Registering for MCAT--checking off "MAR" status?

[riverjib]

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Members do not see this ad.

It states that:

"You are eligible if (a) you are a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident Visa holder, and (b) you are a member of an ethnic group currently underrepresented in medicine- Black American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian, Mexican American, Mainland Puerto Rican or you are economically disadvantaged."

I am not a minority, but I am economically disadvantaged. My fiance and I are supporting ourselves entirely on student loans with no financial assistance from either of our families. I'm not working now that I'm studying for the MCAT and taking a full course load and finishing my senior thesis, and he can't work at all during rotations.

We had depleted most of our savings, and we're really broke. I'm filing for the "Fee Assistance Program" since I can prove that both my parents are broke, too. Is it better just to apply for FAP and not check off "MAR" status, or should I do both? I know what the instructions say, but I'm not sure what the implications are for me.

 

[d1ony5u5]

Did you look into the definition of "economically disadvantaged" they use? I believe they use this phrase to mean a set of specific situations. I can't really remember what they are... or for that matter if it was AMCAS or another organization.

Sorry for being of so little help. Just look it up in the MSAR/AMCAS website. If the specific definition they use covers you, I don't see why not check off that box!

 

[RevivedPreMed]

I think economically disadvantaged is meant to cover you before the age of 18. You would check that box if the majority of your years before you were 18 you're family was poor.

 

[Dr Optimistic]

If anyone knows the exact specifics on the financial requirement I would appreciate knowing also.

 

[DrBowtie]

Checking the box just gets your special recruitment mailings.

 

[Dr McSexy]

Checking the box just gets your special recruitment mailings.

Winner.

Med-MAR serves only as a means of identifying and communicating the availability of applicants from groups who self-identify as underrepresented in medicine and/or as economically disadvantaged.

No attempt is made by the Med-MAR to advise students where to apply or to influence any admissions decisions.

Frankly, I don't think anyone is going to see as economically disadvantaged unless you grew up poor. And even then, just because you are eligible for FAP doesn't mean you should apply to schools as economically disadvantage either, imo. I could have easily qualified for FAP this past cycle if I had applied (don't know why I didn't) for it. But there's no way I was checking the economically disadvantage, because I never felt growing up that my family's income level put me at a disadvantage educationally or extracurricular-ly.