"Diversity" essay

[farf]

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So a lot of schools have essay questions along the lines of "how will you add diversity to our school" or "what makes you unique?"

I have two options:

(1) My educational background, which is in electrical engineering and math, and this actually does add a lot to how I look at biology/chemistry/medicine.

(2) A policy internship I did this past summer, which taught me a lot about how health policy is made in America and how doctors can be involved.

In both, I feel that I could add something to the class (in the first, I would probably help others understand material in the way I do; in the second, I would share lessons that I learned or something?). I'm worried however that neither of these directly add anything to the school, and also that they aren't really that unique or make me add diversity.

Thoughts on which is better, or if both suck?

 

[Nafis64]

You can discuss both, I'm sure there is room. That way you are bringing two qualities. I do not think they are asking for one. In my essays that asked about diversity, I referred to a bunch of things. Its normally one part on your life experiences (non-academic) and then there is a educational diversity. And the uniqueness is you having both that kind of educational background and being involved in health policy.

 

[Meat]

Is there anything else you've done or experienced in your past that makes you slightly different than other premeds? Do you have any culturally unique experiences that deal with ethnic or under-served individuals? If so, I think either of these two areas would fit well into the diversity essay. For example, I wrote about some of my butchering experiences and time with a Latino slaughter team.

If I had to pick from the two scenarios you listed, I'd go with the policy internship, sounds like a unique situation.

 

[Naijaba]

Hi farf,

I've been a techy guy ever since fourth grade, and it was all an independent effort to learn about electronics. I completed diversity essays in the most honest way that I could: I told them what I nerd I am. With that said, I'm also a Teach for America Corps member, so I always discussed helping disadvantaged on another part of the application.

While I understand your desire to discuss health policy as it is both pertinent and unique, I feel as though it isn't lasting; you only did it for one summer. How long could you possibly talk about it? I know that some adcoms like to challenge applicants to 'play the piano,' or 'demonstrate your singing skills,' or 'say the alphabet backwards,' or any other skill that they claim to have. I challenged the adcoms to ask me any question about electronics. I even warned them that I might talk them to death.

 

[Trexate]

My avatar is an Intel 8088 microprocessor...

Programming assembly on an 8088. That takes me back...

 

[farf]

bump....so any other thoughts? Do people go with a sort of "motley" for this essay, covering educational diversity (being from an engineering/math background) PLUS a unique experience which gives a sort of different perspective on health care? It just seems like I'll be washing over both without going really in depth, but then again, this isn't a personal statement...

 

[Pills Of Soap]

talk about both.

it would be better to include more things in case whoever is reading doesnt find one as very interesting lol

 

[sshashid87]

Hi farf,

I've been a techy guy ever since fourth grade, and it was all an independent effort to learn about electronics. I completed diversity essays in the most honest way that I could: I told them what I nerd I am. With that said, I'm also a Teach for America Corps member, so I always discussed helping disadvantaged on another part of the application.

While I understand your desire to discuss health policy as it is both pertinent and unique, I feel as though it isn't lasting; you only did it for one summer. How long could you possibly talk about it? I know that some adcoms like to challenge applicants to 'play the piano,' or 'demonstrate your singing skills,' or 'say the alphabet backwards,' or any other skill that they claim to have. I challenged the adcoms to ask me any question about electronics. I even warned them that I might talk them to death.

I can, and will put this down for one of the many diversity essays. And yes I can do this...gonna be awesome...


Edit: I realized I never gave an opinion...I like the second one, but be prepared to answer why you aren't trying to do a dual degree with an mph or something...on the other hand, i took an honors course on health policy, learned quite a bit, but i don't really know if that sets me apart...

on second thought, talk about both...you don't need to have only one aspect that makes you unique, it can and should be a multitude of things...

 

[TopSecret]

So a lot of schools have essay questions along the lines of "how will you add diversity to our school" or "what makes you unique?"

