Application: family income?

[Necr0sis713]

I was wondering what impact family income has on your application. Do schools prefer lower income applicants for affirmative action and for helping disadvantaged people get into med school? Or is there a financial incentive in accepting students from wealthy backgrounds so that they won't take out loans?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[james11]

I'm declining to answer; i hope that doesn't hurt my application. It just seems like an inappropriate question imo and not something adcoms need to know in order to evaluate me. I understand why it's worth noting if someone came from a very poor background-- they should absolutely get a leg up-- but beyond that, just seems a little weird to know the exact 10k range.

 

[Necr0sis713]

That's the thing, I don't know what their motive is. It would make sense that they would perhaps give advantage to low income folks, but who knows what the hidden curriculum there is and the financial incentives that would arise from it

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

@Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM please weigh in on this?

 

[Goro]

We like compelling stories, ie what I call come-from-behind stories.

If students didn't have to take out loans? Gawd forbid med schools selected for that criteria!

I was wondering what impact family income has on your application. Do schools prefer lower income applicants for affirmative action and for helping disadvantaged people get into med school? Or is there a financial incentive in accepting students from wealthy backgrounds so that they won't take out loans?

 

[LizzyM]

It is there but I've never seen anyone make any mention of it one way or the other. It has never come up in conversations about applicants. Just check "prefer not to answer" if that is the truth.

 

[darkjedi]

That question is really more for AAMC statistics than actual decision making. It won't really matter.

 

[gyngyn]

I was wondering what impact family income has on your application. Do schools prefer lower income applicants for affirmative action and for helping disadvantaged people get into med school? Or is there a financial incentive in accepting students from wealthy backgrounds so that they won't take out loans?

It helps determine your SES classification which can give context to early academic success or struggle.

 

[Necr0sis713]

It helps determine your SES classification which can give context to early academic success or struggle.

Hm...it seems like it would be in my best interest to put the...upper estimate of my family income then, as it would give the impression that I come from a less disadvantaged background.

 

[gyngyn]

Hm...it seems like it would be in my best interest to put the...upper estimate of my family income then, as it would give the impression that I come from a less disadvantaged background.

Interesting interpretation...