was a private school, I was passed and graduated 8th grade despite never attending or completing any work, but was denied entry to affiliated high school, forcing me to go to the local high school (graduation rate: 73%). I engaged in the same shenanigans there (now addicted to MMORPGs and more than 12 hours a day logged into WoW) and ended up in truancy court, forcing me into the mental health system. I was transferred to a cyber school and then dropped out at 17 after completing exactly zero courses. In addition, during this period from approx age 16 to age 18 I served as one of the caretakers for my grandmother after she fell and went into physical decline, and helped her meet her needs daily (getting her out of bed, making breakfast, helping her to the bathroom, etc.)

I received my GED at 18 and eventually I started community college and transferred to a university. I still had some issues to workout so I've approx 20 W's (from a medical withdrawal), but as of right now I am 2 year separated from any issues and have a cumulative GPA of 3.84 and expect it will be higher at graduation.



TLDR:
1) Grew up with schizophrenic grandmother as primary caretaker
2) Effectively dropped out of school in the 7th grade after being bulled for being gay.
3) Took care of schizophrenic grandmother from age 16 to 18
4) Passed GED at 18 and eventually continued onto community college then transferred to a university.

I would say no.

Having a horrible life is not what being the disadvantaged box is all about.

From the wise LizzyM: It might be completely legit to self-identify as "disadvantaged" even if you are cis, white and male. "Disadvantaged" is meant to help identify people who may not look disadvantaged on the surface but who grew up with "less" than the vast majority of applicants. (As you could see when you got to college and realized that your "normal" was much less than usual state of affairs for most college students.)

Did you live in Section 8 housing? Qualify for free lunch? Work for spending money and/or to help with household bills before age 18? Those are all questions (or related to questions) on the AMCAS that help explain "disadvantage". Basically, it’s the question, "did you grow up in poverty such that poverty limited your choices/opportunities and your preparedness for college?" Some people growing up in poverty don't attend very good K-12 schools and are less prepared for college than students who attended better schools.

 

[jhmmd]

Am I disadvantaged and if so, how can I include it in my app? I'll be applying next cycle and several events have led me into this weirdo limbo where I'm nontraditional but also traditional.

I'll be graduating spring 21 at age 28. I grew up in the coal belt in a multi-generational home with my mother and elderly grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia. My mother worked the swing shift as a nurse and that left my grandmother as the primary caretaker after we got out of school. Speaking of school, I attended a small parochial school where I was bullied from around 5th grade on for being gay. I started refusing to go to school regularly in 7th grade and with my mother exhausted from working and my father absent (he's an alcoholic), no one forced me to go school. Because it was a private school, I was passed and graduated 8th grade despite never attending or completing any work, but was denied entry to affiliated high school, forcing me to go to the local high school (graduation rate: 73%). I engaged in the same shenanigans there (now addicted to MMORPGs and more than 12 hours a day logged into WoW) and ended up in truancy court, forcing me into the mental health system. I was transferred to a cyber school and then dropped out at 17 after completing exactly zero courses. In addition, during this period from approx age 16 to age 18 I served as one of the caretakers for my grandmother after she fell and went into physical decline, and helped her meet her needs daily (getting her out of bed, making breakfast, helping her to the bathroom, etc.)

I received my GED at 18 and eventually I started community college and transferred to a university. I still had some issues to workout so I've approx 20 W's (from a medical withdrawal), but as of right now I am 2 year separated from any issues and have a cumulative GPA of 3.84 and expect it will be higher at graduation.



TLDR:
1) Grew up with schizophrenic grandmother as primary caretaker
2) Effectively dropped out of school in the 7th grade after being bulled for being gay.
3) Took care of schizophrenic grandmother from age 16 to 18
4) Passed GED at 18 and eventually continued onto community college then transferred to a university.

"Disadvantaged" usually refers to economic hardship. It's all about creating an equal playing field. See Goro's post above.

 

[blackshade]

I see, thank you. My family was under the poverty line but never received any public benefits beyond my enrollment in a public medical assistance when I traveled through the mental health system and financial aid for the parochial school (tuition was less than $3000/yr due to church membership. Almost full cost was covered by FA. Rest was paid for by another family member.) My father is also rated 100% disabled through the VA.

Should I include anything from the original post or just that? It seems weird not to because these issues are all extremely connected, but I don't want to write a pity story or include irrelevant info.

 

[Goro]

I see, thank you. My family was under the poverty line but never received any public benefits beyond my enrollment in a public medical assistance when I traveled through the mental health system and financial aid for the parochial school (tuition was less than $3000/yr due to church membership. Almost full cost was covered by FA. Rest was paid for by another family member.) My father is also rated 100% disabled through the VA.

Should I include anything from the original post or just that? It seems weird not to because these issues are all extremely connected, but I don't want to write a pity story or include irrelevant info.

You have excellent fodder for adversity prompts