How Should I Play This?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Status
Not open for further replies.
It's true for any forum dedicated to provide information regarding test prep, applications etc. Everyone wants to be HYPSM/Top 20 or bust, and massive self-selection reinforces that.
Which makes the "prestige/rank doesn't matter" hivemind a tad ironic

Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
At my Ivy League school, there were literally people in my Calculus 1 class who didn't even know what a derivative was...turns out almost all had full rides. Here I got 5's on AP Calc AB, and BC, and I'm taking out a massive loan with little parental help. It's NOT fair.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
At my Ivy League school, there were literally people in my Calculus 1 class who didn't even know what a derivative was...turns out almost all had full rides. Here I got 5's on AP Calc AB, and BC, and I'm taking out a massive loan with little parental help. It's NOT fair.
Damn those kids! They must have gone to *gasp* public high schools!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I can't tell if you're serious if you're not, but here's my input - I would say I'm in a somewhat similar situation in facing hardships (grew up as a gay guy in the middle east, endured terrorism, war, frequent displacements, etc) but I am definitely privileged (my dad makes good money, we were able to leave the middle east when times got rough and come the US, he helped me through college etc).

The path I took was to discuss the adversity I overcame but make clear that the privileges I have were a part of the reason I was able to overcome it.

tl;dr : be honest
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
At my Ivy League school, there were literally people in my Calculus 1 class who didn't even know what a derivative was...turns out almost all had full rides. Here I got 5's on AP Calc AB, and BC, and I'm taking out a massive loan with little parental help. It's NOT fair.
Hey! How dare you question our mathematical abilities? It takes a lot of brain power to sell drugs using back-of-the-envelope calculations at our lowly ghetto high schools:p

Edit: Not implying I went to an Ivy League school for undergrad, only that I went to a s*** high school
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Oh, the poor dears.

So what are your plans? Med school clearly isn't one of them.

Honestly I'm offended. I'd argue that the top 5-25% is disadvantaged. Not in the traditional sense, but in the sense that they are excluding from many things such as enrichment programs, scholarships, and financial aid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Oh, the poor dears.

So what are your plans? Med school clearly isn't one of them.
Starting a non-profit for the poor neglected youth of the upper-middle class?
7a7e3e36092ed3c8326e5d0ab607ded4f4fc551943b46d508224440fb2d4f26b.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Look out OP is PMing people now( I just got one) complaining they are disrespecting him
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Ok ok ok. I think this thread has been derailed. Didn't mean to ruffle the inequality feathers. Thanks everyone for all the help, much appreciated. Have a nice day y'all!
 
The banhammer works even better. Having seen some of the other posts by the OP, that bus is coming.
No, I am providing useful comments in the forums.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
The woes of the ivy league-2%-disadvantaged.

If you troll, you will be banned.
If you are banned, you were trolling.
I am not banned, therefore I am not a troll.
I am not a troll, so I was not trolling.
I was not trolling, so I will not be banned.

It's a simple syllogism.
 
Since A then B thus B then A does not work in logical reasoning.

For example, if you are trolling then you will get banned. If you were banned, you weren't necessarily trolling (you can be banned for other reasons).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
If you troll, you will be banned.
If you are banned, you were trolling.
I am not banned, therefore I am not a troll.
I am not a troll, so I was not trolling.
I was not trolling, so I will not be banned.

It's a simple syllogism.

Maybe you're not a troll but you're certainly massively uninformed as to what goes into being a doctor and getting accepted to med school. Showing up to an interview in a 3 piece suit will make you look like the worlds biggest douche, not "look more respectable".

But hey! Your grandpa is worth EIGHT FIGURES! I bet he could buy you a seat in one of those fancy Caribbean medical schools
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Maybe you're not a troll but you're certainly massively uninformed as to what goes into being a doctor and getting accepted to med school. Showing up to an interview in a 3 piece suit will make you look like the worlds biggest douche, not "look more respectable".

But hey! Your grandpa is worth EIGHT FIGURES! I bet he could buy you a seat in one of those fancy Caribbean medical schools

Why would I go to the Caribbean with a 3.7 GPA? hmm?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
It's true for any forum dedicated to provide information regarding test prep, applications etc. Everyone wants to be HYPSM/Top 20 or bust, and massive self-selection reinforces that.
If you think SDN is bad....lol


#CollegeConfidential
 
...i go to an Ivy League school now, etc.

