"Disadvantaged Circumstances"

[onisteverina]

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Hey everyone! I had a question about the "disadvantaged circumstances" essays on some applications (I'm looking at Colorado's right now). Anyone have an opinions on these? I normally would skip over these things because I don't think of myself as disadvantaged.. but I was reading over it, and it said that being reared in environment with drug/alcohol abuse is one of the criteria. My father is a recovering (thankfully!!!) alcoholic, so I was raised in that atmosphere... and it definitely has played a part in shaping me into the person that I am today (on the good side of it all... I was the first born, over-achiever that was always looking for praise in whatever way I could....haha, along with all of the other emotional and confidence issues that go along with that). I'm hesitant to write about anything like that because I don't want anything to appear as a weakness... so I don't know. If they are specifically asking questions like that, are they looking for people who have gone through things like this? Or is it more used as a way to explain problems in your academic record? Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Emiloo4]

I wrote about the exact same thing and was 1 of 7 "underprivileged" students accepted into a program that requires one year of pre vet stuff and then IS tuition for the 4 years of vet school at CSU. I had no idea it even existed when applying, but there are those 7 (or so) spots for that! It can't hurt if you present the information properly.
And definitely don't use it from an excuse or explanation stand point. Talk about how it influenced who you are today. I think I wrote 4 sentences max.

 

[onisteverina]

Thanks for your response! That sounds very interesting... I'm going to have to contemplate the wording on that 🙂

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Hey everyone! I had a question about the "disadvantaged circumstances" essays on some applications (I'm looking at Colorado's right now). Anyone have an opinions on these? I normally would skip over these things because I don't think of myself as disadvantaged.. but I was reading over it, and it said that being reared in environment with drug/alcohol abuse is one of the criteria. My father is a recovering (thankfully!!!) alcoholic, so I was raised in that atmosphere... and it definitely has played a part in shaping me into the person that I am today (on the good side of it all... I was the first born, over-achiever that was always looking for praise in whatever way I could....haha, along with all of the other emotional and confidence issues that go along with that). I'm hesitant to write about anything like that because I don't want anything to appear as a weakness... so I don't know. If they are specifically asking questions like that, are they looking for people who have gone through things like this? Or is it more used as a way to explain problems in your academic record? Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

As someone else who was raised under identical circumstances with the similar personal issues....I would be careful about how you present it.

Dealing with an alcoholic parent can absolutely be very difficult. However, bringing in the whole "first born" syndrome of over-achieving, confidence issues etc....not to downplay your experiences, but a LOT of people go through that. And not even just us first-borns. Almost everyone who gets into vet school, or ANY high-end professional school, is an overachiever to some degree. And confidence issues run rife with such people..

Perhaps I'm a little more jaded about it. I grew up with an alcoholic, overbearing father, went through almost a decade of eating disorders (was almost put in the hospital as several points), dealt with depression and severe anxiety, etc...but I would never think to put those in a "disadvantaged" essay. That is just the **** I had to deal with in my life.

I may have been disadvantaged in some ways, but when I step back - you know, was I really disadvantaged compared to some folk? I never went hungry. I didn't grow up in poverty and have to fight my way through a ****ty inner school system. I always had clothes on my back. I never had to work three jobs and take care of my siblings. I went to good schools, lived in a nice house, and had many opportunities that lots of other kids don't/didn't have. So, was I just as disadvantaged as someone who actually had to deal with the things I mentioned above, because of my father and my mental health? I don't know. Did my experiences seriously, seriously hinder my academic and personal growth to the point where I had to make extremely difficult changes in my life that other people did not? I think those are the questions you need to ask yourself.

Again, I don't mean to downplay the life experience of anyone here. It was my choice not to bring any of this stuff up because I knew a lot of people that had it worse than I did. Not saying my choice is the better one, or that mental issues are less important than physical issues like poverty, etc. Just food for thought.

 

[puppyloomp]

I'm a couple years from applying so I can't for sure say if this is the best way, but what I would personally do is only answer the question if they specifically ask about drug/alcohol abuse in the prompt (like the one you're talking about). I don't see how it could hurt at all if you answer it because they're stating they're looking for people who are diverse in that way and you are.

