Writing a Disadvantage Essay???

[PlumPoppy]

Hello there, me again! (I feel like I've been posting here at least once a month... )

Anyways! I'm writing my disadvantage essay for applying to Colorado State. I'm not sure if y'all are familiar with it, but this is the prompt:

"There may have been situations in your life you had to overcome that you feel may have affected your ability to achieve your academic/career goals. Disadvantaged circumstances are evaluated as one or a combination of economic, educational, and/or cultural-environmental factors."

After this, they list out various types of factors, like homelessness, unusual hours of employment during school, and child abuse. I take this as I can be as open and vulnerable as I choose, but how much is TOO much? I've experienced homelessness 3 times in my life, suffered from undiagnosed/unmedicated mental illness and physical ailments (one of which is a degenerative condition), was abused physically and emotionally most of my life, and had to work basically full-time (had multiple part-time jobs) during school. These circumstances all coincide with dips in my grades, so it's all important to my story. I'm just not sure how much is explaining and how much is trauma-dumping.

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[that redhead]

Hello there, me again! (I feel like I've been posting here at least once a month... )

Anyways! I'm writing my disadvantage essay for applying to Colorado State. I'm not sure if y'all are familiar with it, but this is the prompt:

After this, they list out various types of factors, like homelessness, unusual hours of employment during school, and child abuse. I take this as I can be as open and vulnerable as I choose, but how much is TOO much? I've experienced homelessness 3 times in my life, suffered from undiagnosed/unmedicated mental illness and physical ailments (one of which is a degenerative condition), was abused physically and emotionally most of my life, and had to work basically full-time (had multiple part-time jobs) during school. These circumstances all coincide with dips in my grades, so it's all important to my story. I'm just not sure how much is explaining and how much is trauma-dumping.

To avoid a “trauma dumping” feel, you need to explain the scenarios and how they affected your goals and career path. If you just say yeah I dealt with x, and z it’s not really answering the question.

 

[SkiOtter]

These circumstances all coincide with dips in my grades, so it's all important to my story.

I would also list steps you have taken to try and avoid these issues affecting grades in the future if you can.

 

[flotus]

If a school thinks your past is too dramatic or if they think you're "oversharing" then think about how they might treat you if you had a traumatic experience while enrolled there. Do you want to attend a school that doesn't truly care and only asks about these kind of things as a formality?

As someone who has also experienced homelessness and some of the other circumstances you have shared, I say go into as much detail as you can. They are real life experiences that most other people (let alone applicants) will have never experienced. Statistically - you shouldn't be applying to vet school, because you shouldn't have made it this far. And yet, here you are! That is AMAZING!

These schools should definitely take that into heavy consideration when examining your application.

Tell your story, what you learned, how you've improved, and how you feel that these circumstances should be considered.

EDIT: I wouldn't share anything that you are not comfortable talking about in an interview

 

[ejblue]

I feel like I wrote an amazing explanation essay for CSU last cycle! I truly believe it’s what got me in despite lacking a bachelor’s degree and multiple withdrawals on my transcript. I’ll be an incoming vet prep student this fall. If you want, dm me your email and I’ll send over mine. I can also look over yours if you want?

 

[ElizaThornberry]

I'm going to leave this here:
How an Ivy League School Turned Against a Student

"Mackenzie Fierceton was championed as a former foster youth who had overcome an abusive childhood and won a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Then the University of Pennsylvania accused her of lying."

Ok so....as someone who plans on applying in the future and will utilize the disadvantage
essay for many of the same reasons PlumPoppy listed I have to ask why you felt the need to share this? I have heard this story before but is this supposed to scare people who have lived through very real trauma to not share their background? Personally my toxic childhood can a million percent explain basically every shortcoming I have.

 

[PlumPoppy]

Ok so....as someone who plans on applying in the future and will utilize the disadvantage
essay for many of the same reasons PlumPoppy listed I have to ask why you felt the need to share this? I have heard this story before but is this supposed to scare people who have lived through very real trauma to not share their background? Personally my toxic childhood can a million percent explain basically every shortcoming I have.

I agree with ElizaThornberry. Is this supposed to make us weary of writing about these things? Or make sure we gather receipts for the abuse and trauma we've suffered? I don't understand how this is relevant...

 

[supershorty]

It's the only post that account has ever made, likely just someone with an agenda or a bot. I'd ignore it.

 

[Lsexton11]

I feel like I wrote an amazing explanation essay for CSU last cycle! I truly believe it’s what got me in despite lacking a bachelor’s degree and multiple withdrawals on my transcript. I’ll be an incoming vet prep student this fall. If you want, dm me your email and I’ll send over mine. I can also look over yours if you want?

Hello,
I am also having difficulty with my disadvantage statement. Could I also look at yours, please? I feel like mine isn't good enough!