Has anybody heard of these things?

[medking]

These are two things I always hear when I talk to these two other people:

1. It's an advantage to be Asian, compared to being White, when applying to the UC's (California). (Basically it's harder to get accepted into a UC as a White applicant)

2. You need to be able to speak Spanish in order to get into UCLA.

IM NOT TRYING TO START ANYTHING, I'm just wondering if anybody has heard of these things because I have not. (Other than from these people)

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[silverlining1]

That's strange; you've never heard of these things, but you made them up with the goal to ask others if they've heard of them?

I have not heard either. I have heard that speaking Spanish is an advantage when applying to UCLA, though.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

These are two things I always hear when I talk to these two other people:

1. It's an advantage to be Asian, compared to being White, when applying to the UC's (California). (Basically it's harder to get accepted into a UC as a White applicat)

2. You need to be able to speak Spanish in order to get into UCLA.

IM NOT TRYING TO START ANYTHING, I'm just wondering if anybody has heard of these things cause I've never.

Its very sad if that is true and I certainly would not want to go to such a school that gives a preferance to any race or language!!

 

[deleted103730]

yo quiero medico degree

 

[medking]

silverlining1: my bad, I edited it.

 

[nick_carraway]

Personally, I think it's less of an advantage if you're Asian because you are stereotyped and expected to do better than average.

I doubt the spanish requirement for UCLA is true either but fluency is a huge plus in California and most younger doctors know how to speak at least some Spanish.

 

[Medicine929]

These are two things I always hear when I talk to these two other people:

1. It's an advantage to be Asian, compared to being White, when applying to the UC's (California). (Basically it's harder to get accepted into a UC as a White applicat)

2. You need to be able to speak Spanish in order to get into UCLA.

IM NOT TRYING TO START ANYTHING, I'm just wondering if anybody has heard of these things cause I've never.

I don't know about asians having higher acceptance rates that white people, never heard of that. Speaking spanish is a very important aspect of living in California, most UC's prefer you to take 3 quarters while in their undergrad school as for med schools I do not know.

 

[Compass]

OK, as an Asian, I'd like to say that we suffer from AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. As a result, a lot of us have a harder time >.>

 

[littlealex]

I've heard that fluency in Spanish greatly increases your chances at a few schools, UChicago being one of them (their adcom said this at a visit at our school). The main reason for this is the shortage of Spanish speaking doctors. However, always remember that when you put down you speak Spanish on an UCLA app, expect your interview to start in Spanish.

 

[silverlining1]

I've heard that fluency in Spanish greatly increases your chances at a few schools, UChicago being one of them (their adcom said this at a visit at our school). The main reason for this is the shortage of Spanish speaking doctors. However, always remember that when you put down you speak Spanish on an UCLA app, expect your interview to start in Spanish.

I didn't click the box to say that I speak Spanish on the AMCAS, but as an EC, I listed languages that I speak at a conversational level (this includes Spanish). Also, on the UCLA secondary, I checked the box to say that I have taken 1 year of college Spanish. Hopefully they don't start interviewing me in Spanish... I guess I could handle it, but I'm certainly not fluent!

 

[medking]

I didn't click the box to say that I speak Spanish on the AMCAS, but as an EC, I listed languages that I speak at a conversational level (this includes Spanish). Also, on the UCLA secondary, I checked the box to say that I have taken 1 year of college Spanish. Hopefully they don't start interviewing me in Spanish... I guess I could handle it, but I'm certainly not fluent!

Same here. I took 1.5 years of Spanish in college so I checked the "Yes, I have taken 1 year of college Spanish" box.

I really hope they dont start the interview in Spanish cause I am really rusty and not that skilled in it in the first place. In my opinion, 1 year of a foreign language does not = fluency.

I guess I will just have to see.

 

[TheRealMD]

Ignoring all the PC stuff you should already be aware of, I'll answer your questions from a logical point of view and try not to be biased.

1) Taking a look at the AAMC averages clearly shows how asians have the highest averages out of all ethnicities. Then, taking a look at the population densities of Asians, the highest concentration of people of East Asian decent live in California. Well knowing that schools, even subconciously, want to have a "balanced" class for "diversity's sake", and that Asians typically have better GPA/MCAT (most likely subconsciously from Asian culture/parental pressure), I don't see any advantages being an Asian in this process.

2) Certainly makes sense. Many patients in LA will only speak Spanish and it makes sense that students have been exposed to the language. Whether it'll be the reason you are admitted or not... I wouldn't think too much about that. Unless you feel like investing in a year of Spanish which you'll practically use anywhere in the southern half of the US, worry about other things instead.

Now, I don't mean to start a flame war with my first answer but there are some truths in there. Just realize them and move on.