Disadvantaged?

[Arjuna]

Ok, so here’s my situation: neither of my parents have been to college before, and my mom has always been a housewife. My dad just lost his job (which wasn’t lucrative AT ALL) and I have been helping them by setting up various at home businesses (work part time). I went to college and earlier, high school, without an inkling of what I was going to face (I immigrated from an underdeveloped country in 8th grade and English is not my native tongue) and I have managed to stay competitive. My question is: does my harrowing experience and hard work count for anything? My premed advisor told me that this means I am disadvantaged? Is this true? Thanks for all the responses!

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[Morsetlis]

Disadvantaged is based on family income.

Additional, you can also earn points in these area:
-hardship
-first gen college grad
-part time work while taking classes
-leadership through setting up business

You lose points for this:
-being Indian.

;p

 

[deleted248403]

I wouldn't put any stock in a "harrowing" story.

There will always be stories of people with far worse situations and better grades than you.

If you have the cGPA and the MCAT and the EC/LOR/Shadowing/etc than you will be ok.

You can get away with a little if you truly have a bad situation but very few stories make up for being massively below averages

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Disadvantaged:

Disadvantaged is there to give an explanation for profound and long-term financial situations that hindered a applicant's educational opportunities. Some examples: Parents with no income due to a disability, Parent(s) who died when you were young leaving the surviving parent with little money, family disasters that led to financial ruin including loss of the family home, reliance on food stamps, free school lunch, Medicaid, precarious financial situations especially in single parent families (if your mom makes $1 more than minimum wage & is attempting to support you and your sister, you know what I'm talking about).

more info: http://www.google.com/search?q=disadvantaged+AMCAS

Financial help with med school apps (completely different, based on last year's income):

http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/fap/

 

[Morsetlis]

reliance on food stamps, free school lunch, Medicaid

Omgggggg I'm disadvantaged.

Until 11th grade, anyway.

 

[Arjuna]

I wouldn't put any stock in a "harrowing" story.

There will always be stories of people with far worse situations and better grades than you.

If you have the cGPA and the MCAT and the EC/LOR/Shadowing/etc than you will be ok.

You can get away with a little if you truly have a bad situation but very few stories make up for being massively below averages

Haha, who said that I was "massively below averages"? You seem to have taken my question in a wrong light- I never said that I was looking to be pitied for being disadvantaged (i.e have lower grades, MCAT, etc.) The only reason I asked is because I was unsure of the classification. I have every right to list it as such if that has been my experience in life; Just because someone is disadvantaged or a URM doesn't mean that you can assume they are "massively below average". Get some help, kid.

 

[Arjuna]

Disadvantaged is based on family income.

Additional, you can also earn points in these area:
-hardship
-first gen college grad
-part time work while taking classes
-leadership through setting up business

You lose points for this:
-being Indian.

;p

Thanks for the constructive response, Morsetlis. Haha, being Indian certainly doesn't help, that's for sure.

 

[deleted248403]

Haha, who said that I was "massively below averages"? You seem to have taken my question in a wrong light- I never said that I was looking to be pitied for being disadvantaged (i.e have lower grades, MCAT, etc.) The only reason I asked is because I was unsure of the classification. I have every right to list it as such if that has been my experience in life; Just because someone is disadvantaged or a URM doesn't mean that you can assume they are "massively below average". Get some help, kid.

I didnt say you were - I was merely referencing that some people try and use it as an excuse for why they have a 2.25 cGPA but they deserve to be in medical school. And i never mentioned URM.

People think their stories are always terrible and my point was it doesnt make up for being way below avg. If you have the numbers AND you have bad story then that will impress people with your app.

So lay off the attack and calm down