Family doesn't "like" science...

[Cofo]

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My parents don't like it that I learn science, especially my father. Neither of my parents obtained a degree from college, and I don't care if it sounds like I am bragging, but ...clearly I am the most intelligent person in the household...trust me.
My dad is particularly jealous of me and that I am going to be a dentist (which is something his mother wanted him to do lol...kind of funny).
It's been somewhat challenging and annoying for me to "learn"...since it's not exactly encouraged by my parents. Does anyone else have a similar experience? If so, did you mention this in your personal statement or interview?

 

[rockclock]

My parents don't like it that I learn science, especially my father. Neither of my parents obtained a degree from college, and I don't care if it sounds like I am bragging, but ...clearly I am the most intelligent person in the household...trust me.
My dad is particularly jealous of me and that I am going to be a dentist (which is something his mother wanted him to do lol...kind of funny).
It's been somewhat challenging and annoying for me to "learn"...since it's not exactly encouraged by my parents. Does anyone else have a similar experience? If so, did you mention this in your personal statement or interview?

do you still live at home while going to undergrad? if that's the reason this is weighing on you, don't worry you'll be out on your own soon and probably for sure by the time you start dental school.

you're your own man, why do you care if "learning" is encouraged by your parents...you can see where they're coming from, they haven't had the education you already have and will have, they've lived a different life.

you're already on this path and you know the hard work it takes to succeed. just go out there and do it...you'll have like minded friends and eventually colleagues for support if you're not getting it from home.

 

[SoulPower]

I just briefly mentioned that my generation in my family is the first to go to college and therefore wasn't "pushed" to obtain a higher degree of learning. That's about all, I didn't make a big deal of it or anything.

 

[SSD1]

I personally wouldn't mention it in the personal statement...because you don't know how ADCOMS is going to take it...you don't want to come across as a very self-confident person...

In the AADSAS application, they ask for your parents education...ADCOMS will realize from there that you are the first generation to get a college degre...you can slip it in during the interviews as well but you really don't want to come come across as bragging or something...

Think about it before you actually put in something like this...think about both perspectives and it should help you in making the right decision...

 

[Cofo]

do you still live at home while going to undergrad? if that's the reason this is weighing on you, don't worry you'll be out on your own soon and probably for sure by the time you start dental school.

you're your own man, why do you care if "learning" is encouraged by your parents...you can see where they're coming from, they haven't had the education you already have and will have, they've lived a different life.

you're already on this path and you know the hard work it takes to succeed. just go out there and do it...you'll have like minded friends and eventually colleagues for support if you're not getting it from home.

Well, I certainly agree with you that emotionally-wise I wasn't extremely discouraged. I am my own person, and I don't care if anyone encourages me to learn, but it would have possibly been more of an advantage if I had people supporting me in my early years of undergrad. Oh well, just curious if anyone else has gone through what I had.
Thanks for the feedback

 

[Cofo]

I personally wouldn't mention it in the personal statement...because you don't know how ADCOMS is going to take it...you don't want to come across as a very self-confident person...

In the AADSAS application, they ask for your parents education...ADCOMS will realize from there that you are the first generation to get a college degre...you can slip it in during the interviews as well but you really don't want to come come across as bragging or something...

Think about it before you actually put in something like this...think about both perspectives and it should help you in making the right decision...

haha i would NEVER expatiate on my situation by saying "i'm smarter than my parents, they're dumb, i'm f***ing Einsten."
I guess I can just leave it at "I'm the first person in my family who will be obtaining a degree" blah blah blah....but yeah...I probably won't mention anything or turn it into a sob story lmao. thanks for the advice! 👍

 

[lmaozedong1]

Well I haven't had my own parents be jealous of me, but I really do get annoyed when people who aren't college grads or college attendees do this. I don't like it when people take out their insecurities out on others.👎

 

[yappy]

Cofo - thanks for sharing. Here I thought I was the only guy this has happened to. When I joined the military out of high school my parents were very proud and my dad was all into it... afterwards I decided to try to become a dentist my dad's words were "I feel like you owe me an explanation? A dentist😕" (Very stern).

