Another "Do I qualify as a disadvantaged applicant" thread

[psychkub]

So I'm in the process of filling out my application for 2011 and came across the disadvantaged applicant portion.

I'm torn as to whether I qualify for this designation.

I grew in an urban area that, according to HRSA, is medically underserved.

My mother immigrated here from Mexico, and together with my father, both never completed anything higher than second grade. When I was born, both were effectively laid off from their employers and because of their line of work were medically considered disabled and so only received disability and pension funds which together amounted to less than $20,000 a year. Nevertheless, they provided by selling trinkets and other products either door to door or in swap meets and were able to offer me the opportunity to attend high school. In high school I worked on the weekends for my own spending income and busted my ass and managed to receive the Gates Millennium Scholarship, which paid for my college education.

I was the first of my family to go to college but I didn't do so hot. I managed to graduate with like a 2.8 and got a job working at an outpatient mental health clinic in a rural underserved area. After two years, I decided that I wanted to go back to school to pursue my desire to help people but within different treatment parameters, not psychotherapeutically but medically.

Anyway, I am currently paying for a post-baccalaureate program with loans, and even though I was working full time while going to school full time I was just recently laid off.

So in essence my situation NOW is a bit different given that I can technically provide for myself (even though I was/am laid off), but a lot of what I experienced growing up has shaped who I've become. I'm doing ok right now financially, but I guess my question is whether my current situation overshadows everything that I've experienced growing up and getting to where I am today.

Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CADupin]

Yes, you are disadvantaged (possibly underrepresented?), and should fill out your application accordingly.

Your current situation vouches for your character, and doesn't undercut your past. I predict a successful application cycle, and wish you the best.

 

[omgyou8myrice]

I worked nearly 30 hours/week in high school to afford what I wanted, and I now work over 40 hours a week (two jobs) in college while still maintaining a near-perfect GPA. I'll never understand why people can't just stand on the merit of hard work, and leave it at that. Hell, if anything, I should be the disadvantaged one - My parents earn enough that I don't get squat for loans, and they don't give me a dime of it.


/flamesuit on

 

[CADupin]

I worked nearly 30 hours/week in high school to afford what I wanted, and I now work over 40 hours a week (two jobs) in college while still maintaining a near-perfect GPA. I'll never understand why people can't just stand on the merit of hard work, and leave it at that. Hell, if anything, I should be the disadvantaged one - My parents earn enough that I don't get squat for loans, and they don't give me a dime of it.


/flamesuit on

Agreed, you have also worked very hard and paid your way. However, this isn't an appropriate venue for a pissing contest of personal hardships. Don't make this about you.

 

[garconfrancais]

,

 

[isasmommy]

To the OP, yes you are considered disadvantaged ( I also sent you a more detailed PM). Your unique experiences growing up placed hardship on you and on your academics more than what is normal. I wish you the best as you apply to medical school.

To the person saying stuff about merit and disadvantaged status...you shouldn't judge. It is too bad that you have to work so much in college however, hardships that were experienced specifically before college are very relevant because some people do not have the same access to educational opportunities and financial assistance as others and therefore their education may be compromised by no fault of their own other than the circumstances. For this reason this extra box allows people the opportunity to discuss these specific parts of a person's life which may sometimes be hard to include in a personal statement. If you worked a lot in college this shows your hardworking nature also and that is great however, others around you may not have had the same circumstances as you in high school or even elementary school and therefore sometimes it is hard for them to even get to college. Also by the way some people write about their hardships in college as well so you were/are welcome to write about that as well as far as I know.

 

[estradiol9]

I worked nearly 30 hours/week in high school to afford what I wanted, and I now work over 40 hours a week (two jobs) in college while still maintaining a near-perfect GPA. I'll never understand why people can't just stand on the merit of hard work, and leave it at that. Hell, if anything, I should be the disadvantaged one - My parents earn enough that I don't get squat for loans, and they don't give me a dime of it.


/flamesuit on

IAWTC. My mother makes good money so I don't qualify for any financial aid and even some loans. But just because my mother has money doesn't mean I do. She doesn't a pay a dime towards my education. Not my tuition, books, living expenses, food, or clothes on my back. I've had to work since I was allowed to get working papers to pay for anything I wanted. And my father? Never paid child support after they got a divorce when I was 5 and then proceeded to leave the country. Should have emancipated myself when I was a minor.

 

[TTigers70]

IAWTC. My mother makes good money so I don't qualify for any financial aid and even some loans. But just because my mother has money doesn't mean I do. She doesn't a pay a dime towards my education. Not my tuition, books, living expenses, food, or clothes on my back. I've had to work since I was allowed to get working papers to pay for anything I wanted. And my father? Never paid child support after they got a divorce when I was 5 and then proceeded to leave the country. Should have emancipated myself when I was a minor.

The system fails in a lot of ways and I empathize with your situation. My parents immigrated to the US (with my dad getting asylum from communism). Neither spoke any English and limited skills from education. You can only imagine what kind of employment that circumstance would set someone up for. Long story short, had a difficult childhood financially but their hard work paid off and things got better just when it came to apply for loans for undergrad. I had the difficulties of being "under served" just not when it mattered.

 

[fishsticks2629]

I was the first of my family to go to college but I didn't do so hot. I managed to graduate with like a 2.8 and got a job working at an outpatient mental health clinic in a rural underserved area.QUOTE]

You def count as disadvantaged and most likely under represented (assuming your mother is mexican). This is a MAJOR plus for you however your GPA is still very questionable. I hope the post bacc program counts as undergrad credits and that it can go into boosting your GPA. Good Luck !

 

[torshi]

OP, this whole thing def sounds like something to put in your personal statement, difficult childhood and then turning towards helping people etc.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

So I'm in the process of filling out my application for 2011 and came across the disadvantaged applicant portion.