So should I play up the bad things and talk about how I overcame those experiences and how that changed me, or should I talk about my experience as an Ivy Leaguer coming from a family with money? ... I would be more likely to actually admit the kid from Dartmouth dressed in a 3 piece Brioni suit than a kid from Ohio State wearing a walmart suit (no offense, I am just trying to paint a literary picture).

At my Ivy League school, there were literally people in my Calculus 1 class who didn't even know what a derivative was...turns out almost all had full rides. Here I got 5's on AP Calc AB, and BC, and I'm taking out a massive loan with little parental help. It's NOT fair.

Dartmouth isn't even a real Ivy anyway
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Dartmouth isn't even a real Ivy anyway

Vermont's basically just Canada minus the 19 year old drinking age, miles of endless forest and the ability to actually say the word thought without making it sound like thot anyway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Dem awsum frat partys thooooo

I wonder if OP wears his 3 piece Brioni suit to those frat parties so everyone knows how affluent he is
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Dartmouth isn't even a real Ivy anyway

That's what non-Ivy Leaguers say. Haters gonna hate.

I wonder if OP wears his 3 piece Brioni suit to those frat parties so everyone knows how affluent he is

No you just bring cocaine.

@Avanafil

Did your frat get shut down? If so, can you use your money to hire a lawyer to get them re-started? That would probably make a great admissions essay!

No...

Wow guys, way to derail the thread. We really need some mods to come here and do their work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
That's what non-Ivy Leaguers say. Haters gonna hate.
I believe he went to an Ivy League school.
Wow guys, way to derail the thread. We really need some mods to come here and do their work.
Oh come on, you asked a ridiculous question and got sarcastic responses. What did you expect?
 
I believe he went to an Ivy League school, and he is at Columbia for med school.

Oh come on, you asked a ridiculous question and got sarcastic responses. What did you expect?

I expect people to take me seriously. Now seriously guys, everyone, just let's focus on the topic. Ok. I will just be honest. Got it. Thanks.

/thread
 
I expect people to take me seriously. Now seriously guys, everyone, just let's focus on the topic. Ok. I will just be honest. Got it. Thanks.

/thread

People will take you seriously when you act your age (or older). Flaunting fortunes/ being pretentious combined with your warped point of view is exactly what we don't need as a society for physicianship.

One of the biggest traits that physicians have is humility. You're in for a rude awakening if you continue down your path.

People always learn eventually, one way or the other. I got some good life lessons throughout my academic career that set me straight.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
/thread

Nobody else comment after this. This is the last comment.
 
URMs TERKIN ER SPETS!!!!!!

In a sentence - should I try to show that I am disadvantaged to gain adcom's sympathy, or show that I am privileged so I look more respectable?

My life has been filled with a number of great things, and a number of bad things. Won't go into too much detail, but my uncle overdosed on drugs, my brother is in jail, I graduated from a public high school, etc. On the other hand, my dad is a doctor, my uncle is a doctor, my grandfather is worth 8 figures, i go to an Ivy League school now, etc.

So should I play up the bad things and talk about how I overcame those experiences and how that changed me, or should I talk about my experience as an Ivy Leaguer coming from a family with money? If I were an adcom member, I'd feel better about accepting a disadvantaged student, although I would be more likely to actually admit the kid from Dartmouth dressed in a 3 piece Brioni suit than a kid from Ohio State wearing a walmart suit (no offense, I am just trying to paint a literary picture).

I don't see how a dead addict uncle and a brother in jail makes you disadvantaged. Maybe, kind of, from an emotional perspective. But I think you're misconstruing what adcoms mean when they talk about a "disadvantaged" applicant. They're mostly talking SES. Yours is stellar.

I don't think, however, that this necessarily means these events are worthless in terms of your app. Just don't make it look like you're attempting to play them to your advantage (difficult thing attempt for most).

Damn those kids! They must have gone to *gasp* public day care centers!

Fixed.

Oh wait.

Damn those kids! They must have gone to *gasp* public day care centers with lots of drugs!

There we go.
 
Do you guys think an ORM who went to a public high school just kind of cancels out and becomes neutral?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top