my age a concern?

[medschoolmyname]

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Hey guys just a quick question. So I'm going to submit tomorrow, but I'm just thinking ahead. Some secondaries ask to report any concerns on your application to the ad committee (example Davis) I've looked through my application and I have no major red flags, but at the same time I don't want it to look like I think highly of myself. So I thought I could discuss my age, I'm 20. Some ppl say at such a young age many ad com's presume that I'm not mature enough for Med school. So I thought maybe address that? If not I don't think there's much else.

I was also thinking (in terms of Davis ) I could maybe talk about how I don't have much experience serving underserved populations (my volunteering was more just helping people of need but not a specific underserved population), but that would seem like more of a turn off for a school like Davis that loves to see that.

Any tips on which I should talk about if any? Thanks.

 

[RussianFrolic]

Well, I'm 20 also. I have no doubt that some people don't understand why I want to apply so early and graduate in three years (I don't know if this is your case as well...), but it should be none of their concern if you have shown your drive for medicine, involvement and academic achievements.

Being a year younger than most applicants isn't a huge deal. Perhaps, it might come up at interviews, but why mention it there? You will make it seem like it's a bad thing or that you feel the need to justify it.

Everything in this life is relative, so keep in mind that other people who are answering that question will have actual concerns/red flags to talk about.

Good luck with applications!

 

[snowflakes]

Hey guys just a quick question. So I'm going to submit tomorrow, but I'm just thinking ahead. Some secondaries ask to report any concerns on your application to the ad committee (example Davis) I've looked through my application and I have no major red flags, but at the same time I don't want it to look like I think highly of myself. So I thought I could discuss my age, I'm 20. Some ppl say at such a young age many ad com's presume that I'm not mature enough for Med school. So I thought maybe address that? If not I don't think there's much else.

I was also thinking (in terms of Davis ) I could maybe talk about how I don't have much experience serving underserved populations (my volunteering was more just helping people of need but not a specific underserved population), but that would seem like more of a turn off for a school like Davis that loves to see that.

Any tips on which I should talk about if any? Thanks.

I don't think you should list anything at all for that question. It really is a place to discuss and explain actual red flags--like reasons for a bunch of withdrawals or terrible grades or institutional actions. LizzyM says that weaknesses are like zits--everyone has them but there's no need to draw attention to them! No worries, it's not going to look like you "think highly" of yourself. 🙂

 

[The Milkman]

I second snowflakes

 

[medschoolmyname]

I don't think you should list anything at all for that question. It really is a place to discuss and explain actual red flags--like reasons for a bunch of withdrawals or terrible grades or institutional actions. LizzyM says that weaknesses are like zits--everyone has them but there's no need to draw attention to them! No worries, it's not going to look like you "think highly" of yourself. 🙂

OK Thanks for your advice, one other question if I were to talk about something that would enhance a schools community could I talk about how I used to arrange events to show new students around the campus, and maybe as a biomedical engineer I provide a unique perspective?

 

[snowflakes]

OK Thanks for your advice, one other question if I were to talk about something that would enhance a schools community could I talk about how I used to arrange events to show new students around the campus, and maybe as a biomedical engineer I provide a unique perspective?

No problem.

So that question is similar to the diversity question--how would your presence add to the class? What perspectives due to academic or extracurricular or life experiences could you add to a class discussion? I think you're interpreting enhance community a little literally by answering with your work showing new students around campus--you can mention it, but I wouldn't make it a focus of the essay. The perspective you could add to your class as a biomedical engineer could be a strong answer. Do you have any international experiences or experiences with immigrant populations where you learned from the perspectives of other cultures? You can also talk about any service work you've done in the past (like working with underserved populations)--the school's community also includes the community surrounding the school and many service experiences give you valuable perspectives on social issues and healthcare. Additionally, you can talk about any hobby involvements you have--do you dance or sing or act? These are all things that would enhance the community of your school.

Also, for this question--if you're talking about work you've done in the past, make sure you explicitly link it how it relates to your future work/potential. So if you do talk about arranging events for the new students, link it to the skills or insights you gained that will follow you to med school, or similar types of activities you'd be involved with in med school.

 

[medschoolmyname]

No problem.

So that question is similar to the diversity question--how would your presence add to the class? What perspectives due to academic or extracurricular or life experiences could you add to a class discussion? I think you're interpreting enhance community a little literally by answering with your work showing new students around campus--you can mention it, but I wouldn't make it a focus of the essay. The perspective you could add to your class as a biomedical engineer could be a strong answer. Do you have any international experiences or experiences with immigrant populations where you learned from the perspectives of other cultures? You can also talk about any service work you've done in the past (like working with underserved populations)--the school's community also includes the community surrounding the school and many service experiences give you valuable perspectives on social issues and healthcare. Additionally, you can talk about any hobby involvements you have--do you dance or sing or act? These are all things that would enhance the community of your school.

