Legally changing my last name before applying

[Biochemistry69]

I'm considering changing my last name (for personal reasons). Will adcoms see that I changed my last name and ask me why? I'm sure my transcripts would reflect my original name.

The last name I'm considering switching to is Asian (I have a white-sounding last name right now). Would this potentially bias me in the admissions cycle?

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[RTC19]

They won't ask you why and will think nothing of it. At the age when most people are applying to med school, all sorts of name changes are happening as people get married, etc.

You should wait for someone who knows what they are talking about (I'm just a premed), but usually on AMCAS they will have a spot asking for any former names you have used. You will put your current name in this spot and they will put two and two together with the transcripts. 🙂

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I'm considering changing my last name (for personal reasons). Will adcoms see that I changed my last name and ask me why? I'm sure my transcripts would reflect my original name.

The last name I'm considering switching to is Asian (I have a white-sounding last name right now). Would this potentially bias me in the admissions cycle?

What year in college are you? Will your LORs reflect your old or new name?

Are you Asian? If not, why are you changing your “white sounding” name to an Asian last name (presumably this isn't a marriage name change).

I’m not an adcom, but I think it raises an eyebrow if the name change isn’t because of a marriage or because of making a difficult last name more simple.

 

[Biochemistry69]

What year in college are you? Will your LORs reflect your old or new name?

Are you Asian? If not, why are you changing your “white sounding” name to an Asian last name (presumably this isn't a marriage name change).

I’m not an adcom, but I think it raises an eyebrow if the name change isn’t because of a marriage or because of making a difficult last name more simple.

I'm graduated, not sure if my LORs will reflect my new or old name.

Asian and caucasian, along with a few other things, will be checked under "ethnicity" on my application. No, it is not a marriage change.

Do you really think a last name change is indicative of my performance as a physician?

 

[yellowballoon]

What year in college are you? Will your LORs reflect your old or new name?

Are you Asian? If not, why are you changing your “white sounding” name to an Asian last name (presumably this isn't a marriage name change).

I’m not an adcom, but I think it raises an eyebrow if the name change isn’t because of a marriage or because of making a difficult last name more simple.

OP could have significant cultural and familial ties to the asian last name they want to change it to. It's not eyebrow raising in my opinion, just make sure you're clear about a name change on the applications and on background checks