I was unschooled, should I mention it on applications?

[lotsacoffee]

I have had a unique educational journey and I'm not sure if I should write about it in my med school applications. I am curious to know what SDN users think.

I was pulled out of school after the 1st grade due to poverty and my mom’s untreated mental illness. I wasn’t homeschooled and I didn’t have access to any learning resources. I later used khan academy to learn math, starting with 2nd grade material when I was 18. Overall, after 1st grade I had no more formal education until I started college in my 20s.

I applied to college in my 20s because I moved out at 17 and it took a couple years before I felt financially and intellectually confident enough to start. I was able to apply because I do have a diploma. In my state, a “homeschooling” parent can issue their own child’s diploma and no specific curriculum is required. Therefore, my diploma is legitimate. I started at a community college and then transferred to a 4-year university. I currently have a 4.0 gpa but I won’t be applying for a few more years so my gpa could certainly change.

I would like to include this in my applications because I feel it is a big part of my story. It was an obstacle that I am proud of myself for overcoming. My journey fostered a strong passion for learning, and taught me to be hard working student.
Given that I can maintain good grades, should I include this part of my educational past in my applications? Or does it make me seem incapable of succeeding in rigorous education?

Thanks for reading. I would appreciate it if anyone could share their opinions with me.

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[CAFFEINE!]

Your story would make for an amazing adversity essay in your secondary applications.

 

[lotsacoffee]

Your story would make for an amazing adversity essay in your secondary applications.

Oh that’s good to hear. Thank you!

 

[Catalystik]

I have had a unique educational journey and I'm not sure if I should write about it in my med school applications. I am curious to know what SDN users think.

I was pulled out of school after the 1st grade due to poverty and my mom’s untreated mental illness. I wasn’t homeschooled and I didn’t have access to any learning resources. I later used khan academy to learn math, starting with 2nd grade material when I was 18. Overall, after 1st grade I had no more formal education until I started college in my 20s.

I applied to college in my 20s because I moved out at 17 and it took a couple years before I felt financially and intellectually confident enough to start. I was able to apply because I do have a diploma. In my state, a “homeschooling” parent can issue their own child’s diploma and no specific curriculum is required. Therefore, my diploma is legitimate. I started at a community college and then transferred to a 4-year university. I currently have a 4.0 gpa but I won’t be applying for a few more years so my gpa could certainly change.

I would like to include this in my applications because I feel it is a big part of my story. It was an obstacle that I am proud of myself for overcoming. My journey fostered a strong passion for learning, and taught me to be hard working student.
Given that I can maintain good grades, should I include this part of my educational past in my applications? Or does it make me seem incapable of succeeding in rigorous education?

On an AMCAS application, you will have the opportunity to write an essay discussing your educational and financial disadvantages prior to the age of 18.

 

[lotsacoffee]

On an AMCAS application, you will have the opportunity to write an essay discussing your educational and financial disadvantages prior to the age of 18.

That’s really good to know. Thank you!

 

[LindaAccepted]

I have had a unique educational journey and I'm not sure if I should write about it in my med school applications. I am curious to know what SDN users think.

I was pulled out of school after the 1st grade due to poverty and my mom’s untreated mental illness. I wasn’t homeschooled and I didn’t have access to any learning resources. I later used khan academy to learn math, starting with 2nd grade material when I was 18. Overall, after 1st grade I had no more formal education until I started college in my 20s.

I applied to college in my 20s because I moved out at 17 and it took a couple years before I felt financially and intellectually confident enough to start. I was able to apply because I do have a diploma. In my state, a “homeschooling” parent can issue their own child’s diploma and no specific curriculum is required. Therefore, my diploma is legitimate. I started at a community college and then transferred to a 4-year university. I currently have a 4.0 gpa but I won’t be applying for a few more years so my gpa could certainly change.

I would like to include this in my applications because I feel it is a big part of my story. It was an obstacle that I am proud of myself for overcoming. My journey fostered a strong passion for learning, and taught me to be hard working student.
Given that I can maintain good grades, should I include this part of my educational past in my applications? Or does it make me seem incapable of succeeding in rigorous education?

Thanks for reading. I would appreciate it if anyone could share their opinions with me.

