Diversity essay ideas - feedback?

[pastafanatic]

Long-time lurker but first-time poster here. I was hoping to get some feedback about an idea for my diversity essay. I'm not part of any UR group, come from a middle-class background, parents are immigrants from Asia, I'm heterosexual, etc. so no potentials on that front. Other potentially unique aspects (photography skills, leadership awards) have already been discussed on AMCAS, so I felt inclined to pick something less activity-based...

The essay I have now focuses on being resourceful - I was raised in a very frugal, "DIY" family and was the first-born child, so I did a lot on my own, e.g. taking public transportation everywhere when I couldn't drive, studying for the SAT and MCAT completely on my own with mostly library materials, finding affordable housing for myself when I moved to a new city, etc. I can then relate this to situations in which I had to be resourceful in my research and my current job by tapping into the skills of others/encouraging collaboration.

Do you think this would qualify as "diversity", or am I off-topic? I'm having doubts because I'm not exactly underprivileged, and although I'm resourceful, any reasonably practical person could probably do the things I listed in my essay.

Another potential idea is discussing my experience in a tiny public school district where community was super important, and how I've striven to continue building community in other parts of my life.

Really appreciate any comments/feedback 🙂

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[floured]

I was raised in a similar way. Most diversity essays ask for what diversity you can bring to their medical school, and it sounds like you're trying to push frugality as diversity. Is this your intention? Schools use a very broad definition of diversity. Try to think about other personal experiences or unique traits to write about.

 

[pastafanatic]

I was raised in a similar way. Most diversity essays ask for what diversity you can bring to their medical school, and it sounds like you're trying to push frugality as diversity. Is this your intention? Schools use a very broad definition of diversity. Try to think about other personal experiences or unique traits to write about.

You're right, and no that wasn't really my intention. I guess I'm trying to emphasize my ability to problem-solve? Thanks for your thoughts!

Another idea I had was to discuss a street photography project that I was involved in, since it's not really a typical pre-med activity. However, this circles back to the problem of diversity again - the experience might be unique, but the qualities it portrays are not really (leadership, ability to connect with many kinds of people, creativity)...:/

 

[Dandine]

The qualities (like leadership) shouldn't have to be unique--the diversity essay is mainly what you can bring to to the table as a future physician/part of your incoming class, so even if it showcases something different about you, you can still allude to those positive qualities in your description, if not outright mention.

I do think your topic is a unique way of looking at diversity and showing those skills as applicable is a plus. There is the downside, as you mentioned, that having good resource management is expected in med students, and I can see how it can come off as saying something like "the most unique thing about me is being good at managing stuff." But your examples show that you had to pick up these skills early on and that helped you grow into a leader having that experience, so it's really a matter of explaining why you value that trait as a marker of diversity. It's the combination of the qualities and experience, in other words, that makes you diverse, not in isolation.

If after reading this you find that the topic doesn't work for you, either of your other two topics should work well, although the mindset to approaching the essay should still apply. Best of luck! 🙂

 

[pastafanatic]

The qualities (like leadership) shouldn't have to be unique--the diversity essay is mainly what you can bring to to the table as a future physician/part of your incoming class, so even if it showcases something different about you, you can still allude to those positive qualities in your description, if not outright mention.

I do think your topic is a unique way of looking at diversity and showing those skills as applicable is a plus. There is the downside, as you mentioned, that having good resource management is expected in med students, and I can see how it can come off as saying something like "the most unique thing about me is being good at managing stuff." But your examples show that you had to pick up these skills early on and that helped you grow into a leader having that experience, so it's really a matter of explaining why you value that trait as a marker of diversity. It's the combination of the qualities and experience, in other words, that makes you diverse, not in isolation.

If after reading this you find that the topic doesn't work for you, either of your other two topics should work well, although the mindset to approaching the essay should still apply. Best of luck! 🙂

Thank you for your thoughtful reply and for validating my initial idea haha, I appreciate it. I think the idea is just not really addressing the question of diversity, even if it could be the basis for an interesting essay. I'll try taking a different approach!

 

[Goro]

Jeeze, I wish med schools would stop using "diversity" in their prompts, because it's doesn't have to do with ethnicity or demographics. It's about what's cool about you. What unique things do you bring to the Class?

Long-time lurker but first-time poster here. I was hoping to get some feedback about an idea for my diversity essay. I'm not part of any UR group, come from a middle-class background, parents are immigrants from Asia, I'm heterosexual, etc. so no potentials on that front. Other potentially unique aspects (photography skills, leadership awards) have already been discussed on AMCAS, so I felt inclined to pick something less activity-based...

The essay I have now focuses on being resourceful - I was raised in a very frugal, "DIY" family and was the first-born child, so I did a lot on my own, e.g. taking public transportation everywhere when I couldn't drive, studying for the SAT and MCAT completely on my own with mostly library materials, finding affordable housing for myself when I moved to a new city, etc. I can then relate this to situations in which I had to be resourceful in my research and my current job by tapping into the skills of others/encouraging collaboration.

Do you think this would qualify as "diversity", or am I off-topic? I'm having doubts because I'm not exactly underprivileged, and although I'm resourceful, any reasonably practical person could probably do the things I listed in my essay.

Another potential idea is discussing my experience in a tiny public school district where community was super important, and how I've striven to continue building community in other parts of my life.