By this time I was my own man and didn't really care too much - but at the same time it has always struck me as odd. I think the core of the issue may be that my dad never had the opportunity to go to college. He has said he would rather me "stay a working man" by becoming a cop or something.

We all choose our own path. I'm exciting about this one!

 

[dent555]

I have been (am) in the same situation with a parent(s). Don't mention it specifically, but if it had a very significant impact in your academic experience then I would suggest you reference a "difficult family issue" that held you back from reaching your full academic potential.

If the situation with your parents did not result in a lower academic performance for you, then I would recommend not referencing it. You are strong and will need to be strong, emotionally, to succeed in dentistry. Tell (show) the adcoms that.

 

[hoylematt]

My dad is a pharmacist and I have worked for him for a long time as a tech. We spend a lot of time together every week and I'm actually going to miss not working with him when Dschool starts.

One thing he always says is "I'm so proud that my kids are smarter or more successful than I am." (even though being a pharmacist isn't really "less successful" or something, albeit a lower earning potential than dentistry) I have always appreciated that support especially when I did not follow in his footsteps and go into pharmacy.

If your parents are openly not supportive of your learning, you should call them out on it and say that it means a lot to you that they are behind you on your ambitions to succeed. However if you are the kind of person that spouts off random science crap to sound smart and make your parents feel dumb, then I have no pity for you at all. Hopefully that is not the case.

 

[youknowthedrill]

I think this is actually pretty common in blue collar homes. When my husband was in college working on getting into medical school his father and several aunts/uncles were not very encouraging. They would always say that he should consider working as ...(various manual labor jobs that paid well in their minds) if he didn't get into medical school. Luckily my husband never listened and stayed focused on his goal. His med school friends from working class families have similar stories. Now I'm pursuing dental school with encouragement from my husband. I've had many family members ask if I've thought about becoming a dental hygienist.

 

[Bubba5]

I also come from a non degree family. My dad is a 6th generation carpenter/ builder and didn't step foot in a college classroom. So naturally when I told him I wanted to go to college he told me to not waste my time and that I needed to take over the family construction business. When I told him no and that I wanted to become a dentist he went off on how dentists are bad people that they usually just end up killing themselves. As you all know, there aren't too many contruction companies out there today because of this economic madness. He is slowly starting to see the brilliance behind my plan and although it has taken some time he is slowly respecting my decision more and more.

All this being said, In my personal statement and interview I would never say anything disrespectful about my parents because we all have more in common with our parents than we know. Dental schools want to know what potential you have and your parents are often times good indicators.

 

[dantemac]

My parents don't like it that I learn science, especially my father. Neither of my parents obtained a degree from college, and I don't care if it sounds like I am bragging, but ...clearly I am the most intelligent person in the household...trust me.
My dad is particularly jealous of me and that I am going to be a dentist (which is something his mother wanted him to do lol...kind of funny).
It's been somewhat challenging and annoying for me to "learn"...since it's not exactly encouraged by my parents. Does anyone else have a similar experience? If so, did you mention this in your personal statement or interview?

Your family won't have to like the crappy nursing home you put them in, either!

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

This is a lesson for all SDNers on how to raise their own kids whether it be now or in the future. 🙂

 

[wwuviking]

"its such a waste child to live and die for the dreams of our fathers"
if your parents are jealous that you have drive and ambition, you are better off without them.

 

[Noble6]

Personally, I think you came off rather arrogant in your post. I'm sure your parents have gotten the message too, regardless of whether you've flat out said it to their faces.

Hate to break it to you, but intelligence is a lot more than knowing a few random science facts. It comes from life experiences that you've probably had less of than your parents. I'm not excusing their lack of support but you may want to back off the high horse yourself.

