AMCAS disadvantaged status question

[kansaskid]

So I know there are many threads out there on this topic, but I was curious about a logistical aspect of AMCAS. So there is obviously a "box" to check in order to claim disadvantaged status growing up, but do you have to answer specific questions too, like about family income, work history, etc? Or do you have to explain everything in an additional essay or something?
Other posts on this have been a bit confusing, so I just wanted to clarify. Thanks

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[Dr Lyss]

Yes. You have to write an additional essay explaining your background and why you consider yourself disadvantaged. This can include talking about where you live/grew up, your family income, working during college, etc. I think it is only the essay I'm not sure if there is anything else

 

[Dr Lyss]

Ahh! So I saw this thread and didn't remember writing an essay for this. I went back and looked at my AMCAS application, and for the essay, I have written: To Do.

AHHHHHHHHH. How did I freakin' miss that when I proofed???

I've gotten interviews so I don't guess the oversight has hurt me too much. I guess the other questions and my PS give the details. I'm wondering though if I should send a letter to schools saying I noticed what I did and provide the essay (1/4 page).

Lesson learned: Proof better, and never write something in a section unless it's what is supposed to be there, that way it'll be empty and will be flagged and won't be as easy to miss!!

Oh man... oops. I really don't know. Maybe ask for the advice of an adcom in the pre-allo forum. If you are getting interviews it shouldn't be a big deal

 

[njbmd]

Ahh! So I saw this thread and didn't remember writing an essay for this. I went back and looked at my AMCAS application, and for the essay, I have written: To Do.

AHHHHHHHHH. How did I freakin' miss that when I proofed???

I've gotten interviews so I don't guess the oversight has hurt me too much. I guess the other questions and my PS give the details. I'm wondering though if I should send a letter to schools saying I noticed what I did and provide the essay (1/4 page).

Lesson learned: Proof better, and never write something in a section unless it's what is supposed to be there, that way it'll be empty and will be flagged and won't be as easy to miss!!

My guess is that your PS has taken care of this for you. When we get applications from students who have claimed "Disadvantaged" status, we look at either the essay or the PS to see how this was addressed.

If you applied to one of my two schools, you would be fine as long as you have some explanation in your documents somewhere. If there are schools where you are complete and you haven't heard anything (and they take additional support documents) then provide the essay otherwise, don't worry about it.

 

[Character]

My guess is that your PS has taken care of this for you. When we get applications from students who have claimed "Disadvantaged" status, we look at either the essay or the PS to see how this was addressed.

If you applied to one of my two schools, you would be fine as long as you have some explanation in your documents somewhere. If there are schools where you are complete and you haven't heard anything (and they take additional support documents) then provide the essay otherwise, don't worry about it.

for those that applied as "disadvantaged", do you guys look to see if they received an AMCAS fee waiver as evidence of this as well? I have always wondered about this. I had classmates who were lucky enough to have both parents while growing up (working PROFESSIONALparents), driving brand new BMW's as college students and trying to claim that they were "disadvantaged" as well. It really bothered me.

 

[njbmd]

Thank you for the information!

How bad will it look to the adcom though that I overlooked this and didn't provide the essay as requested?

Like I said above, if you have schools that you have not heard from and you think that this may be a factor, contact them and provide an update. In the case of the schools that have invited you for interview, you could take your essay with you to the interview or ask if what you provided in your PS (and possibly in a secondary etc. if enough. Likely for those schools, your PS was enough.

For my two schools (where I serve on the admissions committee), we would have seen your "To Do Later", checked your PS and either accepted that or contacted you to provide more info. In short, you are not the first person to have this problem.

 

[kansaskid]

Ahh! So I saw this thread and didn't remember writing an essay for this. I went back and looked at my AMCAS application, and for the essay, I have written: To Do.

AHHHHHHHHH. How did I freakin' miss that when I proofed???

I'm glad my question raised the alarm for you! I hope everything works out for you; I think like others have said, if you covered the info in your PS you should be fine. Good luck