Also, for this question--if you're talking about work you've done in the past, make sure you explicitly link it how it relates to your future work/potential. So if you do talk about arranging events for the new students, link it to the skills or insights you gained that will follow you to med school, or similar types of activities you'd be involved with in med school.

thanks for your help snowflake, i just submitted my primary so secondaries are in mind now. yeah i actually did have an international experience which i could write about. i think im going to write about those two, bioengineering and international experience.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

maybe as a biomedical engineer I provide a unique perspective?

I wouldn't do this because it's just not true.

1. You're not an engineer, you're an engineering major. Studying engineering and working as an engineer are very different things.
2. There are lots of engineering majors in medical school, there's nothing unique about it nor is there some unique perspective you'd be adding by being one.

 

[aspirantmed]

I applied in my senior year of college and was 20. Age never was mentioned in any of my interviews, and I don't think it held me back in any way. If you have spent your college years obtaining a strong set of diverse experiences, your activities, essays, and (later on) interview should speak for your maturity themselves.

 

[lightupthesky9]

I was also in the same situation this last year during my application cycle (20 throughout the entire cycle, just recently turned 21), and ended up with multiple acceptances. If anyone even noticed that I was significantly younger than other applicants, they certainly didn't mention it. I brought it up myself in one case, but only because it really fit the topic we were discussing. The only time my age was at all awkward was when other interviewees were sitting discussing their ages and experiences and I somewhat awkwardly avoided speaking at this point in the conversation...

 

[Mad Jack]

Don't draw attention to your age in your PS. You need to demonstrate maturity in your PS whether you're 20 or 50. Bringing it up only comes across as insecure most of the time, like you feel you need to justify yourself. Worse yet, wasting time in your PS mentioning your age wastes space you could use to demonstrate your maturity and instead brings it into question. Don't ever focus a PS on things that could be construed as flaws or weaknesses unless you're a damn good writer that knows what you are doing.

Just my two cents.

 

[The Chemist]

I would just wait a couple years. Get an MPH, join the Peace Corp, or do something else really interesting.
It will only help
1)strengthen your app
2)make you more mature (you can always mature more regardless where you are now)

 

[pharmolu]

I never thought 20 was even an unusual age to apply to medical school. Isn't that after junior year, or basically traditional applicants?

 

[RussianFrolic]

I never thought 20 was even an unusual age to apply to medical school. Isn't that after junior year, or basically traditional applicants?

Most junior year applicants are 21.

 

[pharmolu]

Most junior year applicants are 21.

Yeah you're right. However, if OP is like me, then he would be "20", but turn 21 in June/July.

 

[nemo123]

I met a number of applicants on the interview trail who had graduated from high school early (i.e. those who had been homeschooled) and had attended college a year or two earlier than when they would have attended (including @plumazul). I don't think their age held them back, and I doubt adcom members would have noticed since most of them were seniors in college or had just graduated.

 

[medschoolmyname]

thanks all much appreciated. I went ahead and slept on it, and I realized I missed out on the experience my family and I shared. I've always been able to communicate well with people of different cultures (most of the time anyway) and I never really thought about it critically until now. I realized it mostly stems from the fact that my parents included people of diverse backgrounds early in my life. Like they always kept our door open to people who needed help and always encouraged me to invite people I met at school over to my house to work on projects or even just to hang out. Im thinking I could talk about how they helped develop me as a person who learns by interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. I thought about and @WhippleWhileWeWork your probably right (my experience as an actual engineer is limited to an internship, and while I could talk about what and engineering background brings to the table, it will be tough to write about like it brings diversity or anything of that sort.) thanks guys!

 

[medschoolmyname]

ohh and sorry I know one of u said don't bring up anything on that first question (the one about concerns) but there is this website: "http://blog.accepted.com/2013/08/15/uc-davis-school-of-medicine-secondary-application-essay-tips/" where it says the following:
1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. 1500 characters

Here the admissions committee would like to see how accurately you can identify and address any weaknesses in your application. If it is challenging for you to identify any issues, it may be useful to have an advisor or medical school consultant review your application with you to select an appropriate topic to cover. The best responses will be those that are accurate and that have already been addressed so that you can end this essay on a high note.

If you clikc on the hyperlinked weaknesses it will direct you to a page that essentially says: "
The adcoms are trying to appraise you through your essays. If they ask you about a flaw, failure, or weaknesses and you fail to provide that proof of authenticity, then you will be a phony and fake in their eyes.

Remember what the jeweller said: “Nothing in the natural world is flawless.” Everything in nature has an imperfection, a flaw. Certainly human beings are wonderful proof of his point. But, the question becomes how do you handle yours? Do you deny they exist? Do you just throw up your hands and say, “That’s me. Take it or leave it.”

If asked, don’t hesitate to reveal a real weakness. Also, try to show how you have strengthened that area, developed other talents to compensate, or grown as you dealt with and minimized your imperfection so that over time it has become much harder to see, perhaps imperceptible."