To answer I'd do a relatively short response and explain the situation in one or two sentences and then do 3-4 on how it affected you. Try to explain the effects in a "positive" way and show how it helped you grow (ie for me personally I would not say that I'm now terrified of drunk people but instead would say that it helped me mature early, learn to deal with difficult situations and angry/violent people and diffuse conflicts, and think quick on my feet. Basically explain how it helped with my people skills). I feel like explaining it that way wouldn't make you a red flag or seem like you're complaining or anything but would show how you are "better" for it.

 

[onisteverina]

As someone else who was raised under identical circumstances with the similar personal issues....I would be careful about how you present it.

Dealing with an alcoholic parent can absolutely be very difficult. However, bringing in the whole "first born" syndrome of over-achieving, confidence issues etc....not to downplay your experiences, but a LOT of people go through that. And not even just us first-borns. Almost everyone who gets into vet school, or ANY high-end professional school, is an overachiever to some degree. And confidence issues run rife with such people..

Perhaps I'm a little more jaded about it. I grew up with an alcoholic, overbearing father, went through almost a decade of eating disorders (was almost put in the hospital as several points), dealt with depression and severe anxiety, etc...but I would never think to put those in a "disadvantaged" essay. That is just the **** I had to deal with in my life.

I may have been disadvantaged in some ways, but when I step back - you know, was I really disadvantaged compared to some folk? I never went hungry. I didn't grow up in poverty and have to fight my way through a ****ty inner school system. I always had clothes on my back. I never had to work three jobs and take care of my siblings. I went to good schools, lived in a nice house, and had many opportunities that lots of other kids don't/didn't have. So, was I just as disadvantaged as someone who actually had to deal with the things I mentioned above, because of my father and my mental health? I don't know. Did my experiences seriously, seriously hinder my academic and personal growth to the point where I had to make extremely difficult changes in my life that other people did not? I think those are the questions you need to ask yourself.

Again, I don't mean to downplay the life experience of anyone here. It was my choice not to bring any of this stuff up because I knew a lot of people that had it worse than I did. Not saying my choice is the better one, or that mental issues are less important than physical issues like poverty, etc. Just food for thought.

Totally know where you are coming from, and agree with you. I actually threw in those random over achiever/first born comments to downplay my own experiences haha.. I understand that these aren't unique and were the very least of my problems. And frankly, I've never considered it a disadvantage because it has just made me a stronger person. That is why I'm torn about the whole thing. Guess I will just need to think about it...

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Totally know where you are coming from, and agree with you. I actually threw in those random over achiever/first born comments to downplay my own experiences haha.. I understand that these aren't unique and were the very least of my problems. And frankly, I've never considered it a disadvantage because it has just made me a stronger person. That is why I'm torn about the whole thing. Guess I will just need to think about it...

I'm glad you understood what I meant 🙂 I was hoping I wouldn't come off in a "shut up and nut up" way.

My experiences made me a stronger person, too. I like the person that they helped me become. I'm kind of a hot mess in some ways 😛, but I'm strong as hell in others. But I do remind myself that there are indeed people out there who have had it much worse than me, even if I maybe can't immediately see it beyond my own blinkers (and everyone has blinkers!).

Gonna nerd out here for a second, but it reminds me of one of my favorite quites from an R.A. Salvatore book:

"Hindsight, I think, is a useless tool. We, each of us, are at a place in our lives because of innumerable circumstances, and we, each of us, have a responsibility (if we do not like where we are) to move along life's road, to find a better path if this one does not suit, or to walk happily along this one if it is indeed our life's way. Changing even the bad things that have gone before would fundamentally change who we are, and whether or not that would be a good thing, I believe, it is impossible to predict. So I take my past experiences... and try to regret nothing. "

 

[crazycatlady]

..

 

[VacaMeansCow]

I wrote about the exact same thing and was 1 of 7 "underprivileged" students accepted into a program that requires one year of pre vet stuff and then IS tuition for the 4 years of vet school at CSU. I had no idea it even existed when applying, but there are those 7 (or so) spots for that! It can't hurt if you present the information properly.
And definitely don't use it from an excuse or explanation stand point. Talk about how it influenced who you are today. I think I wrote 4 sentences max.

Emiloo, four sentences? Really? Wow! Whenever I see a 2000 word limit I feel obligated to use it all but now i am thinking this might be a mistake. May I ask what your sentences were?

 

[1103]

I am actually a recovering alcoholic and I wrote about it!

 

[1103]

I am actually a recovering alcoholic and I did included it