Do I want to label myself as disadvantaged?

[AlbinoHawk DO]

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Genuinely curious about this one. One of my parents has their PhD, the others has a bachelors but works in a job involving rough manual labor building houses and whatnot. I'm presuming as they both have degrees, I would be considered advantaged (which I certainly feel I am), but I just want to gain some clarification that I am correct in my assumption.

There's something in between we'd call a regular life.

 

[Mad Jack]

As a general rule of thumb, if you have to ask whether you were disadvantaged, you probably weren't.

 

[woltej1]

.

 

[woltej1]

Well it seems a few people got a little overly offended by this question. I'm not sitting on her pissing and moaning that I grew up disadvantaged when in reality I grew up around average I'd say. I'm merely asking if using this established AMCAS option, which I apparently qualify for, would give me better odds at acceptance or an interview. I'm sorry if asking advice on whether to use a legitimate option offended you. I'd say this is a case of hate the game, not the player.

To those bringing up my profile pic, I'd say that is probably one of the more offensive things in this post. Just because I appear to have good hygiene in a 1x1 inch pixelated profile pics means I don't look disadvantaged and am a bad person for asking? How about this pic, do I qualify for this option now?

 

[LizzyM]

Well it seems a few people got a little overly offended by this question. I'm not sitting on her pissing and moaning that I grew up disadvantaged when in reality I grew up around average I'd say. I'm merely asking if using this established AMCAS option, which I apparently qualify for, would give me better odds at acceptance or an interview. I'm sorry if asking advice on whether to use a legitimate option offended you. I'd say this is a case of hate the game, not the player.

To those bringing up my profile pic, I'd say that is probably one of the more offensive things in this post. Just because I appear to have good hygiene in a 1x1 inch pixelated profile pics means I don't look disadvantaged and am a bad person for asking? How about this pic, do I qualify for this option now?

I've seldom seen a self-identified "disadvantaged" applicant get a real leg up with regard to interview invite or offer of admission. It is just another item that is interesting... just as the place you were born might make your application look "different" or "more of the same" compared with other applicants. (Oh, look, someone born in Haifa! And here's someone raised in Harlem.)

 

[lnvictus]

Well it seems a few people got a little overly offended by this question. I'm not sitting on her pissing and moaning that I grew up disadvantaged when in reality I grew up around average I'd say. I'm merely asking if using this established AMCAS option, which I apparently qualify for, would give me better odds at acceptance or an interview. I'm sorry if asking advice on whether to use a legitimate option offended you. I'd say this is a case of hate the game, not the player.

To those bringing up my profile pic, I'd say that is probably one of the more offensive things in this post. Just because I appear to have good hygiene in a 1x1 inch pixelated profile pics means I don't look disadvantaged and am a bad person for asking? How about this pic, do I qualify for this option now?

I had noticed that just now. I apologize for my reaction - I blame the lack of sleep I've had due to finals lol. That said, I would still not risk putting yourself as disadvantaged and would refer back to LizzyM's post.

 

[DermViser]

I had noticed that just now. I apologize for my reaction - I blame the lack of sleep I've had due to finals lol. That said, I would still not risk putting yourself as disadvantaged and would refer back to LizzyM's post.

Why not? He qualifies per the AMCAS definition.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

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How about this pic, do I qualify for this option now?

Hahaha! Clearly you qualify now OP, you've had a thug life

 

[DokterMom]

To those bringing up my profile pic, I'd say that is probably one of the more offensive things in this post. Just because I appear to have good hygiene in a 1x1 inch pixelated profile pics means I don't look disadvantaged and am a bad person for asking? How about this pic, do I qualify for this option now?

Now if this picture is you, then yeah, go ahead and claim disadvantaged. An attractive white guy that looks fresh off the lacrosse field simply doesn't look the part of someone who's disadvantaged. Prejudiced? Absolutely. But it's a lot easier to believe Mr. NeckTat is disadvantaged than Mr. Abercrombie. Of course, Mr. NeckTat could be a complete poser and Mr. Abercrombie could be someone who has worked his way up. But who looks more disadvantaged?

