How common are diversity essays?

Started by oopsaloo
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oopsaloo

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All of a sudden I'm seeing many new threads on diversity - makes sense since now is the time many are receiving secondaries. But how common are they? Do like 90% of med schools have prompts on diversity in their secondaries?

Just wondering. Thanks!
 
All of a sudden I'm seeing many new threads on diversity - makes sense since now is the time many are receiving secondaries. But how common are they? Do like 90% of med schools have prompts on diversity in their secondaries?

Just wondering. Thanks!
Seems about right. Also, a lot of use the "diversity" essay for the Tell us something else about you questions. Get a good one, and it will save you a lot of time. Remember, diversity is more than race/ethnicity (unless it works for you). Like Goro says, it is what makes you "cool", unique, fun to be with.
 
Very common. Our secondary doesn't have the "D" word in a particular prompt, but it's the same thing. treat it as "What do you bring to the table for our Class?"

I think we're seeing these pop up in threads ad nauseum due to a post I made.

I wrote that post because I had seen too many superficial and/over privileged comments by posters on how they should answer these prompts, that it made me seriously wonder if a lot of people were getting rejected from them.

For examples, "tell us of a time that you faced adversity"?
Answer: When I received my first B grade ever...
Answer: having to retake the MCAT...
Answer: I had to live away from home when I went to college

What diversity do you bring...?
Answer: I ride horses.
Answer: I'm into being fit
Answer: I've taken lots of trips and have seen poor people
Answer: I take care of my 6 month old infant

See what I mean?

All of a sudden I'm seeing many new threads on diversity - makes sense since now is the time many are receiving secondaries. But how common are they? Do like 90% of med schools have prompts on diversity in their secondaries?

Just wondering. Thanks!
 
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So I was curious about this. I feel like some schools ask you in the vein of @Goro 's school what qualities do you bring/ how do you enhance the diversity of the class, whereas the other type is more do you have any special factors i.e. low SES, different race etc. Do all count as diversity essays, or just the first category?
 
This is a source of a LOT of confusion. The "diversity" in the prompt is "what do you bring to the table?" What's cool about you?" What's unique about you?" "What will you add to the Class".

They're not for what ethnic group are you?"


So I was curious about this. I feel like some schools ask you in the vein of @Goro 's school what qualities do you bring/ how do you enhance the diversity of the class, whereas the other type is more do you have any special factors i.e. low SES, different race etc. Do all count as diversity essays, or just the first category?
 
This is a source of a LOT of confusion. The "diversity" in the prompt is "what do you bring to the table?" What's cool about you?" What's unique about you?" "What will you add to the Class".

They're not for what ethnic group are you?"

Thanks for clearing that up!
 
Very common. Our secondary doesn't have the "D" word in a particular prompt, but it's the same thing. treat it as "What do you bring to the table for our Class?"

I think we're seeing these pop up in threads ad nauseum due to a post I made.

I wrote that post because I had seen too many superficial and/over privileged comments by posters on how they should answer these prompts, that it made me seriously wonder if a lot of people were getting rejected from them.

For examples, "tell us of a time that you faced adversity"?
Answer: When I received my first B grade ever...
Answer: having to retake the MCAT...
Answer: I had to live away from home when I went to college

What diversity do you bring...?
Answer: I ride horses.
Answer: I'm into being fit
Answer: I've taken lots of trips and have seen poor people
Answer: I take care of my 6 month old infant

See what I mean?


It really relieved me when I realized it wasn't just about ethnic/racial diversity, which frankly seemed like a kind of strange to ask about outside of a URM/Low income/first gen case. There are plenty of sons of jewish doctors in med school...
 
I don't want to make my own diversity thread, so I might as well ask it here. For my diversity essay, I wrote about being a first-generation college student and being low-income, and how it has affected my motivations and perspective. Is this a good topic, or do medical schools get enough low-income, first-generation college students that the topic is no longer unique?