secondary question - brainstorming diversity topics

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marmaladetoast

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Hi all, I'm (trying to) prewrite my secondaries, and I'm wondering if anyone could offer a little insight into whether these topics sound pursueable for diversity-type essays. I've included my possible topics and then my thoughts.

1. Growing up in a military family in medicine. We didn't move too much but were entrenched in communities that moved every couple of years, parents deployed, etc. I want to go into how that affected me as a child, how I coped with it then (a lot of time in the library, learning about it), and how it led to activities I do now (sharing that reading/library community with others in a unique nonprofit) --> I worry this is too focused on others and not "cool" enough, per Goro.
2. I did research in high school on web development, continued it as a hobby for myself and my friends while I was an art major, and it later became the focus of research I do now. Basically how I utilized web development as a tool for my own community in non-tech spaces and then betterment---> this is fun, it's just not from my childhood. It's also a little more "hobby-like."
3. mixed race (not urm). I can write about this, how it affected me growing up & now, and how it changed my worldview. pretty interesting historically, but not necessarily about me ----> it's not necessarily the most diverse thing I can think of, it's just something that has affected me.
4. some combo?

I'm planning to read and answer prompts specifically, but I was just looking at this as a jumping point to start writing. One thing I'm unsure of, and I'm hoping someone could answer, is whether the diversity essay has to focus on one topic, or if it can simply be a broad overview of who I am. I may not have super impressive experiences, but I'm hoping I can write about them engagingly!

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With fewer people serving in the military today than in generations past, having applicants who have had the experience of being brought up on military bases does set you apart from most of your peers. You may have a better understanding of military culture, and perhaps the populations of veterans served in many of the medical facilities affiliated with medical schools.

Spending time in the library doesn't seem like a good angle but if you could focus on how your upbringing was enriched by exposure to new schools, new locations and cultures. That is different than the many med students who grew up tethered to a single location and your perspective in a small group could be a valuable one in that regard.
 
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