AMCAS Marked SES disadvantaged E01 - but don't feel disadvantaged. How is this viewed for admissions?

[big_Z]

Neither of my parents have a bachelors degree but we never financially struggled so seems like a weird designation to me. I suppose it does have some impact on me doing poorly gpa wise in undergrad as I had no idea how to study in college but you cant really blame your parents for not teaching you good study habbits.

Anyone want to chime in on how this will be viewed during admissions if at all?

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[FreeGibbs]

The designation is more objectively determined as opposed to subjectively perceived hardships. Based on metrics like education status, financial income, etc. Its more of a demographic designation than anything else, imo. However, if these factors did result in a way that disadvantaged you, or made college feel like a perpetual game of "Catch-up" with your peers then you're justified in that sense too.

I think schools mostly use this as a statistic to know what kind of SES backgrounds people are coming from. Don't think it plays a huge role in admissions. One side of the SES isn't heavily favored but could also be used to explain aspects of an applicant (e.g. worked full time in college -> explains bad gpa, etc.)

 

[Moko]

It helps. You've had fewer resources to accomplish the same amount as a comparable candidate. It also gives additional context to your academic record and ECs.

 

[big_Z]

The designation is more objectively determined as opposed to subjectively perceived hardships. Based on metrics like education status, financial income, etc. Its more of a demographic designation than anything else, imo. However, if these factors did result in a way that disadvantaged you, or made college feel like a perpetual game of "Catch-up" with your peers then you're justified in that sense too.

I think schools mostly use this as a statistic to know what kind of SES backgrounds people are coming from. Don't think it plays a huge role in admissions. One side of the SES isn't heavily favored but could also be used to explain aspects of an applicant (e.g. worked full time in college -> explains bad gpa, etc.)

Wish I could type as eloquently as you. Thanks for the insight.

It helps. You've had fewer resources to accomplish the same amount as a comparable candidate. It also gives additional context to your academic record and ECs.

I tend to lean away from this but there is certainly some truth. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Engrailed]

It helps. You've had fewer resources to accomplish the same amount as a comparable candidate. It also gives additional context to your academic record and ECs.

Hi Moko,
Then if I should have been marked as such but wasn’t is this something worth contacting the schools to let them know? My PS and secondaries kind of touch upon it so maybe it’s redundant?

 

[LizzyM]

There is a disadvantaged box to check on the AMCAS application and the opportunity to explain in a short paragraph.
EO-1 and EO-2 are separate and are determined based on your parents educational attainment and occupation. It is calculated only for applicants whose parents were educated in the US. It is not the same as "disadvantaged". Your parent can have a HS education and work for a trade union at a very good wage but that is still EO-1. On the flip side, there are people whose parents are highly educated professionals who became unemployable leading to a legitimate self-identification as "disadvantaged" due to low income, poor schools, lack of opportunities for enrichment, etc. That's going to be EO-5 but can still be "disadvantaged".

I've not seen EO-1 etc used in admissions. AAMC uses the information to describe the demographic characteristics of the population of applicants and matriculants.

 

[Moko]

Then if I should have been marked as such but wasn’t is this something worth contacting the schools to let them know? My PS and secondaries kind of touch upon it so maybe it’s redundant?

I wouldn't. The optics of doing so are terrible (and for very little benefit).

 

[Engrailed]

I wouldn't. The optics of doing so are terrible (and for very little benefit).

Thank you Mokooo 🙂

 

[entdreams47]

There is a disadvantaged box to check on the AMCAS application and the opportunity to explain in a short paragraph.
EO-1 and EO-2 are separate and are determined based on your parents educational attainment and occupation. It is calculated only for applicants whose parents were educated in the US. It is not the same as "disadvantaged". Your parent can have a HS education and work for a trade union at a very good wage but that is still EO-1. On the flip side, there are people whose parents are highly educated professionals who became unemployable leading to a legitimate self-identification as "disadvantaged" due to low income, poor schools, lack of opportunities for enrichment, etc. That's going to be EO-5 but can still be "disadvantaged".

I've not seen EO-1 etc used in admissions. AAMC uses the information to describe the demographic characteristics of the population of applicants and matriculants.

EO-1 is not used in admissions? This is upsetting to hear as a first-gen, low income student. How does someones opportunities growing up and parental education levels not affect their ability to have the best application?

 

[deleted1065184]

EO-1 is not used in admissions? This is upsetting to hear as a first-gen, low income student. How does someones opportunities growing up and parental education levels not affect their ability to have the best application?

Anecdotally, I'm SES disadvantaged as defined by AMCAS and spoke to an adcom at the school I will be attending who specifically asked if my application was marked (not in like a weird way or anything, it came up naturally because of how our convo was going).

I can't imagine the adcom would have asked me about that designation if it weren't something that their committee looked at, but maybe they were just curious.

 

[LizzyM]

EO-1 is not used in admissions? This is upsetting to hear as a first-gen, low income student. How does someones opportunities growing up and parental education levels not affect their ability to have the best application?

I have not seen it used in admissions but that is not to say that it is not used by some schools. In addition, it is only a composite categorization of information that is already in your application, if you choose to provide it, that indicates your parent(s) profession(s) and highest education attained. I don't NEED the EO Category if I'm making a holistic review and taking into account the applicant's family background when assessing the "distance traveled". We do know that some applicants have resources and opportunities galore thanks to their family situation and other applicants must make much greater effort to obtain opportunities to shadow, may have had to work which cut into time that could be spent in other activities, etc.