Disadvantaged?

[AegonTargaryenVI]

To keep it mostly brief, my family's income has hovered around $30-35k most if not all of my time up to college. My folks are immigrants and could not speak English well for a long time, and thus I had to help out with things in their lives too. My ethnic and religious background contrasted against a mostly conservative area which led to adversity amongst peers at school as well. Because of financial struggles, things at home were also very tense between my parents, especially when the recession hit. At one point to prevent failing a home ec class I had to use other student-donated materials to do a project in order to pass because I could not afford the materials and I was under a govt assisted program for meals during school. I am considered EO-1 and am on FAP if that helps.

I feel like I should be checking the disadvantaged box but I do want to field opinions of the more experienced on this site to understand if I should or should not, if I am underestimating how disadvantaged one must be to check this box. I appreciate any insight.

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[Icebird]

I would pick yes, but pick whatever you’re more comfortable selecting.

You will automatically be flagged as ‘disadvantaged’ due to FAP qualifications regardless of your self selection.

One thing I forgot to mention; it is to your advantage to mark yes later on for scholarship purposes. Certain schools ask if you are on FAP and if you self identified as disadvantage.

 

[OchemOficionado]

I say yes.

 

[Moko]

Check it. You were clearly disadvantaged.

 

[AegonTargaryenVI]

Thank you all @Moko @OchemOficionado @Icebird

 

[LizzyM]

Being eligible for FAP is about your finances now, not 0-18.
Being E0-1 is about your parents education and employment but doesn't necessarily equate with low income (have you hired a union plumber lately?)
All that said, it sounds like you were part of a low income family from 0-18, particularly during your years in the US where you qualified for federal assistance (lunch program) and had difficulty participating in academic activities (such as the home economics project) due to lack of resources.

 

[AegonTargaryenVI]

Thank you for the clarification! @LizzyM

 

[Goro]

To keep it mostly brief, my family's income has hovered around $30-35k most if not all of my time up to college. My folks are immigrants and could not speak English well for a long time, and thus I had to help out with things in their lives too. My ethnic and religious background contrasted against a mostly conservative area which led to adversity amongst peers at school as well. Because of financial struggles, things at home were also very tense between my parents, especially when the recession hit. At one point to prevent failing a home ec class I had to use other student-donated materials to do a project in order to pass because I could not afford the materials and I was under a govt assisted program for meals during school. I am considered EO-1 and am on FAP if that helps.

I feel like I should be checking the disadvantaged box but I do want to field opinions of the more experienced on this site to understand if I should or should not, if I am underestimating how disadvantaged one must be to check this box. I appreciate any insight.

Yup, disadvantaged.

Note: the prompt is not about having a horrible life.

 

[premed3678]

.

 

[gyngyn]

Am I right that I should avoid the disadvantaged and use this insight elsewhere?

You are right.