Can applying disadvantaged status hurt you?

[Nafis64]

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I was wondering if you apply as disadvantaged and you really are. (lets say economically more so and you explain it fine), if that negatively affects your admission?
The reason i say this is because lets say at the top tier schools, more so the privates: 1. they want someone who can afford their tuition. 2. they don't give you an interview so you can pay to fly out, if they don't think you are completely up to par to get in? 3. it seems like those who have a line of family doctors also have an edge, so how does being from a family where you are the first to graduate from college get you in? 4. And or other reasons I'm not aware of...

Like do they put you in pile of disadvantaged applicants and select a few from it, or are you still looked at the same as everyone else, but maybe more leniently.

I just don't want to be placed in a separate pile because of it, and I will def pay for an interview to harvard, i'll just put it on a credit card, and hope to pay it later.

Maybe i'm just thinking in to it too much.

 

[witness23]

I don't really understand. Most people get loans to pay for medical school. You being disadvantaged does not really have a huge significance in terms of repayment.


Hopefully LizzyM could answer this question better for you.

 

[LizzyM]

Schools want diversity within their student body. That includes not only racial and ethnic diversity but economic diversity as well. Many applicants come from highly educated, high income families. Applicants who overcame hardships related to economic hardship or lack of family experience with higher education are of interest to adcoms which is why AMCAS includes a section about "disadvantage" on the application.

The fact that you self-identify as disadvantaged will not be held against you unless you seem to be bull****ting the adcom --

 

[UVAbme2009]

Nobody cares in that manner. It's a good thing to talk about in interviews. I didn't apply disadvantaged (I could have), but it was the basis of my PS. I always got asked about it.

 

[Nafis64]

So that's good to know. I just keep hearing people not wanting to apply with it, while they "qualify." Which does not make sense if it can't be held against you, yet the only reason not to apply with it (like the post above) is if they look at you differently and potentially negatively affect you. That was my thinking, which why I asked.