I don't know how you could leave this story of overcoming adversity out of your application. It would make a great response to an adversity question or a most meaningful experience, since not all schools ask adversity questions. I'm not sure how it would play into your "Why medicine?" story, but if it would, it could be part of your PS.

In the meantime, continue to do well in school, on the MCAT, and in your exploration of medicine.

 

[Moko]

You were very disadvantaged growing up. Be sure to identify yourself as such on the application. This will give you an additional essay to write specifically about the challenges you've overcome to get to college.

 

[lotsacoffee]

Thank you everyone for your input! I was unsure about including this part of my story in my applications because it's something i've been embarrassed about for so long. I was worried that it would make me look bad to medical schools but at the same time it is a big part of my educational journey so I did want to include it.
I'll be sure to write about it in disadvantaged essays and possibly my PS if I can properly write about how it pertains to my interest in medicine.
Thanks again for all the help!

 

[CatDad26]

Update us when you get into Harvard please...

 

[lotsacoffee]

Update us when you get into Harvard please...

Haha I’d be happy to get into my state school!

 

[AvsPearTree]

This isn't even a personal statement and I was immediately hooked wanting to know more about your story. Congrats on your future success and admittance, you've clearly earned it!

 

[LizzyM]

You are exactly the applicant for whom the disadvantaged section of the AMCAS application was created. You weren't ready for college at age 17 or 18 due to profound hardships. AMCAS gives you a place to describe that hardship without having to park it in your personal statement.

You can also include employment, even if not related to medicine, and so forth so that adcoms see what you went through as an an adult to get to where you are today.

 

[lotsacoffee]

This isn't even a personal statement and I was immediately hooked wanting to know more about your story. Congrats on your future success and admittance, you've clearly earned it!

Wow, I wasn’t expecting such nice responses to this! Your kind words make me feel so motivated to keep working hard. Thank you!!

 

[Bwesternn]

Yeah.. this is amazing. Your disadvantaged essay is going to kill. Keep trucking and best of luck to you!

 

[arnim]

I later used khan academy to learn math, starting with 2nd grade material when I was 18. Overall, after 1st grade I had no more formal education until I started college in my 20s.

This has me floored. As others said already this is the exact situation for which a diversity statement is designed for. I want to say: You’re just a great inspiration as an individual, I wish you the best of luck and feel free to PM me for any writing assistance!

 

[Bonne Nuit]

I agree with all the advice you've been given, but I would like to add one additional point for your consideration:

It sounds like you had a particularly challenging childhood, and anything you write about or allude to on your applications is fair game for interview discussion. If you mention your mom's mental illness in an essay, for example, interviewers are liable to ask follow-up questions about this. Sometimes it can get a little personal. Just be prepared for this so you're not caught off guard on interview day.

Best of luck!

 

[lostmed]

I have had a unique educational journey and I'm not sure if I should write about it in my med school applications. I am curious to know what SDN users think.

I was pulled out of school after the 1st grade due to poverty and my mom’s untreated mental illness. I wasn’t homeschooled and I didn’t have access to any learning resources. I later used khan academy to learn math, starting with 2nd grade material when I was 18. Overall, after 1st grade I had no more formal education until I started college in my 20s.

I applied to college in my 20s because I moved out at 17 and it took a couple years before I felt financially and intellectually confident enough to start. I was able to apply because I do have a diploma. In my state, a “homeschooling” parent can issue their own child’s diploma and no specific curriculum is required. Therefore, my diploma is legitimate. I started at a community college and then transferred to a 4-year university. I currently have a 4.0 gpa but I won’t be applying for a few more years so my gpa could certainly change.

I would like to include this in my applications because I feel it is a big part of my story. It was an obstacle that I am proud of myself for overcoming. My journey fostered a strong passion for learning, and taught me to be hard working student.
Given that I can maintain good grades, should I include this part of my educational past in my applications? Or does it make me seem incapable of succeeding in rigorous education?

Thanks for reading. I would appreciate it if anyone could share their opinions with me.

I am literally so proud of you. You are amazing and have overcame so much. I really don’t have crap to add besides please write about it and continue thriving and flourishing. If you don’t already and get the chance, please mentor young students in underserved areas. This is a story they can connect to. Ugh I’m so happy for you.

