The diversity question

[kaim10]

How can I address this question without coming off as fake or insincere?

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[deleted407021]

This isn't necessarily a question of racial or ethnic diversity. This doesn't have to be terribly unique; just some quality you bring to the table that you think is important to mention. What about you can you bring to a group of peers that makes you a good addition to the team?

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Hm, I've never seen the diversity aspect of secondaries discussed before. I'm interested to see what the knowledgeable posters on SDN have to say about this topic.

 

[LizzyM]

I'm noticing that many secondary essay questions ask about how you'd contribute to the diversity of the school. To be frank- I am white, I come from a relatively affluent area, I don't speak any other languages, parents and grandparents born in the U.S., haven't had international experiences etc.

How can I address this question without coming off as fake or insincere?

You are genuinely white bread. Be sincere: racially, you represent the largest proportion of US population. US born people make up 87% of the US population so you represent the majority in that regard as do you parents and grandparents. In the US, 79.9% of the population speaks English at home. Being affluent is about the only thing that puts you out of the ordinary in comparison to the US population but you are similar to a large proportion of the applicant pool.

Sometimes there are no diversity boxes to check and that's ok.

 

[Lost in Translation]

You are genuinely white bread. Be sincere: racially, you represent the largest proportion of US population. US born people make up 87% of the US population so you represent the majority in that regard as do you parents and grandparents. In the US, 79.9% of the population speaks English at home. Being affluent is about the only thing that puts you out of the ordinary in comparison to the US population but you are similar to a large proportion of the applicant pool.

Sometimes there are no diversity boxes to check and that's ok.

But should you say that? Wouldn't it be a mark against you if you came out and said, "To be honest, I'm white, affluent, and speak no second languages, so I cannot give you a satisfactory answer to your question."

 

[lucin]

In your personal statement or other essay mention a unique skill/etc.
examples : mission to central america or asia, writing in a humanities journal, rare college major.

 

[Yleio381]

I'm noticing that many secondary essay questions ask about how you'd contribute to the diversity of the school. To be frank- I am white, I come from a relatively affluent area, I don't speak any other languages, parents and grandparents born in the U.S., haven't had international experiences etc.

How can I address this question without coming off as fake or insincere?

What did you major in? If you majored in something that isn't biology than you can use that as a way of bringing diversity (different perspective b/c of educational track).

 

[Goro]

The question has nothing to do with ethnicity, but what makes you different and unique. In other words, what's cool about you? What do you bring to the table for a new med school class?

Anyone who can't answer this is incapable of introspection.

I'm noticing that many secondary essay questions ask about how you'd contribute to the diversity of the school. To be frank- I am white, I come from a relatively affluent area, I don't speak any other languages, parents and grandparents born in the U.S., haven't had international experiences etc.

How can I address this question without coming off as fake or insincere?

 

[piii]

You're expected to be able to figure this out yourself. If you were on a team of physicians sitting around having a conversation about a patient, what unique attributes, characteristics, or life experiences do you have that will shape your contribution.

 

[RaspberrySlushy]

We ask this question at hiring interviews at my job and I don't think a single person has ever mentioned race/ethnicity (and my workplace is actually pretty diverse in terms of race/ethnicity). People mention things that are unique about themselves. One guy talked about being a twin, another about his passion for flags (he goes to flag conventions and everything), one girl mentioned her combined background in engineering and dance, another applicant talked about how he taught himself Russian. Another talked about his years as a cook.

Think outside the box! What makes you unique? What experiences do you have that not a lot of med school applicants will have had? Sons activity you've excelled at? A unique skill? If you start thinking about it, I'm sure you can come up with lots of things.

Of course, if they directly ask about race/ethnicity/language/SES status, then that's a different story but I think the diversity question usually isn't looking for that, but perhaps I'm biased from my own job experience.

 

[Law2Doc]

We ask this question at hiring interviews at my job and I don't think a single person has ever mentioned race/ethnicity (and my workplace is actually pretty diverse in terms of race/ethnicity). People mention things that are unique about themselves. One guy talked about being a twin, another about his passion for flags (he goes to flag conventions and everything), one girl mentioned her combined background in engineering and dance, another applicant talked about how he taught himself Russian. Another talked about his years as a cook.

