Changing My Application Based on How Conservative the School is?

[SkyBlueRider]

Hi guys! I was just wondering everyone's opinion on how much one should change their secondary answers based on how conservative the school is?

I am quite liberal and so many of my secondary answers include life stories, volunteering etc that is of a more liberal mind (eg volunteering at planned parenthood and LGBT events...). So do I remove those references and come up with something else (that will probably be quite a bit weaker) to use for my more conservative schools (which right now are UCI and UC Riverside).

Thanks for the input!

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[theonlytycrane]

No idea, but I think being yourself is most important because you want to end up at a school where you feel comfortable, supported, and happy.

 

[efle]

There are conservative UCs?

 

[ChymeofPassion]

When the liberal bubble is so large that even moderate UC's are classified as conservative.

 

[begoood95]

When the liberal bubble is so large that even moderate UC's are classified as conservative.

"Liberal bubble"?

 

[ChymeofPassion]

"Liberal bubble"?

LMGTFY

 

[begoood95]

Google it.

I know what a liberal bubble is, my patronizing friend.

I just fail to see how that has anything to do with what they said (your comment also didn't add anything to this thread). They didn't say these particular UC schools were conservative; they said they were more conservative, which is correct.

Back to OP's question though: if you are willing to set aside some of your values for four years in order to get a medical degree, then, yes, it'd make sense to change some of your secondary answers. As @Goro likes to say, this is a sellers market. As such, you have to make yourself attractive to them. If that means skirting some of your values—if you're willing to in the first place—then, yes, that's an OK strategy.

Keep in mind @theonlytycrane's advice though.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

I know what a liberal bubble is, my patronizing friend

I just fail to see how that has anything to do with what they said (your comment also didn't add anything to this thread). They didn't say these particular UC schools were conservative; they said they were more conservative, which is correct.

Back to OP's question though: if you are willing to set aside some of your values for four years in order to get a medical degree, then, yes, it'd make sense to change some of your secondary answers. As @Goro likes to say, this is a sellers market. As such, you have to make yourself attractive to them. If that means skirting some of your values—if you're willing to in the first place—then, yes, that's an OK strategy.

Keep in mind @theonlytycrane's advice though.

I wasn't patronizing you, liberal bubble in quotations implies an unfamiliar term. And I did answer the thread in my post, implying that even if it is more conservative, it is not nearly conservative enough to warrent concern towards presenting yourself as an LGBTQ-etc advocate. The liberal bubble qualified that in california (or at least the bay area), whats seen as far-left liberal in other areas is democratic, moderate is conservative, and conservative as far-right; therefore, even a moderate university may be seen as conservative enough to judge an applicant for LGBTQ-etc support, which is a fallacious conclusion. Sorry if this was unclear.

 

[gyngyn]

Hi guys! I was just wondering everyone's opinion on how much one should change their secondary answers based on how conservative the school is?

I am quite liberal and so many of my secondary answers include life stories, volunteering etc that is of a more liberal mind (eg volunteering at planned parenthood and LGBT events...). So do I remove those references and come up with something else (that will probably be quite a bit weaker) to use for my more conservative schools (which right now are UCI and UC Riverside).

Thanks for the input!

Both of these schools will welcome your volunteering.

 

[SkyBlueRider]

Both of these schools will welcome your volunteering.

Thank you for your input!

 

[Goro]

Hi guys! I was just wondering everyone's opinion on how much one should change their secondary answers based on how conservative the school is?

I am quite liberal and so many of my secondary answers include life stories, volunteering etc that is of a more liberal mind (eg volunteering at planned parenthood and LGBT events...). So do I remove those references and come up with something else (that will probably be quite a bit weaker) to use for my more conservative schools (which right now are UCI and UC Riverside).

Thanks for the input!

How do you know that UCI and UCR are "more conservative"?????

The only schools I'd change answers for, based upon your criteria, would be Loma Linda, LUCOM and maybe some schools int he South, like the SC and AL schools. But even Loyola and Gtown (catholic schools) support LGBT students.

 

[SkyBlueRider]

How do you know that UCI and UCR are "more conservative"?????

The only schools I'd change answers for, based upon your criteria, would be Loma Linda, LUCOM and maybe some schools int he South, like the SC and AL schools. But even Loyola and Gtown (catholic schools) support LGBT students.

I used to live in the area. The surround area of each school is quite conservative (for CA at least) and while I know the student bodies are very diverse I am not sure how the committees reviewing application are. I was just curious if anyone else had any personal experience/input.

Also, I said that UCI and UCR were my "most conservative" schools because I didn't apply to any schools with religious leanings (like loyola) and I didn't apply to any schools in the south.

 

[SkyBlueRider]

implying that even if it is more conservative, it is not nearly conservative enough to warrent concern towards presenting yourself as an LGBTQ-etc advocate.

Thank you for your answer! That was what I was looking for! Living near UCI and UCR for 1/2 a decade I was unsure if the application committees were as conservative as some of my orange county friends (people who would be very turned off by the mention of PP or LGBT activism.)

 

[Goro]

I used to live in the area. The surround area of each school is quite conservative (for CA at least) and while I know the student bodies are very diverse I am not sure how the committees reviewing application are. I was just curious if anyone else had any personal experience/input.

Also, I said that UCI and UCR were my "most conservative" schools because I didn't apply to any schools with religious leanings (like loyola) and I didn't apply to any schools in the south.

I was giving you examples. Have you taken the MCAT yet?

Schools can be quite welcoming and diverse in thought, while the local communities themselves are conservative. Vanderbilt and Cornell's UG campus comes to mind

 

[SkyBlueRider]

I was giving you examples. Have you taken the MCAT yet?

Schools can be quite welcoming and diverse in thought, while the local communities themselves are conservative. Vanderbilt and Cornell's UG campus comes to mind

I appreciate your input.

Yes 517 w/ 3.83 GPA

 

[efle]

I used to live in the area. The surround area of each school is quite conservative (for CA at least) and while I know the student bodies are very diverse I am not sure how the committees reviewing application are. I was just curious if anyone else had any personal experience/input.

Also, I said that UCI and UCR were my "most conservative" schools because I didn't apply to any schools with religious leanings (like loyola) and I didn't apply to any schools in the south.

Thank you for your answer! That was what I was looking for! Living near UCI and UCR for 1/2 a decade I was unsure if the application committees were as conservative as some of my orange county friends (people who would be very turned off by the mention of PP or LGBT activism.)

You can't judge a school by the surrounding area. I spent the last several years in a red state in the midwest and never caught the slightest hint of homophobia/intolerance from either the undergraduate or medical divisions in the university. The crowd that sits on the admissions committee is going to be a lot more educated and a lot further left than a UCI/UCR area jury would be!