First Gen as Diversity

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boundlesscorpuscle

MD Class of 2023!
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I had a chat with my adviser the other day about the secondary application 'diversity' essay. He suggested that I somehow work in that I am a first-generation college student, and perhaps discuss by background moving from the Midwest (Ohio) to the South (Florida). He said that indicating FGCS would help distinguish me from other white, middle-class applicants. Also, he argued that I could frame my experiences with both a Midwestern and Southern upbringing as diversity of perspective, allowing me to appreciate people from different backgrounds.

I did not indicate disadvantaged status on AMCAS, and although by AAMC standards I am a first-generation college student, as none of my parents have a Bachelors'degree, my dad did apply and attend a few semesters at Ohio State. I have never considered my family poor or truly disadvantaged. We have struggled financially, but I always had everything I needed, I attended good schools and I didn't have to work to support the household. My parents were supportive of me going to college, but they weren't really able to offer me anything financially or in terms of guidance. I know I have overcome some hurdles that upper-class students with professionals for parents may not have had, but my challenges seem insignificant compared to the many low-income, URM applicants.

I guess my question is, how beneficial would it be to include this in my secondaries? Currently, I have already written a diversity essay about SCUBA diving, and I have kind of been wavering on whether this truly qualifies as 'diversity.' Would discussing FGCS/mutli-regional upbringing be any more compelling?

I really appreciate any input on this. I am very stressed trying to get the rest of my secondaries out ASAP so I have a chance at an interview invite, and I'm hitting a wall with this one.

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I care way more about (and you contribute way more to the class by being) a first generation college student than your skills at SCUBA. You would be amazed at how uncommon that is in a medical school. I would try to think about the narrative of your application, though-somewhat of a disconnect if your diversity essay is about your family not being able to afford your schooling and your PS is about diving.
I would certainly talk about this in secondaries that have this prompt or a variation of this prompt. I'd hesitate putting it down for essays that have an optional essay about being disadvantaged, though I don't know the rest of your app (if it has strong notes of community building and service then I'd still go for it. If it is about SCUBA and college lacrosse I would not).
 
I care way more about (and you contribute way more to the class by being) a first generation college student than your skills at SCUBA. You would be amazed at how uncommon that is in a medical school. I would try to think about the narrative of your application, though-somewhat of a disconnect if your diversity essay is about your family not being able to afford your schooling and your PS is about diving.
I would certainly talk about this in secondaries that have this prompt or a variation of this prompt. I'd hesitate putting it down for essays that have an optional essay about being disadvantaged, though I don't know the rest of your app (if it has strong notes of community building and service then I'd still go for it. If it is about SCUBA and college lacrosse I would not).

Thank you for your response, @OneTwoThreeFour ! I haven't really discussed diving anywhere else on my app except for a brief mention of it under a catch-all 'hobbies' category on the Work/Activities section of my AMCAS. My PS was mostly about my different experiences with shadowing, traveling abroad, and research that led me down the path to medicine.

On that note, I think I will write an essay about being FGCS. Do you happen to have any tips about doing this tastefully? The last thing I want is for it to seem like self-pity or a cheap cliche.
 
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The vast majority of MD matriculants come from families where one or both parents have professional degrees (MD, DO, JD, DDS, and I'd include MBA). Growing in up in a family with experience in higher education is different compared with a family with limited or no experience in higher education. In general, the employment and household wealth of individuals with professional degrees is different than those who did not graduate college (broadly speaking, with exceptions to the rule, of course).

So, just to state that your parents did not graduate college and have worked in x, y and z and that you, perhpas, grew up in a community where people were in trades or small businesses or were blue collar workers, or whatever, and that you understand the culture and the sensibilities of this population will set you apart from the applicants who were raised in places where 67% of more of the adults in the community have a college education. (Overall in America, 33% of people 25 and older have a college degree.)
 
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The vast majority of MD matriculants come from families where one or both parents have professional degrees (MD, DO, JD, DDS, and I'd include MBA). Growing in up in a family with experience in higher education is different compared with a family with limited or no experience in higher education. In general, the employment and household wealth of individuals with professional degrees is different than those who did not graduate college (broadly speaking, with exceptions to the rule, of course).

So, just to state that your parents did not graduate college and have worked in x, y and z and that you, perhpas, grew up in a community where people were in trades or small businesses or were blue collar workers, or whatever, and that you understand the culture and the sensibilities of this population will set you apart from the applicants who were raised in places where 67% of more of the adults in the community have a college education. (Overall in America, 33% of people 25 and older have a college degree.)

Thank for your wise reply, as always, @LizzyM !

The thing is, looking back, I can definitely see how I was disadvantaged relative to my peers, many of whom come from rather well-off families. I guess it's just that when I was going through it, it just seemed normal to me. I've always had a lot of internal motivation to succeed and that really got me through. And even though my family couldn't do much for me, I also had a lot of support from mentors and friends at school.

I suppose it can't hurt to try writing an essay and see what comes of it. Thank you again for your input!
 
I think that there can be a slight difference between considering your up-bringing a "disadvantage" versus considering it to have been "different" than many of your med school peers. Having a parent who was a factory worker or an electrician or a bus driver is different that having a parent who was a physican, lawyer, clergyman, etc that goes beyond household income.
 
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Hi there again,

So after writing, editing, starting over and revising, I finally have a diversity essay that I am relatively happy with. I did decide to write about my upbringing and my experience as the first in my family to graduate from college. Would anyone be willing to read over my essay and let me know what they think? It would be greatly, greatly appreciated!
 
Hi there again,

So after writing, editing, starting over and revising, I finally have a diversity essay that I am relatively happy with. I did decide to write about my upbringing and my experience as the first in my family to graduate from college. Would anyone be willing to read over my essay and let me know what they think? It would be greatly, greatly appreciated!

You can PM me.
 
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