 

[shenellica]

That Chart was new in 2013-2014 and is used by AMCAS to classify applicants. "Disadvantaged" is an applicant's self- classification, separate from parents' SES. There are cases where one might have grown up poor despite not being in E1 or E2, for example if a parent with high educational attainment was disabled and unemployed for many years. More typically, the "disadvantaged" applicant is born to a single mom and raised in poverty, sometimes ending up in the foster care system for a time or cared for by relatives if mom isn't around or is irresponsible.

I have seen adcom members who have been very negative toward an applicant who they felt was inaccurately claiming to be disadvantaged.

If you think that you were at a disadvantage in terms of preparation for college based on your life circumstances from 0-18, then consider checking the box. Otherwise, know that AMCAS will classify you and you need not claim disadvantaged status to draw attention to your childhood circumstances.

Do you think a foster child who was raised in a rich family could identify as disadvantaged? I was never officially adopted and went back to my family at the end of high school. My family is poor and URM but I had a lot of advantages growing up and preformed well in school. Would it backfire if I marked the box? What would you consider I accurately claiming to be disadvantaged?

 

[masaraksh]

Say you are Warren Buffet's disowned granddaughter. Do you consider yourself disadvantaged? Yeah, you have a billionaire grandfather. But he disowned you.

AMCAS have a checkbox for 'Mo Money, Mo problems' somewhere

 

[Goro]

As my learned colleague has pointed out, someone from a priviledged background trying to claim "disadvantaged" will be bound to piss off some AdCom members.

Do you think a foster child who was raised in a rich family could identify as disadvantaged? I was never officially adopted and went back to my family at the end of high school. My family is poor and URM but I had a lot of advantages growing up and preformed well in school. Would it backfire if I marked the box? What would you consider I accurately claiming to be disadvantaged?

 

[Godspeedyou]

As my learned colleague has pointed out, someone from a priviledged background trying to claim "disadvantaged" will be bound to piss off some AdCom members.

Can you define privileged? What if you were raised in a single parent household growing up but that single parent made more than the average salary.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Jesus the "what if?"s in this thread lol

 

[Goro]

Better to turn the question around and ask "what is disadvantaged?" as AAMCAS defines it. Anything else could be construed as priviledged. The sage LizzyM has also defined "disadvantaged" concisely.

Can you define privileged? What if you were raised in a single parent household growing up but that single parent made more than the average salary.

 

[LizzyM]

Keep in mind that you can be tagged as E1 or E2 by AAMC (see post #7 in this thread for an explanation of E1 and E2) and not consider yourself to have been disadvantaged as a kid. Maybe your parents graduated HS and Dad owns a small business (maybe auto repair or retail) and mom works as a wedding photographer or florist. That's E1 but there may have been plenty of money for school, summer camp, travel, etc.

Conversely, you could consider yourself disadvantaged but not E1 or E2 if your parents were highly educated but chronically ill and unable to work and you got by as a kid on social security disability checks and other government benefits.

Self-identifying as "disadvantaged" aside from the AAMC label gives you a chance to tell your story if you think that it is a story worth telling. If it comes off as whining, or as an attempt to gain an advantage over applicants, then it could hurt you.

 

[Godspeedyou]

Interesting... So if neither of your parents have college degrees this is considered disadvantaged? In such a case it is possible to be considered URM and disadvantaged?

 

[masaraksh]

Interesting... So if neither of your parents have college degrees this is considered disadvantaged? In such a case it is possible to be considered URM and disadvantaged?

This post doesn't make sense. Read LizzyM's post. I think she nailed it.

 

[Godspeedyou]

This post doesn't make sense. Read LizzyM's post. I think she nailed it.

What is E1 and E2? I just found things about chemistry when I searched it on Google so I assumed they were levels of being disadvantaged

 

[masaraksh]

What is E1 and E2? I just found things about chemistry when I searched it on Google so I assumed they were levels of being disadvantaged

SN2 is when you get backside attacked by poverty.

 

[Godspeedyou]

SN2 is when you get backside attacked by poverty.

