When is it no longer describing a disadvantaged status, and become whining?

[ipodtouch]

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I'm trying to describe my disadvantaged status at the moment (illustrating my disadvantaged childhood as LizzyM described).

I talk a lot about my family situations as a child: we are an immigrant family who came to the US with no connections, we moved to a different city every 3 years, my father was studying for his PhD but had to stop due to financial difficulties, our annual income has always been <30K, and we had to declare bankruptcy later in my childhood. I do mentioned the obvious financial difficulties and how the lack of a car prevented me from attending extracurricular activities. But the majority of the entry is about my family as a whole~

I was wondering if this was too much illustration into my childhood, and not quite enough pertaining to how it specifically disadvantaged me.

 

[NickNaylor]

A fine line you walk. Careful and tactful you must be.

 

[Suncrusher]

A fine line you walk. Careful and tactful you must be.

This + the post about diverting power to forward shields makes me think you watched the star wars marathon over the weekend

 

[ponyo]

This + the post about diverting power to forward shields makes me think you watched the star wars marathon over the weekend

👍

 

[sharpie1006]

Whining = everything sucks and was so hard for me

Not whining = things were bad, but more importantly, here's what I learned and here's why I'm here today.

 

[macsta]

I agree with the above posters.

It might help to keep in mind the advantages you have compared to others while you write. You have many advantages that people in other countries even people America don't have (food stamps, scholarships, hardworking parents, strong family...).

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Whining = everything sucks and was so hard for me

Not whining = things were bad, but more importantly, here's what I learned and here's why I'm here today.

This.

State the facts of your situation, not opinion or hyperbole. Try not to use too many adjectives. Tell adcoms how your childhood made you who you are today.

 

[Flamen04]

I'm trying to describe my disadvantaged status at the moment (illustrating my disadvantaged childhood as LizzyM described).

I talk a lot about my family situations as a child: we are an immigrant family who came to the US with no connections, we moved to a different city every 3 years, my father was studying for his PhD but had to stop due to financial difficulties, our annual income has always been <30K, and we had to declare bankruptcy later in my childhood. I do mentioned the obvious financial difficulties and how the lack of a car prevented me from attending extracurricular activities. But the majority of the entry is about my family as a whole~

I was wondering if this was too much illustration into my childhood, and not quite enough pertaining to how it specifically disadvantaged me.

My background is somewhat similar to yours, but I don't consider myself "disadvantaged." I guess to each his own.

 

[NickNaylor]

This + the post about diverting power to forward shields makes me think you watched the star wars marathon over the weekend

LOL. Pure coincidence. Although I did watch a little bit of the new Star Trek movie last night... maybe that's the influence.

I didn't know you followed me on Twitter. 😳

 

[Suncrusher]

I didn't know you followed me on Twitter. 😳

we're fb friends, bra. Thanks for remembering :cry:

 

[NickNaylor]

we're fb friends, bra. Thanks for remembering :cry:

Oh shi...

 

[Suncrusher]

you'd better show up on my doorstep with flowers or it's over between us.

 

[ipodtouch]

ehhhh do you believe it may be better for me not to apply as a disadvantaged status?

I feel like it will be a huge detriment to my application if adcoms read it and are like "this guys is not actually disadvantaged"

 

[senorsquishie]

Just try and stay upbeat and possitive and you will be fine.

 

[NickNaylor]

ehhhh do you believe it may be better for me not to apply as a disadvantaged status?

I feel like it will be a huge detriment to my application if adcoms read it and are like "this guys is not actually disadvantaged"

That's the risk you run. I agree that that could be a huge problem.

 

[bajastapler]

Whining = everything sucks and was so hard for me

Not whining = things were bad, but more importantly, here's what I learned and here's why I'm here today.

Agreed. You should mention what you've learned growing up, but place emphasis on what you've learned from it & how it's positively affected you.

 

[alwaysaangel]

From an old post by LizzyM:

No, the whiners are people the applicant who check the box because of having lived in graduate student housing without access to educational toys at an early age (applicant's dad was a professor at an Ivy league school at the time of the application), or the applicant who pointed out that the 'rents paid for college and that a gap year in an expensive big city was, well, expensive and financial aid for medical school was essential (applicant's dad was in one of those lucrative/lifestyle friendly medical specialties).

OP - I think you're walking really close to the line. Your father had the opportunity to apply for a PhD that implies you had the educational emphasis that many truly disadvantaged students don't have.

I grew up under 30k/year receiving free lunches at school etc., starting working at 15years old and worked 20-40 hrs/week in college. I opted not to go with disadvantaged status because my parents pushed that school was important and I lived in an area with good public schools.

To me disadvantaged is someone who is the first family member to attend college, grew up in the ghetto where people were frequently shot, attended super crappy schools and never had parents who emphasized doing well in school but still managed to succeed.

But thats just my opinion.