Diversity Recruitment and Disadvantaged Status

[polyploidy516]

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Various medical schools have offices of diversity where they recruit those that are minority students and those that can contribute to diversity to the university. As I am disadvantaged but of South Asian decent, would I be considered by the offices of diversity as a "diverse applicant" even though I am not an URM, but an nevertheless severely disadvantaged? How much will this help? I would really appreciate your comments/advice.

 

[bojack]

I think you may be wrong.....you probably will be considered by most as an underrepresented minority. Most schools are stumbling over themselves to admit minorities of any sort. At my school (upper Mississippi-Ohio river valley), minorities practically need only to be marginally competitive to garner acceptance and a free ride.

Ex: The year I got in, I had a 4.0 cumulative undergrad GPA, total MCAT score of 34. Over the years of medical school, I became friends with 2 people who were considered minorities. One had undergrad math/science GPA of 3.23, total MCAT of 21. The other had a math/science GPA of 3.15 and total MCAT of 23. Both were accepted on 1st attempt, as I was; however, they both received "full ride" scholarships (tuition, books, expenses, monthly stipend for living expenses). They graduated from medical school with zero debt compared to my $250k+.

I discussed this with my "minority" friends on several occasions, and they didn't think that it was right that they received what they got, but they said they would be crazy not to take it. I would have to agree. What's my point? My point is simply that if you can claim a minority status of any sort, especially if you are non-white, then there is absolutelty NO reason that you can't get into medical school. I really don't know what it would take to keep a minority out. I don't think you have much to worry about.

 

[NeuroChaos]

I think you may be wrong.....you probably will be considered by most as an underrepresented minority. Most schools are stumbling over themselves to admit minorities of any sort. At my school (upper Mississippi-Ohio river valley), minorities practically need only to be marginally competitive to garner acceptance and a free ride.

Ex: The year I got in, I had a 4.0 cumulative undergrad GPA, total MCAT score of 34. Over the years of medical school, I became friends with 2 people who were considered minorities. One had undergrad math/science GPA of 3.23, total MCAT of 21. The other had a math/science GPA of 3.15 and total MCAT of 23. Both were accepted on 1st attempt, as I was; however, they both received "full ride" scholarships (tuition, books, expenses, monthly stipend for living expenses). They graduated from medical school with zero debt compared to my $250k+.

I discussed this with my "minority" friends on several occasions, and they didn't think that it was right that they received what they got, but they said they would be crazy not to take it. I would have to agree. What's my point? My point is simply that if you can claim a minority status of any sort, especially if you are non-white, then there is absolutelty NO reason that you can't get into medical school. I really don't know what it would take to keep a minority out. I don't think you have much to worry about.

Not to start another URM war, but I am not sure if that is true any more, I agree that you get a bit of advantage for URM status or financial disadvantage, but I really can't imagine Med schools all over URMs just becuase they are URMs.

Back to question:
Yes, you will get a slight advantage for being diverse, and financially advantage. Even if you are not URM you will get points for diversity.

 

[bojack]

Not to start another URM war, but I am not sure if that is true any more, I agree that you get a bit of advantage for URM status or financial disadvantage, but I really can't imagine Med schools all over URMs just becuase they are URMs.

Back to question:
Yes, you will get a slight advantage for being diverse, and financially advantage. Even if you are not URM you will get points for diversity.

You may be right. It's been over 6 years since I was accepted. I do hear through medical students though, that this is still the case. They tell me that they have URM's in their classes who received the same treatment.
My brother is going to another medical school in another part of the country, and he tells me that there is an even bigger push to matriculate URM's at his school.