What's the consensus on being ORM and SES? Do they negate each other?

[lukeevans]

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Anecdotally, I know a good friend who is Asian (ORM), yet his parents were manual laborers so he is SES1. How is that viewed?

 

[chinesedude]

poor asian = white

 

[LizzyM]

Some schools might give a boost for an applicant who is first generation college but some will not.

 

[efle]

Is his financial background a big part of his application narrative? He might be in for some awesome financial aid, but if he doesn't mention it at all or have any evidence of future service to poor communities I don't think it would help a ton

 

[libertyyne]

Anecdotally, I know a good friend who is Asian (ORM), yet his parents were manual laborers so he is SES1. How is that viewed?

I know a person who fit this criteria. To answer your question it did not make a huge difference in his app. Just like the downsides of being orm are overstated the benefits of being se1 are over stated.

 

[OchemOficionado]

At schools that have disadvantaged committees these applications are guaranteed to be read. (From what I hear) That's something, right?

 

[Goro]

The road traveled is an important part of considering a candidate

 

[pbsdrinkingwhale]

.

 

[efle]

Or am I wrong?

There are in fact opportunities to talk about this! Both the primary and most school secondaries, iirc, have a box that asks if there is anything else you'd like to speak about. This is where people usually address things like an IA on their record, discuss the disadvantaged background, that kind of thing.

 

[libertyyne]

Now I'm curious...how does one make this known? There isn't a place on my app to say things like first gen student, saw dad once a month growing up (worked 6jobs), area school had 30% grad rate, food stamps growing up, help with family business all throughout college. Or am I wrong?

There is a disadvantaged section. There is also the section where hey obtain parent demographic and ses information.

 

[Goro]

Now I'm curious...how does one make this known? There isn't a place on my app to say things like first gen student, saw dad once a month growing up (worked 6jobs), area school had 30% grad rate, food stamps growing up, help with family business all throughout college. Or am I wrong?

That's what your essays and ECs are for.

 

[LizzyM]

The AMCAS application asks your parents' names, occupations and last school attended. From that, one can see if you are first generation college.
There is a section where you can tick the box that your family received gov't benefits such as free school lunch when you were a kid.
There is a section where you can tick the box for "disadvantaged" and write a brief paragraph describing the hardships you experiences from 0-18.
Helping in a family business through college wouldn't be considered "hardship". Keep it to 0-18 and focus on things that may have left you ill-prepared for college or behind your college peers due to childhood poverty.