Can we address challenges of being a first gen immigrant in this secondary prompt?

[deleted1108162]

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The prompt is: "Please describe any element within your candidacy not fully addressed on the AMCAS application that you want the Admissions Committee to consider."

I am a first generation immigrant from India. I arrived in the U.S. to go to high school, and this journey, improving my English speaking abilities, etc., has been a challenge I've had to overcome. Can I write about this for this prompt? The prompt is broad, so I wasn't sure if I should address this specifically. The school also has a "what makes u diverse to our campus" essay later. Would this better fit that prompt?

 

[Goro]

Did you not have an adversity/greatest challenge prompt? This is excellent fodder for that.

The immigrant experience is a valued thing, and can work for diversity.

 

[BeMoConsulting]

Hi there! This prompt is not specifically asking for a challenge you have had to overcome, but it does give you room to discuss something you haven’t fully addressed on your primary application. If that is the case, and you did not expand on this on your AMCAS application, then you could write about it. The important thing here is that, besides describing the situation, you need to mention what you did to overcome this challenge. Never leave it at a negative but really show the admissions committee how you were able to deal with this challenging situation and the skills that you developed in the process. Then, make future connections and mention how you will apply these skills moving forward. As for the second prompt about what makes you diverse to their campus, you could also use your experience as an immigrant, but your essay would have to really discuss how this makes you unique and how this diversity complements the program. Hope this helps! Best of luck to you!

 

[LindaAccepted]

The prompt is: "Please describe any element within your candidacy not fully addressed on the AMCAS application that you want the Admissions Committee to consider."

I am a first generation immigrant from India. I arrived in the U.S. to go to high school, and this journey, improving my English speaking abilities, etc., has been a challenge I've had to overcome. Can I write about this for this prompt? The prompt is broad, so I wasn't sure if I should address this specifically. The school also has a "what makes u diverse to our campus" essay later. Would this better fit that prompt?

This element of your background could work for this prompt. The question becomes is there something that could also be a good response to the prompt and what else could you use for the diversity prompt if you use the immigrant experience for this prompt.

In a nutshell you have to look at the secondary as a whole and approach it strategically. Yes this can work for this prompt. What else are you using for the other prompts that will add to your application given the other information they have, show fit with the program you are applying to, and answer the question .

 

[LizzyM]

Is this an optional essay? If so, if you haven't anything not othewise addressed, then leave it blank. Your place of birth and the name and location of your high school are on the application. Don't draw attention to your skill in spoken English if it is/was a weakness.

 

[deleted1108162]

Is this an optional essay? If so, if you haven't anything not othewise addressed, then leave it blank. Your place of birth and the name and location of your high school are on the application. Don't draw attention to your skill in spoken English if it is/was a weakness.

Now, I'm going to change this prompt to answer the diversity prompt of my school. So you would not recommend me drawing attention to my previous weaknesses in spoken English? I was going to talk about my journey of learning English. Now I speak English natively. I wanted to detail my journey to becoming who I am not as a first gen american.

For the "tell us something not addressed in your primary," I spoke about an additional volunteering experience that I couldn't describe due to lack of space. Is this ok?

 

[LizzyM]

For the "tell us something not addressed in your primary," I spoke about an additional volunteering experience that I couldn't describe due to lack of space. Is this ok?

That's a good use of that opportunity to explain something not in the primary!