I have two options:

(1) My educational background, which is in electrical engineering and math, and this actually does add a lot to how I look at biology/chemistry/medicine.

(2) A policy internship I did this past summer, which taught me a lot about how health policy is made in America and how doctors can be involved.

In both, I feel that I could add something to the class (in the first, I would probably help others understand material in the way I do; in the second, I would share lessons that I learned or something?). I'm worried however that neither of these directly add anything to the school, and also that they aren't really that unique or make me add diversity.

Thoughts on which is better, or if both suck?

#2 sounds good.

 

[schrizto]

Yeah, talk about both!

 

[honker]

Do you have a hobby or avocation that you are good at? There are many ways to add diversity to a class. Academically oriented items will be harder to allow you to stand out unless it is truly uncommon. GL

 

[Trexate]

Depending on the size constraint, talking about both could become a nuisance.

My outlook on these secondary essays is that you want to make them as painless to read as possible, which means keeping it as interesting as possible while getting the point across. It takes some creativity, but I think it's worth it in the end. Of course I have no evidence to back this up but...

That being said, by talking about both you may risk not going into enough detail to explain why, or how, each one makes you diverse. Pick a theme and elaborate on it. If your focus is to explain how your atypical major contributes to your diverse way of thinking about problems, then go for it. If you want to suggest that you are more knowledgeable about health policy thanks to the internship, do that.

Just don't short-change yourself by trying to list too many things without elaborating on how they contribute to your diversity.

 

[LAman10]

Honestly, if you have <2000 characters, there's no way you can really develop and talk about 2 different things, your involvement, what they mean to you, how they make you different, and how you would add to the school. It's hard enough to talk about one thing, much less two.

It seems like most of these essays are looking for something about YOU that sets you apart from other applicants. the health policy thing is cool and all, but as someone else already mentioned, you only did it for a short period of time. how are you going to convince adcoms that you know more about health policy than someone who's been deeply involved in the Roosevelt Institution or written policy papers or participated in health campaigns?

The educational background option is more along the lines of something about YOU and your personality. If you've been continually involved in engineering and whatnot (like I have), then you've developed a different perspective and approach to problem-solving, which really could bring something different to the medical profession and to your class. The only problem here is that even though it's UNCOMMON to have an engineering background in medical school, it's not all that UNIQUE. There are enough people who have this background for adcoms not to view it as all that special.

Sorry I wasn't of much help, but this is just my two cents. I feel like this is more of a question that favors those with REALLY diverse backgrounds (URMs, low socioeconomic, first generation in college, etc.). If the best you have is your educational background, then just go for it. I doubt anyone will hold it against you, especially if you write passionately enough about it.

 

[Ignition]

I have a related question about this.

Do you think it's overkill to identify an activity in your AMCAS extracurricular list, then talk about it in the PS, and then talk about it again in an essay asking about diversity? Furthermore I'm getting a LOR from a Senator who was intimately related to this activity.

My activity is, from what I gather, a very unique accomplishment (I haven't ever seen/heard of anyone who has done it on SDN or otherwise) but I think it may be overkill to talk about it again after mentioning it explicitly in my PS and no doubt from my LOR. I could probably squeeze out some different perspective on it and how it might add to the school...but would adcoms rather me just pick something else and talk about it?

 

[Trexate]

I have a related question about this.

Do you think it's overkill to identify an activity in your AMCAS extracurricular list, then talk about it in the PS, and then talk about it again in an essay asking about diversity? Furthermore I'm getting a LOR from a Senator who was intimately related to this activity.

My activity is, from what I gather, a very unique accomplishment (I haven't ever seen/heard of anyone who has done it on SDN or otherwise) but I think it may be overkill to talk about it again after mentioning it explicitly in my PS and no doubt from my LOR. I could probably squeeze out some different perspective on it and how it might add to the school...but would adcoms rather me just pick something else and talk about it?

Referencing it wouldn't hurt. Dwelling on it is going to make you sound like a one trick pony.