Disadvantaged status / Has your education ever been interrupted question

[boohoo123]

Hi guys!

I was wondering if you i grew up in a single parent home with 2 other sisters and my mom had to work 13 hrs a day at a blue collar job would be considered disadvantage? I did have my college tuition/housing all paid for through academic scholarships/pell/calgrants, so I wasnt financially struggling in college

I just didnt know if that was considered disadvantage or not

Also for the Has your education ever been interrupted or affected adversely section are we suppose to explain how we overcame it as well? Or just list what we went through?

thanks in advance!!

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[AwesomeTeeth]

Hi guys!

I was wondering if you i grew up in a single parent home with 2 other sisters and my mom had to work 13 hrs a day at a blue collar job would be considered disadvantage? I did have my college tuition/housing all paid for through academic scholarships/pell/calgrants, so I wasnt financially struggling in college

Honestly, no I don't consider that disadvantaged. I know alot of people from immigrant families who grew up in the exact situation and say they were disadvantaged. Dental schools see this alot and probably roll their eyes, I know I would. Unless you were forced to work to help support your family as well or lived out on the streets, your education was never affected by your family's situation.

Also for the Has your education ever been interrupted or affected adversely section are we suppose to explain how we overcame it as well? Or just list what we went through?

I would say how you overcame it if you can fit it in there. It definitely wouldn't hurt. I would try to elaborate on the situation and not just list something.

 

[bretonnia]

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[bretonnia]

Hi guys!

I was wondering if you i grew up in a single parent home with 2 other sisters and my mom had to work 13 hrs a day at a blue collar job would be considered disadvantage? I did have my college tuition/housing all paid for through academic scholarships/pell/calgrants, so I wasnt financially struggling in college

I just didnt know if that was considered disadvantage or not

Also for the Has your education ever been interrupted or affected adversely section are we suppose to explain how we overcame it as well? Or just list what we went through?

thanks in advance!!

I would fill out the form anyway. It won't hurt your application, and you might find that it benefits you down the road.

 

[mitrieD]

I would call it a disadvantage compared to other students, but not listed as "disadvantaged" if you know what I mean.

What you had to do for your family was tough. My parents had to work a lot when they immigrated here, but you know what? The scary part is that its worth it in the end. Keep up the good work.

I would mention it in your essay, and explain how it built you up and how you were willing to do what it took to survive especially in these trying times to follow your goals.

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

I would call it a disadvantage compared to other students

I'm guessing you imagine the rest of dental school applicants to be from rich traditional families that payed for their school and ate dinner together every night? The majority of immigrant applicants have the exact same story. Due to the recession, alot of middle class families also had tough times.

Next year for disadvantaged, I'm hoping students aren't putting that they had to work to pay for college or actually had to walk to school. THE HORROR!

What you had to do for your family was tough.

OP didn't have to "do" anything but go to school and make good grades. Their mom was the one who worked 13 hours a day.

 

[jackalo34]

So, what would you consider disadvantaged?? Just because he didn't have to work to help support his family doesn't mean he wasn't disadvantaged. I would consider the fact that his mom worked so hard so that he didn't have to work to be a good thing. There are different levels of "disadvantaged"...

As a side note, I'm pretty sure there are descriptions under the status letting you know whether or not you should mark it.

 

[dantemac]

I would not fill it out on the grounds that you could be probed about it in an interview. Don't worry about what anyone on here says, but if the admissions committee is looking at you disagreeing with putting that down, then you could be in trouble.

 

[full]

Hard to say given the limited information...your mom could have worked 13 hrs a day and you still could have lived very privileged.

Other thoughts on the subject...

Does this actually matter as far gaining an advantage in the application process? I highly doubt it.

Why? For one, anybody could write anything in this section. I highly doubt admissions thinks twice this unless if it really stands out, and even then who knows...

For two, in my dental class there are a notable number of people who have parents who are dentists. There are also a notable number who have relatives who are dentists or relatives in dental school. I would imagine that the explanation admissions would give for this is that these people, through their connections, know to a greater degree what they are getting into when applying to dental school. It's like the effect shadowing can have, in a sense...although everybody shadows so this makes you stand out a little more. In fact, in talking with classmates, to learn that someone has no relatives in dentistry is much less common. Based on that, if any random comments you make would help you, I would think putting a relative as a dentist would make a better impression than any disadvantaged status. (I don't know anyone in my class who comes off as from "rages to riches"). But it's probably better to put both...I would imagine the more spaces you leave blank the more reason you have for them to toss your app, especially if your stats are not extraordinary for that school.

 

[youknowthedrill]

Did living in a single parent home with a mom who worked 13 hours a day impact your academic life? Did you have to work to help support the family? Were you responsible to care for your siblings while mom worked?

 

[LoveUltimate]

rages to riches

lol