Do I qualify as a "disadvantaged student"

[CanIBeAnonymous]

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[Professional Student]

I would say this doesn't qualify, but I don't know anything about the actual technical qualifications so you may very well qualify. Also, the last statement of each of your last two paragraphs is only accurate depending on what region of the nation you are from.

EDIT: I posted before seeing your change to the OP, and agree with Goro that disadvantaged is about loss/lack of opportunities, not necessarily just stats.

 

[Goro]

This is a very good example of what the prompt is for. To reiterate, the definition is for circumstances that would have hindered your academics before age 18, and thus affect your college performance.

OP, it's your last para that will count.

 

[mwsapphire]

Yes, you had circumstances affecting your education before college, and perhaps during college ( maybe you had to work to pay for it). Just b/c some people are worse off doesn't make you not disadvantaged. [emoji846]


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[CanIBeAnonymous]

This is a very good example of what the prompt is for. To reiterate, the definition is for circumstances that would have hindered your academics before age 18, and thus affect your college performance.

OP, it's your last para that will count.

Thanks for the input, all of you.

That may be worth it then because I was whole-fully unprepared for the college experience. I ended up graduating with a less-than-satisfactory GPA but learned from my experiences and was able to pull up the last year (of a 5 year under grad) to a 4.0 and a stellar MCAT, so having an extra prompt to explain the initial performance is nice. I'm starting a post-bacc (after grinding my teeth about the extra loans I'd need to take out) this Fall because I don't think 1 year of 5 is enough. Maybe I should write about how I stay up at night weeping because of my monthly loan payments that could've been avoided had I been rich bahaha

Do you know if certain schools take preference for DAs i.e state schools?

 

[Goro]

Thanks for the input, all of you.

That may be worth it then because I was whole-fully unprepared for the college experience. I ended up graduating with a less-than-satisfactory GPA but learned from my experiences and was able to pull up the last year (of a 5 year under grad) to a 4.0 and a stellar MCAT, so having an extra prompt to explain the initial performance is nice.

Do you know if certain schools take preference for DAs i.e state schools?

The path travelled by applicants is important for all med schools. There are some in particular that reward reinvention much more than others.

 

[CanIBeAnonymous]

The path travelled by applicants is important for all med schools. There are some in particular that reward reinvention much more than others.

Any idea which schools those are in the North-East area? I have to stay relatively close to home unfortunately.

 

[fourandtwo]

I'm glad that you do not feel disadvantaged. I think this makes you a resilient person. Yet, I do think you for the definition

 

[cactusman]

Any idea which schools those are in the North-East area? I have to stay relatively close to home unfortunately.

BU, Columbia, Dartmouth, Drexel, Albany, NYMC, Tufts, all Northeast DOs, and all the SUNYs is Goro's reinvention list - Northeast edition. Gtown and GWU if you stretch the definition of NE and don't need to be super close.

 

[CanIBeAnonymous]

I'm glad that you do not feel disadvantaged. I think this makes you a resilient person. Yet, I do think you for the definition

Haha thanks. It's mostly because I've only recently become aware of my disadvantages (when I met people during my undergrad career), but have always been reminded of my privilege (I'm white with an even whiter-sounding name, my opportunities have been relatively endless compared to my friends growing up).

 

[CanIBeAnonymous]

BU, Dartmouth, Drexel, Albany, NYMC, Tufts, all Northeast DOs, and all the SUNYs is Goro's reinvention list - Northeast edition. Gtown and GWU if you stretch the definition of NE and don't need to be super close.

Glad SUNYs make the list. They're my go-to due to the IS tuition. While I have the MCAT for Columbia/BU/Dartmouth/Tufts my GPA would keep me out of the running for sure so probably wouldn't apply there. I'll definitely consider all those schools, and especially Drexel since it's 1) close 2) I'm doing my post-bacc there.

 

[freak7]

BU, Columbia, Dartmouth, Drexel, Albany, NYMC, Tufts, all Northeast DOs, and all the SUNYs is Goro's reinvention list - Northeast edition. Gtown and GWU if you stretch the definition of NE and don't need to be super close.

UVM may also fit that list.

 

[cactusman]

UVM may also fit that list.

You're probably right. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few more mid-tier Northeast privates which also fit the bill even if they haven't been noticed as standouts in the reinvention-rewarding category.

 

[LizzyM]

OK, so your application will show that your dad completed 8th grade but not HS. Mom has a BSN or less, I suppose (a nurse can have an associate's degree or bachelors or a diploma from a nursing school).
Did you live in Section 8 housing? Qualify for free lunch? Work for spending money and/or to help with household bills before age 18? Those are all questions (or related to questions) on the AMCAS that help explain "disadvantage". Basically, itis the question, "did you grow up in poverty such that poverty limited your choices/opportunities and your preparedness for college?" Some people growing up in poverty don't attend very good k-12 schools and are less prepared for college than students who attended better schools.

It might be completely legit to self-identify as "disadvantaged" even if you are cis, white and male. "Disadvantaged" is meant to help identify people who may not look disadvantaged on the surface but who grew up with "less" than the vast majority of applicants. (As you could see when you got to college and realized that your "normal" was much less than usual state of affairs for most college students.)

 

[CanIBeAnonymous]

Thanks Lizzy.
And yes I fall under most of those things but Section 8 housing. Parents bought the house and then my dad essentially rebuilt it (perks of being a carpenter). Bought as in still paying the mortgage and are about another 15 years away from full ownership.

All in all I just find it difficult to talk about myself haha

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks Lizzy.
And yes I fall under most of those things but Section 8 housing. Parents bought the house and then my dad essentially rebuilt it (perks of being a carpenter). Bought as in still paying the mortgage and are about another 15 years away from full ownership.

All in all I just find it difficult to talk about myself haha

You should check the boxes that apply. If you want to talk about your community, rather than yourself, you can do that. Find the data about your HS, for example, in terms of proportion of your freshman class that went on to graduate, the prevalence of drug addiction in your town, proportion of the community living below poverty level, the shortage of primary care providers, etc.

 

[CanIBeAnonymous]

You should check the boxes that apply. If you want to talk about your community, rather than yourself, you can do that. Find the data about your HS, for example, in terms of proportion of your freshman class that went on to graduate, the prevalence of drug addiction in your town, proportion of the community living below poverty level, the shortage of primary care providers, etc.

Thank you again!

I will definitely update you all with my statement for it to be critiqued and tuned.

Every time I sit down to write I get distracted with my pending projects (trying to finish 2 projects and submit their respective abstracts by August 1st) and I end up walking away.

I'll try and slap my face tonight and shell em out.