I'm torn as to whether I qualify for this designation.

My mother immigrated here from Mexico, and together with my father, both never completed anything higher than second grade. When I was born, both were effectively laid off from their employers and because of their line of work were medically considered disabled and so only received disability and pension funds which together amounted to less than $20,000 a year. Nevertheless, they provided by selling trinkets and other products either door to door or in swap meets and were able to offer me the opportunity to attend high school.

Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Yes, you are both disadvantaged and under-represented, use them to your fullest advantage... I am also considered disadvantaged, and I plan to use it as best I can...

I worked nearly 30 hours/week in high school to afford what I wanted, and I now work over 40 hours a week (two jobs) in college while still maintaining a near-perfect GPA. I'll never understand why people can't just stand on the merit of hard work, and leave it at that. Hell, if anything, I should be the disadvantaged one - My parents earn enough that I don't get squat for loans, and they don't give me a dime of it.


/flamesuit on

To this guy: umm, yeah... get a clue, "to afford what I wanted" poor you! How about "to help my mom cover rent"... can it... you've never suffered a day in your life, you're just bitter and angry because mommy and daddy didn't hand over the cash they've worked hard for... give it up... the "poor bitter me" attitude isn't going to help you get anywhere in life... All middle class or higher students get squat for loans, I had to work in college too, guess what, I'm not sitting here complaining about it... SUCK IT UP!

 

[TTigers70]

To this guy: umm, yeah... get a clue, "to afford what I wanted" poor you! How about "to help my mom cover rent"... can it... you've never suffered a day in your life, you're just bitter and angry because mommy and daddy didn't hand over the cash they've worked hard for... give it up... the "poor bitter me" attitude isn't going to help you get anywhere in life... All middle class or higher students get squat for loans, I had to work in college too, guess what, I'm not sitting here complaining about it... SUCK IT UP!

Man good thing he put his flame suit on...

I don't get why you feel the need to rip someone for his own opinion? Where did the OP say anything about working to pay rent, etc? They worked for their "own spending income" much like omgyou8myrice did. (OP not a stab at you just saying). Grow up and get off your high horse.

I can't propose a better system but do not think it is best to base loan availability off of parent's tax records just because you are a dependent.

 

[bucks2010]

OP, I think your circumstances in high school definitely qualify you as being disadvantaged, if you would like to claim that status. Very few of us have an accurate comprehension of what it means to come from a truly disadvantaged background - I know I don't - so I applaud you for your strong work ethic that got you into undergraduate with a scholarship. Keep up the hard work and medical school could likely be in your future!

For the rest of us, I would bet that 95% of college students enter college with 0 net worth, little if any $ in the bank and variable parental support. I held a job to cover my expenses all through college, and I bet that most others here did as well. Therefore, I'm not at a disadvantage compared to other students, because most of us are in the exact same boat - just getting out on our own, near broke or in debt, and have jobs to cover expenses. The OP's story differs from this plot in that he, like others have said, faced difficult circumstances in HS and didn't have the support at home that most of us received in one way or another.

 

[garconfrancais]

.

 

[psychkub]

This is a MAJOR plus for you however your GPA is still very questionable. I hope the post bacc program counts as undergrad credits and that it can go into boosting your GPA. Good Luck !

You're correct, my undergraduate stint was definitely a time of self-discovery in trying to figure out how higher education works given than I didn't have anybody to turn to for advice from my family. Sometimes, I wish I had known then what I know now, as it would have saved me the debt I'm currently incurring.

I enrolled in my post-baccalaureate program to show that my performance then, is not indicative of who I am now. My GPA in my current program makes me competitive.

Thanks to everyone that took the time to answer my question. I really appreciate it!

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Colleges expect people to pay what they can for an education. It's an investment. Parents that can't afford college shouldn't have to pay. If they're that financially disadvantaged, don't you think they've probably already struggled enough to finally get a break at this point? There's a big different between not being able to afford it because you can barely afford to feed your family and not wanting to pay for it because you have too many other expenses like buying a new family car, computer, going on vacation, saving for retirement, investing in other ways, etc.

You are quite right. Some of these people complain that their parents don't hand over money to them, when my family has had houses foreclosed and I've been on food stamps growing up. I have trouble finding pity. Some people can't comprehend giving money to their family as a teenager to help pay bills, and they complain whenever they aren't given the money. Most of us have had to work jobs.

The system we have now does miss some people that are on the edge (make a decent living, but cannot pay for college) and that is unfortunate. Those people should be happy though that they at least haven't truly wanted for anything before.

To the OP: It sounds like you have a good story. Make sure you express yourself as well as you can in your personal statement. Good luck!

 

[RebelxSoldier]

Wow @ the people saying they are disadvantaged because they had to work during college. Try living with a mentally unstable mother and a violent crack cocaine addicted father while on food stamps; being told, by your own two parents, ever since you can remember that you will never amount to anything in your life; moving from home to home because of financially instability so much that up until the 9th grade, you never finished a full school year at one school; dropping out of high school in order to take care of your mother and protect her from your oldest brother who attempts to steal her monthly check to feed his own drug habit; and paying your way through college with government loans and maintaining a 3.7 GPA because you refuse to live the type of life that was bestowed upon you.

 

[eablackwell]

Wow @ the people saying they are disadvantaged because they had to work during college.

This alone would not qualify anyone as disadvantaged. The status pertains to years 0-18 of your life. I guess you could go with the "I graduated hs at 17 and had to work until I was 18," but I doubt that would impress anyone.

 

[RebelxSoldier]

clarification: I have not been subjected to the emotional pain described above; they are in fact things that have afflicted many different people whom I know. If I was an application reviewer, it would be things like these that would make me view the applicant as disadvantaged.