Question about supplying info about parents on AMCAS?

[chilon85]

I was filling out the AMCAS application and was wondering whether or not there are any advantages or disadvantages in filling out all of the information about one's parents; i.e. their job, education, degree information, etc? I just wanted to know what everyone's thoughts are regarding this.

Thanks

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[mtDNA]

I was filling out the AMCAS application and was wondering whether or not there are any advantages or disadvantages in filling out all of the information about one's parents; i.e. their job, education, degree information, etc? I just wanted to know what everyone's thoughts are regarding this.

Thanks

If your parents income is low, and they are not very educated, etc, etc. then it will probably be a boon to your application. So, if your parents fall into this category, you should supply the information. If your parents are wealthy, then you may as well leave it blank.

 

[str8flexed]

If your parents income is low, and they are not very educated, etc, etc. then it will probably be a boon to your application. So, if your parents fall into this category, you should supply the information. If your parents are wealthy, then you may as well leave it blank.

Should I leave it blank, or should I just fill it out because it's asked?

 

[2010MD]

.

 

[DrValentine]

def not trying to scare anyone 'cause i totally think you should fill the section out... but it did come up in one of my interviews, i was actually asked how i could get along with people from lower income families since my mom is a doctor and dad is an engineer... i had a nice answer for him, but i thought it was so rude of him to assume anything, rrrrrr

 

[str8flexed]

Yah...I think if they ask it, fill it out. Otherwise, they will wonder why, and this is always not good.

 

[Blue Planet]

My only question is why do med schools care? It seems to me that the AMCAS asks a lot of questions which I feel are unrelated to medicine and medical school. AMCAS should be concerned with my experiences and qualifications, not my parents'.

 

[vtucci]

Your family is part of your experience. If you are first generation college than it is more impressive to some ADCOMs than if you are from a long line of college educated. If they are immigrants, I would put that down as well. Bottom line- it will not hurt you. Even if they were drug dealers, it could be something that you could spin as something you overcame.

 

[LabMonster]

My only question is why do med schools care? It seems to me that the AMCAS asks a lot of questions which I feel are unrelated to medicine and medical school. AMCAS should be concerned with my experiences and qualifications, not my parents'.

It does provide some degree of one's background, but mainly, I think they use that data for statistical/demographic purposes.

 

[chilon85]

Your family is part of your experience. If you are first generation college than it is more impressive to some ADCOMs than if you are from a long line of college educated. If they are immigrants, I would put that down as well. Bottom line- it will not hurt you. Even if they were drug dealers, it could be something that you could spin as something you overcame.

I was thinking the same as you. But then I started thinking about how what a person's parents do might influence an ADCOM's decision, i.e. if all things were the equal but one applicant was a first generation in college then maybe he/she would be favored and would be given a chance over someone who comes from a long line of highly educated people. I know it is absolutely stupid and that providing the information really doesn't affect anything and that I am thinking WAAAAAY too much into this. I think I need to get off SDN and worry about the rest of the application process!

 

[MediMama23]

I was thinking the same as you. But then I started thinking about how what a person's parents do might influence an ADCOM's decision, i.e. if all things were the equal but one applicant was a first generation in college then maybe he/she would be favored and would be given a chance over someone who comes from a long line of highly educated people.

I know it is absolutely stupid and that providing the information really doesn't affect anything and that I am thinking WAAAAAY too much into this. I think I need to get off SDN and worry about the rest of the application process!

Yes, please do.

 

[chilon85]

Yes, please do.

lol, thanks

 

[ltrain]

i filled it out because i don't really have a state of residence at the moment...i've been living in ma too long to be a resident of ny (where i grew up) and not long enough to be considered a resident for umass. hoping the fact that both my parents still live in ny will help them consider me a quasi-resident. i don't know if there's really any merit to this line of thought.

 

[LizzyM]

I was filling out the AMCAS application and was wondering whether or not there are any advantages or disadvantages in filling out all of the information about one's parents; i.e. their job, education, degree information, etc? I just wanted to know what everyone's thoughts are regarding this.

Thanks

Sometimes it is of help. Even if you don't check the "disadvantaged" box, your parents' education and professions tell the adcom something about your household of origin. If one or both of your parents are physicians, then it might seem okay that you don't have any "shadowing" among your ECs - presumablly you have an idea of what doctors do based on conversations with your parents. If you are the first member of your family to attend college that tells a different story than if you are the offspring of a lawyer and a social scientist. There is some argument to be made for "diversity" within a class that focuses not only on race and sex but on diversity of experiences. At some schools, you will be the only applicant whose parents are ranchers or beekeepers. If one of your parents has died, it is an easy way to convey that information without going on about it at length in your PS.

On the topic of families, please avoid giving TMI (too much information) about members of your family in your PS. If your father has impregnanted his mistress, left his wife to run off with a male lover, or become incontinent after surgery, it might be TMI. Keep in mind that the Hippocratic Oath requires that what is learned in private be kept private. I'd like to suggest starting with your family's very personal information. If you wouldn't want to see it on the front page of the local newpaper, don't put it in your P.S.

 

[Dr. Mojo]

Sometimes it is of help. Even if you don't check the "disadvantaged" box, your parents' education and professions tell the adcom something about your household of origin. If one or both of your parents are physicians, then it might seem okay that you don't have any "shadowing" among your ECs - presumablly you have an idea of what doctors do based on conversations with your parents. If you are the first member of your family to attend college that tells a different story than if you are the offspring of a lawyer and a social scientist. There is some argument to be made for "diversity" within a class that focuses not only on race and sex but on diversity of experiences. At some schools, you will be the only applicant whose parents are ranchers or beekeepers. If one of your parents has died, it is an easy way to convey that information without going on about it at length in your PS.

Neither one of my parents finished high school (one of them didn't even finish grade school). I was told NOT to include this information as it is sure to hinder my application - LizzyM can you please verify the validity of this statement?

Thanks,
Moj

 

[bkpa2med]

I don't see how it would hinder it. Both my parents are immigrants and didn't finish high school either and I put that down as well.

 

[michjen23]

Neither one of my parents finished high school (one of them didn't even finish grade school). I was told NOT to include this information as it is sure to hinder my application - LizzyM can you please verify the validity of this statement?

Thanks,
Moj

I was told the same about it hindering my application. but I was also told that if you leave the section blank you wil most likely get questioned about it because they might think there was an error in amcas processing. Can't help you on the if it will hinder your application part Good luck

 

[Dr. Mojo]

I was told the same about it hindering my application. but I was also told that if you leave the section blank you wil most likely get questioned about it because they might think there was an error in amcas processing. Can't help you on the if it will hinder your application part Good luck

Any of the adcomms willing to provide insight and clear this up?

Moj

 

[LizzyM]

Neither one of my parents finished high school (one of them didn't even finish grade school). I was told NOT to include this information as it is sure to hinder my application - LizzyM can you please verify the validity of this statement?

Thanks,
Moj

I know more than a dozen adcom members and I have never had anyone make a comment that someone was not worthy of an interview or admission because of their parents' lack of education. Some will even mention that "bootstraps" (achieving success through your own hard work) is a very attractive attribute in an applicant.

 

[willow18]

I agree with LizzyM. My parents nor I went to high-school (I got a GED at 21), and whenever it came up, the interviewers were thoroughly impressed.

 

[Chuckwalla]

One of my parents is quite educated. I am afraid that this will hurt me because there is a preference for disadvantaged candidates. Should I leave it blank or fill it in?