My bad for another disadvantaged thread

[HannibalLecter]

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Would I be considered a disadvantaged student?

After reading a lot of posts on here on the fine line of being disadvantaged or not, I leave the jury verdict up to SDN because I don't want to seem desperate. Third time applying I have never claimed disadvantages but I feel my applications previous cycles were not complete because I was immature. I want to include everything about me to the best of my abilities.

My case:
My dad a phone technician (electrical engineering degree from small college in a village) and my mom a home maker (high school diploma)
We lived in a 3rd world country back then (now its a developing nation) in urban neighborhoods, always in an apartment.
Had a 1 bedroom 1 BA apartment for me, my parents and my brother.
My dad worked two full time jobs plus one part time
Never rode in a car

Moving to America (13 years ago):
Whole family moved together with 4 grand total under our name
My dad worked on an assembly line for 6 years and rode a bicycle to work
My mom and my brother minimum wage
I started with washing cars when I was 13
Food stamping it plus discounted lunches through middle school
Didn't have enough money for buses
Lived in an apartment complex in a suburb because thats where my "uncle" lived - he kicked us to the curb so I don't consider him uncle
got our first car and first house when I was junior in high school.
Been pretty ok since then.

 

[terry gordy]

No, that is not disadvantaged. That is the typical immigrant story.

 

[rockclock]

I know I'm probably the last person you want to see commenting on a post as personal as this, so bear with me...

It's up to your whether or not you want to indicate disadvantaged status on your application, but your background more than qualifies. By no means would you be acting "desperate" or milking your situation for more than it's worth. If anything I think it puts your achievements and dedication into context and gives the adcoms and your interviewer a more complete picture of who you are as an applicant.

That said, I'm honestly shocked to hear that you're a re-applicant, and a third timer at that! I have no doubts that you will do very well on the DAT; I've seen many of your posts, and coming from someone who scored very highly on the DAT and knows what it takes, I'm sure you will have no problems. Good luck and have a very successful application cycle overall!

 

[rockclock]

No, that is not disadvantaged. That is the typical immigrant story.

You're making a judgement call as to this being "the typical immigrant story", but even if we assume that, the two aren't mutually exclusive. A lot of applicants who were born and raised in the U.S. and have a disadvantaged background are going to have commonalities in their stories, too. That doesn't make them any more "typical" or change the fact that they have a disadvantaged background in any way.

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

I wouldn't consider your story to be disadvantaged. It's pretty much in line with my story. Dad had bachelors in engineering in third world country, then came over to wash dishes in america while supporting 5 kids.
Like you, my family became home owners during middle school and we've been middle classed since.

For disadvataged status, schools are aiming at mostly URMs, although anyone can be disadvataged. People whose parents still live in the ghetto, and who went through high school and sometimes college from the ghetto. Some high schools graduate less than 30% of entering freshmen. These kids have never lived in a house their parents owned. They fought through poverty while studying and usually had to work to support their family before they were 18. I'm not sure which schools you are applying to, but Howard and Meharry tends to look at these sections the most.

You had it bad at the beginning, but you had it relatively good since then.

Put it in your personal statement if you want to talk about it, but it's pushing it if you think you had it bad. Maybe there is something else in your life that made you feel that you werent given a fair shot at life, but from your post, I couldn't see anything.

I am brutally honest at times, so take opinion any way you want.

And yes, your story is a typical immigrant story. Most immigrants came here with nothing and worked their way up.

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

On a side note, the UN has a way of classifying nations, and their terms for 3rd world countries has become more sensitive over time.

It used to be called "undeveloped" country, but that pissed some countries off so they renamed it "underdeveloped" country. Still, it pissed off those countries, and therefore the term "developing" country was coined, even if it was not developing.

 

[HillsNayyr]

I would say you would be fine putting down disadvantaged.

 

[DMDftw]

I think if you qualify for federal assistance (aka the reduced lunch fare) during your childhood, etc or was considered to be a low-income student, you classified as an economically disadvantaged student.

 

[HannibalLecter]

Yeah I think I am going to write the personal statement about it. Do you guys think this personal statement should be on the same caliber as the bigger personal statement or is it ok for me to just get it proofread by like a couple of people not like 20 that I got for my real personal statement?

 

[seattlesun]

Yes. Do it! And treat it as a second essay, as important as your statement. Try not to have overlapping info, but make it good, make it positive (make it a power story, not a cry on your shoulder story) and use it as another opportunity to show who you are. Best of luck!

 

[HannibalLecter]

thank you

 

[2th Doc]

That sounds pretty disadvantaged to me... props to your parents for making it happen.

 

[DonutEater]

Mad props to you. Hopefully you get into dental school and make your parents proud. 🙂

 

[DrDSA]

This is a great question, and one that absolutely nobody but you can answer. There are no guidelines for what makes one person more disadvantaged than the other. That said, after reading your post, I feel that you have a really compelling story. If told right, it will strike a cord with someone at the admissions table.

Here's one tip: in telling your story: don't necessarily point out to a reader that you're disadvantaged (in other words, never say "I come from a disadvantaged background"). Simply tell your story, weave it into your current life, and figure out how it all pushed you toward a career in dentistry. If you do that well, you'll have a top-notch essay that will convey your struggles to the reader and will impress them that you've overcome so much to get where you are.

I was on my dental school's admissions committee and can tell you that the most compelling essays were both personal and informative.

Let me know if you have any other questions.
-Ryan