Disadvantaged Status

[xrevision]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

How does being a disadvantaged applicant affect your application?

I've had to work a job from the time I was 15 to now, and because research jobs usually don't pay a lot I've had to spend my time on other things. Only recently have I started getting some clinical experience (I'll be a 3rd year in college and I have already taken my MCAT). What should I do? During school I work two jobs almost full time just so I can put myself through school. Do you guys have any suggestions on some ECs that would help my application? The only thing I have so far is: I'm a Pre-med club officer, I've gone out and volunteered with disadvantaged kids (only 1 hour a week), I'm also an assistant head lab TA for general chemistry, and I'm planning on volunteering at a hospital next year.

 

[elderjack21]

I've had to work a job from the time I was 15 to now, and because research jobs usually don't pay a lot I've had to spend my time on other things. Only recently have I started getting some clinical experience (I'll be a 3rd year in college and I have already taken my MCAT). What should I do? During school I work two jobs almost full time just so I can put myself through school.

Just wanted to check, but did you work since you were 15 in order to contirbute to your family? Are you a first generation college student? etc, etc.

Did these things have an impact on your ability to succeed in college?

I only ask these things, cause I too have worked since a very young age, but when it came down to it, I mainly contributed to my own college education rather than supporting my family. when I researched it a little, for my situation it seemed kind of trite to mark disadvantaged. Yes we were on federal programs growing up, yes I am a first gen college student, yes I lived on my own in high school, etc. But, I really couldn't justify any of these things hurting me. Instead they motivated me to succeed and work harder. I chose to flesh out my background in my secondary essays to show how I excelled despite some difficult aspects of my background.

This seemed to be a much better approach than throwing out the disadvantaged card on my primary.

On the other hand, if your work impeeded your grades, your background hurt you in some way, you grew up near or below the poverty line, or come from a disadvantaged or under represented group, etc, then it may be appropriate to make note of that. Just be ready to back it up and don't sound whiny about it.

Just my two cents...for free 🙂

 

[bballsuey]

i definitely get the impression you grew up disadvantaged. if you're working full time on two jobs (which is pretty much impossible) to put yourself through school, that puts you at a significant disadvantage (since you couldn't devote your time to other activities and you had less time to concentrate on scholwork) as opposed to other people who didn't have to. imho, i would put it down, your story sounds inspirational, as did the previous poster's story. however, i get the impression that a LOT of people apply under disadvantaged status when they really don't qualify for such a status.

 

[xrevision]

Thanks for your thoughts.

Just for clarification, I work those two jobs and in total the hours come out to about 35-40 hours a week. I don't work 80 hours a week, that would just be insane. I guess I consider myself disadvantaged because I feel that I grew up below the poverty line. Think in the area of $14000 total family income for a family of 3. But I am thinking about not including it on my primary and just showing it in my secondary.

 

[Sandlot1892]

Thanks for your thoughts.

Just for clarification, I work those two jobs and in total the hours come out to about 35-40 hours a week. I don't work 80 hours a week, that would just be insane. I guess I consider myself disadvantaged because I feel that I grew up below the poverty line. Think in the area of $14000 total family income for a family of 3. But I am thinking about not including it on my primary and just showing it in my secondary.

i was deciding on the same things you were. ultimately i decided to write a bit about my situation in my PS, tell about how it motivates me, etc. etc. and that seems to be working out OK for me (8 interviews scheduled). just my 2 cents.

 

[Lshapley]

Just wanted to check, but did you work since you were 15 in order to contirbute to your family? Are you a first generation college student? etc, etc.

Interesting. Our backgrounds are very similar in that regard (public assistance, etc), but I did choose to put down economically disadvantaged. My education wasn't affected, basically because I got lucky and received a scholarship to a prestigious local school as a kid.

I don't think of the situation as being an excuse for lower grades. Rather, I think that having that sort of background just makes you a much more culturally competent doctor. Having come from a family that was on public assistance might make you more likely to understand someone who is currently on it.

In the end, I don't think that it has that much of an effect. When it comes to AMCAS though, I think it is worth noting since it give you the opportunity to write another essay and that is another chance for the adcoms to learn more about you...or shoot yourself in the foot.

 

[imamom]

Okay, my son had to work too all through undergrad. The work-study lab job he got led him into an awesome (albeit ill-paid) research position which showed well on his apps. Fellowship position in senior year paid bupkus, looked great, was a terrific learning opportunity, but he still had to work at campus grocery store for $$. Direct your applications to research schools if that's where your experience is.

He never declared "disadvantaged" formally, but talked about his work experiences on his secondary essays & at interviews. Didn't have much time for ec's & did a bit of shadowing on breaks & volunteer experience on weekends.

P.S. He had 12 interviews, 3 acceptances & is a first-year at an Ivy League med. school (with scholarships). ADCOM director said he got in based on this essay about working in the family business through high school and summers in college. 3.78 gpa/36 MCAT helped, but maybe not as much as you'd think!

So there you go...