Neat. So pre-reqs are taken so you can understand application lingo

 

[LizzyM]

What is E1 and E2? I just found things about chemistry when I searched it on Google so I assumed they were levels of being disadvantaged

See post #7 in this thread for a description of E1 and E1 which are AAMC classifications of family socio-economic status (SES).

 

[CarolinaGirl33]

Does having a chronic illness qualify as a disadvantage? It doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere and since I will include it in my personal statement as an obstacle I have overcome, I don't think it is necessary to mention it again in this section, right?

 

[LizzyM]

Does having a chronic illness qualify as a disadvantage? It doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere and since I will include it in my personal statement as an obstacle I have overcome, I don't think it is necessary to mention it again in this section, right?

disadvantage is pretty much exclusively for applicants who experienced socioeconomic hardship in child (e.g. born to a teen mom, on government aid, growing up in a housing project or homeless, etc). AMCAS has recently begun classifying all applicants according to parents' socioeconomic status regardless of whether one self-identifies as as disadvantaged. This is based on whether parents who did not graduate from 4-year college and/or who work at blue collar or administrative support jobs. I don't know if adcoms will go more by that classification (E1 or E2) more than disadvantage except perhaps where an applicant reports having grown up in a disadvantaged situation despite parents high socioeconomic status (e.g. parent earned a professional degree but became disabled and has not worked for years and years.)

 

[sat0ri]

Good to know, look forward to the day when that is true across the board.

Education is actually one place where young boys and males find more discrimination now than females... or so I've read (and not in online articles). Also @darklabel

 

[bltng]

Keep in mind that you can be tagged as E1 or E2 by AAMC (see post #7 in this thread for an explanation of E1 and E2) and not consider yourself to have been disadvantaged as a kid. Maybe your parents graduated HS and Dad owns a small business (maybe auto repair or retail) and mom works as a wedding photographer or florist. That's E1 but there may have been plenty of money for school, summer camp, travel, etc.

Conversely, you could consider yourself disadvantaged but not E1 or E2 if your parents were highly educated but chronically ill and unable to work and you got by as a kid on social security disability checks and other government benefits.

Self-identifying as "disadvantaged" aside from the AAMC label gives you a chance to tell your story if you think that it is a story worth telling. If it comes off as whining, or as an attempt to gain an advantage over applicants, then it could hurt you.

Hi Lizzy, I was wondering if I can get your advice on the primary focus of my story in regards to identifying as "disadvantaged." I know it's important to let adcoms know your circumstances growing up (besides the ones they can see from other sections of your application), but would it be recommended to focus more of your statement on how you overcome those disadvantages during and after college (I'm a nontraditional applicant)? I'm just perplexed as to how I can adequately convey my story without sounding whiny or 'woe is me'.

 

[bltng]

Double post.

 

[Mad Jack]

Jesus the "what if?"s in this thread lol

What if like, Bruce Wayne was my father, but he died while fighting crime and gave everything to charity except the Batcave. So now I'm being raised by Alfred who's working some lame ass job at a 7-11 cause who hires a full time butler nowadays, and all I've got is this stupid ****ing cave full of crime fighting equipment I can't do anything with because all I want to be is a doctor. Am I disadvantaged?

 

[Elevencents]

I was the first in my family to graduate college. Not once did I consider myself disadvantaged. Ridiculous if you ask me.

If you need to ask if you should mark yourself as disadvantaged, chances are you are not.

 

[LizzyM]

Hi Lizzy, I was wondering if I can get your advice on the primary focus of my story in regards to identifying as "disadvantaged." I know it's important to let adcoms know your circumstances growing up (besides the ones they can see from other sections of your application), but would it be recommended to focus more of your statement on how you overcome those disadvantages during and after college (I'm a nontraditional applicant)? I'm just perplexed as to how I can adequately convey my story without sounding whiny or 'woe is me'.

One dean I know believes that this is a place to describe the circumstances that led you to be less prepared for college than the average student (poor neighborhood, poor schools, parents without ability to help with homework, college applications, or with financial resources).

The other dean totally ignores it.

Take that for what you will.

Obviously, if you are applying, you have managed to overcome your disadvantaged childhood. I'm not sure that the "how" is of great interest.

 

[EMDO2018]

He looks disadvantaged to me.