Disadvantaged Status Essay

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[mt2010]

I think the first four sentences of your essay are good, but the last couple are a little vague and sometimes unnecessarily reflect badly on you. If you mention being Asian in your essay, I suggest that you be specific about your ethnicity, as some Asian groups are less represented in medicine than others. Also, I don't think completing the disadvantaged portion of AMCAS will hurt your application. Living under the poverty line throughout your childhood is a legitimate claim for disadvantaged status.

 

[NickNaylor]

Not to hijack the thread, but does divorce necessarily equate to "disadvantaged?" My parents are divorced, and while it definitely didn't result in the best of times it would be a stretch to consider it a disadvantage.

 

[ThaliaNox]

Not to hijack the thread, but does divorce necessarily equate to "disadvantaged?" My parents are divorced, and while it definitely didn't result in the best of times it would be a stretch to consider it a disadvantage.

The short answer is no. Not neccessarily. However, if divorce caused financial difficulty for both parents, (One house to two, etc.) then it could be a contributing factor to economic disadvantage. By itself, though, it doesn't qualify. Two divorced doctors, or even a homemaker getting significant child support and a doctor, lawyer, etc who've gotten divorced would still have more financial stability than many happily married but low income families.

 

[LizzyM]

Some of the information you provided is also covered in the questions asked in that section (income, gov't assistance). I tweeked a couple of words and trimmed it a bit.

My mother’s full-time work as a hairdresser has been the primary source of income for our family of 4. My father has had little success at securing a stable job, and is currently unemployed. I am grateful that my aunt helped us find a home in an affluent suburb but the sudden transition into a middle-class community left me feeling out of place. However, I believe that my conservative and humble beginnings have allowed me to prioritize health, happiness, and service above all else. My four years of work-study in college have added to my growth, despite leaving little room for other medically relevant activities.

 

[pvtbacon]

Thanks Lizzy. You did a great job of condensing the paragraph. Still, I have a hard time describing concretely why I might label myself as disadvantaged apart from my family's income level. I've always been pampered by my parents. I was never allowed to work until college, and had my school supplies paid for by my parents. If anything, the most hardworking people are my parents. They wear all my old clothes, shoes, and use my old toothbrushes just to cut back on costs. Free lunch programs, food stamps, and medicaid were actually great because they were free. In light of this information, would I still be considered disadvantaged based on income alone? Despite my positiveness, there are still opportunities I have missed out on because of my economic status. I was discouraged from pursuing music, sports, and other hobbies that required expensive equipment. There was never enough money for me to go abroad to do volunteer work. Before the age of 18, the only places I could go to were areas within walking distance because both my parents worked 7 days a week. My social life was a blur, and is still somewhat hindered, by the lack of interaction as a child. I couldn't give away my phone number until the 6th grade, and even then, I had to explain to my parents that it was for a science project. My friends would throw me birthday parties at the park and my parents had me hang up on them. When I joined the debate team in high school, I had to justify why I had to spend money. I know I am complaining now but what can I put in this essay? Should I just leave out the details and have the adcom decide for themselves what it is like to live in a low-income family?

 

[LizzyM]

My mother’s full-time work as a hairdresser has been the primary source of income for our family of 4. My father has had little success at securing a stable job, and is currently unemployed. I am grateful that my aunt helped us find a home in an affluent suburb but the sudden transition into a middle-class community left me feeling out of place. I was discouraged from pursuing music, sports, and other hobbies that required expensive equipment. Before the age of 18, the only places I could go to were areas within walking distance because both my parents worked 7 days a week and weren't available to take me. When I joined the debate team in high school, I had to justify why I had to spend money. However, I believe that my conservative and humble beginnings have allowed me to prioritize health, happiness, and service above all else. My four years of work-study in college have added to my growth, despite leaving little room for other activities.

 

[randombetch]

My mother’s full-time work as a hairdresser has been the primary source of income for our family of 4. My father has had little success at securing a stable job, and is currently unemployed. I am grateful that my aunt helped us find a home in an affluent suburb but the sudden transition into a middle-class community left me feeling out of place. I was discouraged from pursuing music, sports, and other hobbies that required expensive equipment. Before the age of 18, the only places I could go to were areas within walking distance because both my parents worked 7 days a week and weren't available to take me. When I joined the debate team in high school, I had to justify why I had to spend money. However, I believe that my conservative and humble beginnings have allowed me to prioritize health, happiness, and service above all else. My four years of work-study in college have added to my growth, despite leaving little room for other activities.

Wow

 

[Amadelphous]

Thanks Lizzy. You did a great job of condensing the paragraph. Still, I have a hard time describing concretely why I might label myself as disadvantaged apart from my family's income level.

In this country income is a significant factor in success. It is definitely a disadvantage to be in the lower income brackets.