Applicants to medical school may apply as a disadvantaged candidate through the AMCAS portal. If they opt in, they are allotted 1,325 characters to respond to an additional essay prompt: "Do you wish to be considered a disadvantaged applicant by any of your designated medical schools that may consider such factors (social, economic or educational)?"
When determining if this designation is appropriate you will want to consider the following:
Does my disadvantage fall into one of these categories: economic, social, or educational? For example, did you attend an underfunded/underperforming high school that left you struggling to adjust to college (with associated impacts on your GPA)? Or were your individual or family assets below specified thresholds, which qualified you for state or federal assistance programs?
Did my disadvantage change my application to medical school in a way that necessitates additional context for the admissions committee? For example, did you grow up in a rural area that is medically underserved, which impacted your ability to obtain clinical experiences?
If you feel that you’ve experienced a situation that merits the disadvantaged designation, use this essay to provide the admissions committee necessary context as they review your application. We recommend that you spend about 20 percent of your writing on the situation itself, using fact-based (rather than emotional) language. You want to clearly convey the reality of the situation and the direct impacts of your experience on your medical school application. The remaining 80 percent of your essay should focus on the actions that you’ve taken to combat the adversity you’ve faced, and what you’ve learned from it. And be sure to explain how your learnings will impact you as a medical student and physician. Are you more resourceful, hardworking, empathic, and adaptable as a result?