When we start taking classes with names that most people can't pronounce, it's pretty easy to think about how smart and intellectual we are. Gotta be very careful with that. At the end of the day, the very people that you are so much more intelligent than, are the people paying your salary.

 

[CleverThought]

Wow, I find it quite surprising that those with non-degree holding parents find a lack of support in their household. Like many of you, neither of my parents hold a degree. However, the difference is college was an expectation, not an option for my siblings and I.

To the OP, I agree with some of the posters that you come off a bit arrogant. I hope that you don't come off that way to those around you, especially your family. I think if you sit down with your parents and explain your goals and why you want to be a dentist they will be more understanding and open. Also, I would perhaps briefly mention it in the ps, but not much beyond that. If they want more detail, you'll be asked about it in the interview.

 

[Dusk]

Personally, I think you came off rather arrogant in your post. I'm sure your parents have gotten the message too, regardless of whether you've flat out said it to their faces.

Hate to break it to you, but intelligence is a lot more than knowing a few random science facts. It comes from life experiences that you've probably had less of than your parents. I'm not excusing their lack of support but you may want to back off the high horse yourself.

When we start taking classes with names that most people can't pronounce, it's pretty easy to think about how smart and intellectual we are. Gotta be very careful with that. At the end of the day, the very people that you are so much more intelligent than, are the people paying your salary.

👍

 

[Bereno]

When we start taking classes with names that most people can't pronounce, it's pretty easy to think about how smart and intellectual we are. Gotta be very careful with that. At the end of the day, the very people that you are so much more intelligent than, are the people paying your salary.

I agree with this. I'm not saying that you are not smarter than your parents, but you are their genetic offspring...

It sounds to me like you still have some time ahead of you to learn some of your parents' wisdom. When I was in undergrad and was learning all this cool stuff, I felt like i knew everything and my parents knew nothing... 6 years later, I look at my father now, and realize just how freaking smart the guy actually is! (unfortunately my sister got his brains, I got his looks lol). He never went to college, and consequently is not a "learned" man. However, he is very very intelligent. If you were in your parent's shoes, it is really hard to KNOW if you would be telling your kids something different...

All said and done, leave it out of the apps... It will come up in the interview I think.

 

[Bereno]

Also one more thing to add: My parents never went to college either. I have 3 sisters and grew up in a very low income household. That said, it was an expectation that we all go to college, we all find a way to pay for it, and we all will never have to go through the hardships that my parents went through. My sisters are now doctors (two have an MD, the other is a DO), and I am going into dentistry. Our parents GREATLY supported us though...

 

[winnie bear]

Personally, I think you came off rather arrogant in your post. I'm sure your parents have gotten the message too, regardless of whether you've flat out said it to their faces.

Hate to break it to you, but intelligence is a lot more than knowing a few random science facts. It comes from life experiences that you've probably had less of than your parents. I'm not excusing their lack of support but you may want to back off the high horse yourself.

When we start taking classes with names that most people can't pronounce, it's pretty easy to think about how smart and intellectual we are. Gotta be very careful with that. At the end of the day, the very people that you are so much more intelligent than, are the people paying your salary.

Well said.

 

[Josh779]

Personally, I think you came off rather arrogant in your post. I'm sure your parents have gotten the message too, regardless of whether you've flat out said it to their faces.

Hate to break it to you, but intelligence is a lot more than knowing a few random science facts. It comes from life experiences that you've probably had less of than your parents. I'm not excusing their lack of support but you may want to back off the high horse yourself.

When we start taking classes with names that most people can't pronounce, it's pretty easy to think about how smart and intellectual we are. Gotta be very careful with that. At the end of the day, the very people that you are so much more intelligent than, are the people paying your salary.

+1 I'm a first generation student too. I honestly wouldn't say i'm smarter than my family because I study my ass off and learn science. If they wanted it bad enough they would do the same.