 

[lotsacoffee]

I agree with all the advice you've been given, but I would like to add one additional point for your consideration:

It sounds like you had a particularly challenging childhood, and anything you write about or allude to on your applications is fair game for interview discussion. If you mention your mom's mental illness in an essay, for example, interviewers are liable to ask follow-up questions about this. Sometimes it can get a little personal. Just be prepared for this so you're not caught off guard on interview day.

Best of luck!

Yes, very good point. In an essay I wrote for my university application I vaguely mentioned that my mother was not super attentive to my education. However, I focused on her physical ailments and financial siuation rather than mental health. It’s definitely very personal so I will proceed with caution when describing the situation in any future essays. Thank you!!

 

[fogo]

Amazing. I can’t even imagine the mental fortitude needed to get to where you are now. This is the “X factor” pre-meds talk about — it is so because it’s exceedingly rare, personal, and extraordinary. I wish you the best, now and in the future.

 

[TheaterOfTheme]

I do not have quite as extreme a background in anti-educational culture, but my own childhood was similar enough to understand what you went through. I had cousins who had the exact same home school experience as you. Once I learned how to write about my experiences, I got a lot of attention from programs! It wasn’t until residency apps that I figured out how to concisely distill the very odd things I experienced as a kid into a palatable and compelling narrative. We need doctors like you! You’ll have an amazing perspective and a tremendous amount of empathy.

You’ll have a whole host of specific struggles that most people won’t have as well. You’ll be surrounded by people from privileged backgrounds who totally don’t understand the rural/backwater ways many Americans grow up in. Honestly, it makes you more badass because even the deepest of struggles of medical training STILL won’t be as bad as those dark days before you became aware of the outside world (at least that’s how I felt when I put things into perspective). Also, I noticed that accepting some of the cultural elements of medicine are way harder for me compared to my colleagues. I tend to question authority way more and am often the least able to silently conform to bureaucratic nonsense. So there’s downsides. I feel like I don’t share many of the values most doctors have. But that’s also why I chose to do residency in a more rural area; so it’s been way easier finding similar minded professionals during residency. You’ll likely always feel in between worlds—again this leads to an insane capacity for empathy. Anyways, good luck friend!

 

[TheaterOfTheme]

Amazing. I can’t even imagine the mental fortitude needed to get to where you are now. This is the “X factor” pre-meds talk about — it is so because it’s exceedingly rare, personal, and extraordinary. I wish you the best, now and in the future.

True that. X-factor for sure

 

[Camber314]

Yes, absolutely, you should mention it. We unschooled our daughter who is now a 4.0 GPA third year college student, no difficulties (thus far).

As long as you do well in your college classes and score reasonably well on standardized testing you will be fine. Your story shows resilience and ambition, which can be significant benefits to medical training and practice. Of course you should back it up with the appropriate credentials via solid undergrad grades and MCAT scores to show you can handle academic rigor. If you can produce this, you will have a solid chance.

As far as how much detail to go into in essays, background, childhood, etc, that's where the devil is in the details. PM me if you need further info.

 

[LlamaLlamaTraumaMama]

A) you are amazing.

B ) It sounds like you weren't unschooled, you were just straight up NOT schooled. Unschooling is the unfortunately misleading name of a very specific type of homeschooling where the parent attentively tailors curriculum to the student's interests, teaching other things like writing and research through the lens of whatever they're interested in -- be it 18th century clothing or veterinary medicine or robotics or whatever else. Useful for educating kids with ADHD through their hyperfixations. It sounds like you had the OPPOSITE of all of that.

C) Still thinking of how amazing you are. I was also homeschooled by a mom with untreated mental illness and chronic Lyme that kept her in bed 24/7 BUT (!!!!) she always carefully selected curriculum at the beginning of each year for me to use to teach myself! It was really really hard, so for you to get to where you are when you had nothing available to you is absolutely mind blowing. And to take that initiative ***at 18***, when most people are kind of just following where life takes them? Fam...... Incredible.

 

[TumbleweedTex]

Can't give advice on the questions, but had to drop by and say congratulations on what you've overcome. Truly remarkable.