The problem I'm facing is that the question is asking about the physical application itself, not a weakness of myself per say. The only thing available to talk about in the application could either be GPA, MCAT, any felonies/misdeamonors/instiutional action. I have none the latter, my gpa is solid, and while my MCAT could be better the consensus on SDN is not to bring that up. so im in a real quandry here. Should i talk about a character weakness that hasn't been brought up yet or what?

 

[snowflakes]

it will be tough to write about like it brings diversity or anything of that sort.

So, remember that the question is asking how you would enhance the community at UC Davis, not how you are unique. Focus less on trying to find something that is objectively unique to your application and your application only--most likely, nothing is--and more on showing a thoughtful reflection on how your background and life experiences have shaped how you will approach medicine. This is true even for questions that directly ask about diversity, instead of enhancing the community. This is a hard essay to write well, but you have lots of time to work on it (with the added benefit that it will be come up in a lot of secondaries). Based on what you wrote so far, I think you're on the right track. 🙂

ohh and sorry I know one of u said don't bring up anything on that first question (the one about concerns) but there is this website: "http://blog.accepted.com/2013/08/15/uc-davis-school-of-medicine-secondary-application-essay-tips/" where it says the following:
1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. 1500 characters

Here the admissions committee would like to see how accurately you can identify and address any weaknesses in your application. If it is challenging for you to identify any issues, it may be useful to have an advisor or medical school consultant review your application with you to select an appropriate topic to cover. The best responses will be those that are accurate and that have already been addressed so that you can end this essay on a high note.

If you clikc on the hyperlinked weaknesses it will direct you to a page that essentially says: "
The adcoms are trying to appraise you through your essays. If they ask you about a flaw, failure, or weaknesses and you fail to provide that proof of authenticity, then you will be a phony and fake in their eyes.

Remember what the jeweller said: “Nothing in the natural world is flawless.” Everything in nature has an imperfection, a flaw. Certainly human beings are wonderful proof of his point. But, the question becomes how do you handle yours? Do you deny they exist? Do you just throw up your hands and say, “That’s me. Take it or leave it.”

If asked, don’t hesitate to reveal a real weakness. Also, try to show how you have strengthened that area, developed other talents to compensate, or grown as you dealt with and minimized your imperfection so that over time it has become much harder to see, perhaps imperceptible."

The problem I'm facing is that the question is asking about the physical application itself, not a weakness of myself per say. The only thing available to talk about in the application could either be GPA, MCAT, any felonies/misdeamonors/instiutional action. I have none the latter, my gpa is solid, and while my MCAT could be better the consensus on SDN is not to bring that up. so im in a real quandry here. Should i talk about a character weakness that hasn't been brought up yet or what?

So all of that above is from someone's blog right? And the actual secondary question is just "Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. 1500 characters," right? If so, then I disagree with the interpretation of that blog, and would still suggest leaving it blank. It seems others on here would agree. Some secondaries will ask you outright "What is your greatest weakness" and there, I would respond how the blog suggests. However, this UC Davis question is not the same thing as asking you to reflect on your weaknesses--it's a chance to explain any major red flags on your application.

 

[medschoolmyname]

So, remember that the question is asking how you would enhance the community at UC Davis, not how you are unique. Focus less on trying to find something that is objectively unique to your application and your application only--most likely, nothing is--and more on showing a thoughtful reflection on how your background and life experiences have shaped how you will approach medicine. This is true even for questions that directly ask about diversity, instead of enhancing the community. This is a hard essay to write well, but you have lots of time to work on it (with the added benefit that it will be come up in a lot of secondaries). Based on what you wrote so far, I think you're on the right track. 🙂



So all of that above is from someone's blog right? And the actual secondary question is just "Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. 1500 characters," right? If so, then I disagree with the interpretation of that blog, and would still suggest leaving it blank. It seems others on here would agree. Some secondaries will ask you outright "What is your greatest weakness" and there, I would respond how the blog suggests. However, this UC Davis question is not the same thing as asking you to reflect on your weaknesses--it's a chance to explain any major red flags on your application.

alright thanks alot snowflakes for your help that question was confusing the hell out of me. and thanks again for your thoughts on the enhancement question, yeah ur right trying to protray some experience as unique is not the right way to go about it, its more about how my experiences have shaped me as a person.

 

[Goro]

It's only a concern if, at the interview, you act immaturely.

Hey guys just a quick question. So I'm going to submit tomorrow, but I'm just thinking ahead. Some secondaries ask to report any concerns on your application to the ad committee (example Davis) I've looked through my application and I have no major red flags, but at the same time I don't want it to look like I think highly of myself. So I thought I could discuss my age, I'm 20. Some ppl say at such a young age many ad com's presume that I'm not mature enough for Med school. So I thought maybe address that? If not I don't think there's much else.

I was also thinking (in terms of Davis ) I could maybe talk about how I don't have much experience serving underserved populations (my volunteering was more just helping people of need but not a specific underserved population), but that would seem like more of a turn off for a school like Davis that loves to see that.

Any tips on which I should talk about if any? Thanks.