Really appreciate any comments/feedback 🙂

 

[pastafanatic]

Jeeze, I wish med schools would stop using "diversity" in their prompts, because it's doesn't have to do with ethnicity or demographics. It's about what's cool about you. What unique things do you bring to the Class?

Right. Diversity of thought and experience. Even when you say it that way though, being resourceful isn't necessarily unique...is it?

A final idea I have is discussing my clinical research on a very unique neurodevelopmental disorder. I have an interdisciplinary educational background which logically leads up to this position, so hopefully this continuity of interest will work in my favor, and my experience with this misunderstood disorder will contribute "diversity". I've already discussed this on my AMCAS, but I have so much more to say and would be able to speak very passionately about it in an interview.

 

[Goro]

We expect every applicant to be resourceful

Diversity of thought and experience. Even when you say it that way though, being resourceful isn't necessarily unique...is it?

We expect people to have done research. I worry that if you behave the way you describe below, you'll get trashed for not being interested in patients, and that the Adcom will think "this kid should just get a PhD.

C'mon, what would your friends say about you that's cool? That you're a lab rat? You can do better!


A final idea I have is discussing my clinical research on a very unique neurodevelopmental disorder. I have an interdisciplinary educational background which logically leads up to this position, so hopefully this continuity of interest will work in my favor, and my experience with this misunderstood disorder will contribute "diversity". I've already discussed this on my AMCAS, but I have so much more to say and would be able to speak very passionately about it in an interview.[/QUOTE]

 

[pastafanatic]

@Goro I totally see what you're saying and don't want adcoms to think that of me! I think I can write it in a way that emphasizes patients...after all, for our studies, I am the one who is directly interacting with patients and gathering their stories. It's clinical research, not bench, so very patient-focused. I'm not really the lab-rat type (very social sciences-focused, lots of service/leadership).

There's nothing too notably "cool" about me haha, I'm a regular hard-working person who likes learning and having fun on the side. Some travel, some artistic hobbies, but nothing outstanding in my opinion. What my friends value about me are my people skills: being good at reading people, seeing the best in everyone, my genuineness...this seems kind of hard to explain without sounding like I'm trying really hard to prove that I have an EQ, though 🙄 Do you have any tips for portraying something so abstract? I might be able to incorporate these together, since a lot of working with mental illness involves seeing past the stigma of illness and taking into account the whole individual.

 

[Goro]

All I can tell you is that a good med school candidate should be good at introspection and self-assessment.

@Goro I totally see what you're saying and don't want adcoms to think that of me! I think I can write it in a way that emphasizes patients...after all, for our studies, I am the one who is directly interacting with patients and gathering their stories. It's clinical research, not bench, so very patient-focused. I'm not really the lab-rat type (very social sciences-focused, lots of service/leadership).

There's nothing too notably "cool" about me haha, I'm a regular hard-working person who likes learning and having fun on the side. Some travel, some artistic hobbies, but nothing outstanding in my opinion. What my friends value about me are my people skills: being good at reading people, seeing the best in everyone, my genuineness...this seems kind of hard to explain without sounding like I'm trying really hard to prove that I have an EQ, though 🙄 Do you have any tips for portraying something so abstract? I might be able to incorporate these together, since a lot of working with mental illness involves seeing past the stigma of illness and taking into account the whole individual.

 

[Danny L]

If you don't mind, could you tell me what school this essay is for? And has this been a common secondary application question?

 

[pastafanatic]

If you don't mind, could you tell me what school this essay is for? And has this been a common secondary application question?

Yup, it's for NYU, but I've also heard that Pitt, Brown, U of C, and many other schools ask a similar question. Are you applying soon? If so, this is a good essay to start brainstorming early/pre-write! (I tried but am still stumped clearly)

 

[ChrisMack390]

If you don't mind, could you tell me what school this essay is for? And has this been a common secondary application question?

Possibly the most common question.

 

[Shirafune]

All I can tell you is that a good med school candidate should be good at introspection and self-assessment.

Could you give me some feedback on my current diversity essay?

Very roughly, it talks about how studying one language brought me to explore another country's (different from the language I was studying) culture/current events. I then lead into talking about how exploring another culture got me interested in graphic design. I am framing this with my strong curiosity for many things (naturally inquisitive I guess) and how my motivation to learn new skills (language and graphic design in this case) to expose myself to different things will foster the exchange of ideas and skills which contributes to the diversity of a campus.

 

[Goro]

No.

Could you give me some feedback on my current diversity essay?

Very roughly, it talks about how studying one language brought me to explore another country's (different from the language I was studying) culture/current events. I then lead into talking about how exploring another culture got me interested in graphic design. I am framing this with my strong curiosity for many things (naturally inquisitive I guess) and how my motivation to learn new skills (language and graphic design in this case) to expose myself to different things will foster the exchange of ideas and skills which contributes to the diversity of a campus.

 

[pastafanatic]

Could you give me some feedback on my current diversity essay?

Very roughly, it talks about how studying one language brought me to explore another country's (different from the language I was studying) culture/current events. I then lead into talking about how exploring another culture got me interested in graphic design. I am framing this with my strong curiosity for many things (naturally inquisitive I guess) and how my motivation to learn new skills (language and graphic design in this case) to expose myself to different things will foster the exchange of ideas and skills which contributes to the diversity of a campus.

I think your examples are very interesting, but you need to find a way to tie it back specifically to how you will contribute to that particular school. Just my two cents!