What do you mean by this, MSSM? I have been working in the medical field for years in NYC, and a majority of my friends and colleagues are recent immigrants who had to jump through hurdles to pass their USMLE's and other exams. Their kids (also first-generation immigrants) definitely had enough of an advantage as a result of their immigrant status to offset the language and social adjustment issues they faced. It's difficult and commendable to move to a new country and try to assimilate, but it's unfair to say that anyone discriminates based upon immigration status.
If anything, schools and employers have more sympathy for the plight of the immigrant than they do for the American-born citizen whose education was interrupted because one parent was alcoholic and abusive, or both parents were somehow negligent. There are complicated situations that children have no power to change, such as one in which one parent leaves the other in debt, and the other parent comes into just enough money to pay it off, while leaving their children powerless to pay for college without a full scholarship...which is especially hard to earn when the oldest child had to pick up the younger siblings every day and cook dinner, while making sure sure everyone did their homework, and tried hard to do their best in school despite having too much responsibility thrust upon them. I got into a great college, but had to drop out because we simply could not afford it. Trying to explain that you did the best you could despite an alcoholic parent simply raises eyebrows: will you follow in *said* parent's footsteps? Explaining that you or your parents immigrated here elicits not only sympathy, but admiration. Please don't discredit the entire system by telling anyone that your immigrant status worked against you in any other way than the fact that you had to become proficient in the English language.
Premedgurl, mention and be proud of your immigrant status. Most of us immigrated here, or had ancestors who did. It definitely will NOT work against you, and will serve to explain your verbal score on the MCAT. Most admissions committees are far more forgiving (on the MCAT) to those who score below a 9 or 10 on the verbal section. The dean of admissions at Stony Brook (in NY) held a Q&A session in which he assured non-native English speakers that they focused more on the other sections for that select group of students. If anything, the fact that you moved here and excelled puts you at the front of the pack! Good luck!