Think outside the box! What makes you unique? What experiences do you have that not a lot of med school applicants will have had? Sons activity you've excelled at? A unique skill? If you start thinking about it, I'm sure you can come up with lots of things.

Of course, if they directly ask about race/ethnicity/language/SES status, then that's a different story but I think the diversity question usually isn't looking for that, but perhaps I'm biased from my own job experience.

Agree that they are asking about uniqueness, not racial/ethnic diversity.

I find it pretty ironic though that being a twin (especislly identical) might have "diversity" value. They ask you how you are unique and you respond that you are unique by virtue of having someone else genetically just like you...

 

[Lost in Translation]

Interesting responses ITT... when asked this during one of my interviews I said I'm at least conversant in 4 languages including English.

Maybe I should have mentioned one of my hobbies that many people my age aren't in to.

 

[Halcyon32]

Interesting responses ITT... when asked this during one of my interviews I said I'm at least conversant in 4 languages including English.

Maybe I should have mentioned one of my hobbies that many people my age aren't in to.

What languages do you speak an how did you learn them?

 

[Lost in Translation]

English, Español, 日本語, 中文. The second and third in school, the first is native, the last is mother tongue.

 

[Halcyon32]

English, Español, 日本語, 中文. The second and third in school, the first is native, the last is mother tongue.

You just exude anime 😛

 

[deleted393595]

English, Español, 日本語, 中文. The second and third in school, the first is native, the last is mother tongue.

On a good day, I'm barley fluent with the first one haha. And that's my native language...

 

[kaim10]

We ask this question at hiring interviews at my job and I don't think a single person has ever mentioned race/ethnicity (and my workplace is actually pretty diverse in terms of race/ethnicity). People mention things that are unique about themselves. One guy talked about being a twin, another about his passion for flags (he goes to flag conventions and everything), one girl mentioned her combined background in engineering and dance, another applicant talked about how he taught himself Russian. Another talked about his years as a cook.

Think outside the box! What makes you unique? What experiences do you have that not a lot of med school applicants will have had? Sons activity you've excelled at? A unique skill? If you start thinking about it, I'm sure you can come up with lots of things.

Of course, if they directly ask about race/ethnicity/language/SES status, then that's a different story but I think the diversity question usually isn't looking for that, but perhaps I'm biased from my own job experience.

Do you think that coming from a tiny (really tiny!) college that really emphasizes leadership could count as diversity? I have had a lot of leadership opportunities both formal and informal because my school is so tiny and basically requires everyone to be heavily involved in everything from the classroom, to student self governing, to regulating dorm life (we don't have any RAs) etc. Could I maybe use this?

 

[kaim10]

Actually, I would love anyone's opinion on what I just asked...

 

[raiderette]

Do you think that coming from a tiny (really tiny!) college that really emphasizes leadership could count as diversity? I have had a lot of leadership opportunities both formal and informal because my school is so tiny and basically requires everyone to be heavily involved in everything from the classroom, to student self governing, to regulating dorm life (we don't have any RAs) etc. Could I maybe use this?

Yes, as long as you can talk personally about it.

 

[RaspberrySlushy]

Do you think that coming from a tiny (really tiny!) college that really emphasizes leadership could count as diversity? I have had a lot of leadership opportunities both formal and informal because my school is so tiny and basically requires everyone to be heavily involved in everything from the classroom, to student self governing, to regulating dorm life (we don't have any RAs) etc. Could I maybe use this?

I think that totally works, as long as you can say what your experience adds. It sounds different, and cool!

 

[Psai]

On a good day, I'm barley fluent with the first one haha. And that's my native language...

I am oat very fluent with it as well.

 

[mistafab]

I'm noticing that many secondary essay questions ask about how you'd contribute to the diversity of the school. To be frank- I am white, I come from a relatively affluent area, I don't speak any other languages, parents and grandparents born in the U.S., haven't had international experiences etc.

How can I address this question without coming off as fake or insincere?

Do you have any life experiences? No need to be fake but who the hell wants to work with someone with no experience with other people.

 

[Incursio]

If I say I am fluent in a language do we have to show some sort of proof of proficiency? cause I have heard a lot of people say "oh yeah I know i.e. Spanish" and when they actually speak they can't put a sentence.