How to approach disadvantaged status essay

[EyesOfTheWorld]

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I really have no doubts that I grew up disadvantaged, and I'm pretty proud of myself for pulling out of a stressful childhood and actually managing to become a well rounded individual. However, I have no idea how to approach the disadvantaged essay, I've read a lot about not mentioning things that make you look weak/cast doubt on your support system/put into question your mental stability/etc and I want to avoid doing that at all. Nor do I want to sound whiny and I don't want this to be a huge part of my application but I do feel like it put me at a significant disadvantage not only economically but also socially and academically.

The things that make me consider myself disadvantaged:

• father left when I was very young, I used to visit him for a while but he moved out of state dropping all contact and eventually not paying child support
• Mother met my step-father. I remember very physical domestic violence from an early age (before I entered kindergarten)
• My mom worked 2-3 jobs for most of my childhood, stepfather worked construction and was very controlling about my mom's income. If I had anything I needed money for (academic supplies, field trips, extracurriculars, even rides to activities, etc) there would be a huge fight
• We moved multiple times, my mom always fleeing from the abuse. Entered into other unstable relationships and finally got back with stepdad because he promised to be better about providing and not being controlling about money
• Still lots of physical abuse, I would often play "referee" so to speak getting in between the fights because I feared serious physical harm would happen. These fights would last until wee hours of the morning and usually begin again when my dad got up for work at 5 am. I didn't get a lot of sleep before most school days in the years when this was the worst and I was constantly nervous about coming home from school (3rd-8th grade)
• In sixth grade we fled to a domestic violence shelter, we stayed there for a few months until my mom realized she couldn't support us (three kids) on her own and went back with step dad.
• Once I got into high school the physical aspect of things cooled down but there's still a lot of constant yelling and borderline verbal abuse. The environment in my home is pretty toxic and I spent most of my high school years trying to stay as far away as possible. Every time I go home I try to help with the situation and mediate things so they get better - especially for my little brother who I worry about but it's been this way for so long I don't think my family knows how to interact in a healthy way
• My parents had no money to contribute to my education (my biological father probably did but doesn't care) aside from some help with rent my mom can afford now that she has started her own minor cleaning business.
• As far as further economic aspects: we were on welfare, food stamps, WIC, CHIP medical insurance, etc. (This was all on/off. My mom was very prideful and always got off assistance as soon as she didn't think we needed it) For a long time we didn't have health insurance and my family just lost health insurance again.

Sorry for the bunch of text. I haven't talked about my experiences with other people much at all, so I have a hard time knowing how to explain it without veering off into extremes. I'm also curious how this would come up during interviews, if it would at all. I'm not incredibly comfortable talking about it but I could prepare.

I'm very hesitant to post this but I need help. I wish we could post anonymously here. 😛 I would appreciate any guidance - I've looked through several threads on this but I still feel pretty lost.

Edited to add: Also, I wasn't allowed to work in high school (plus no one could/would take me to get my license) and my mom didn't want me to work at all in school because it's why she had to drop out, but I work three jobs now because I can't put any financial strain on her anymore with everything she's been through.

 

[LizzyM]

The text box for 'disadvantaged status" is not huge but you can make this work.

My parents divorced when I was very young and eventually my father moved out of state and stopped paying child support. My step-father, a construction worker, was controlling about money, even that which my mother earned herself working 2-3 jobs. He was abusive and for several months my mother, two siblings and I lived in a domestic violence shelter but my mom went back to my stepdad out of economic necessity. There were many years of sleepless nights as child as I played referee to my feuding parents well into the night.. We were on welfare, food stamps, WIC, and CHIP medical insurance. My mom was very prideful and always got off assistance as soon as she thought we didn't need it anymore. For a long time, we didn't have health insurance at all. I wanted to work in HS but I did not have a driver's license and my mother urged me to focus on my studies and not be distracted by a job as she had been in HS.

If it is too long, I'd cut the sentence that begins "For a long time" and the one beginning "My mom was".

PM me if you wish.

 

[Neuronix]

I also grew up and applied as disadvantaged. I was very explicit about what happened that was out of my control, then put a positive light on anything I did that was within my control once I got out of that situation. That's how I always tell people to frame it. What's out of your control, people cannot blame you for. It's something you overcame later. Sell yourself as being a motivated, independent, intelligent person as a result of everything that happened before and the progress you've made since then.

On SDN you can post anonymously through the Confidential Consult forum: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/want-to-ask-a-question-anonymously.421278/

PM me if you would like to talk more. Honestly I think these things never hurt you, and may help you stand out as a unique applicant and person.