Pre_PA Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I'm having some trouble answering some questions on my supplemental applications that ask about "diverse life experiences" or applicants who have "overcome significant adversity". Many schools say they value these things in an applicant. I come from an average income family, I worked my way through college like many did. I haven't traveled or studied abroad (haven't been able to afford it) but I also haven't had a particularly hard life. I'm in good health and my family is in good health. Although my parents weren't able to completely pay for college they helped where they could and have been extremely supportive of all of my life decisions. I am having a very hard time coming up with an obstacle I've overcome that shows that I will be a good PA. I would say rather that my dedication to school, my immense amount of work experience while in school (30+ hours per week), and my volunteerism are better indicators that I will thrive in a PA program. Is anyone else facing a similar issue or able to give insight into what ADCOMs are looking for? I have three supplemental applications that ask for an essay on this and it's the only thing that I need before I can submit them. Thanks so much! Pre_PA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Haha guess growing up privileged finally has not inferred a benefit for you. You are going to have to come up with something and don't just put "well my life has been pretty easy but I work hard anyway." SURELY at SOME POINT in your life in SOME REALM whether emotional, physical or SOMETHING, you felt overwhelmed, had a difficult time, or overcame something people thought you couldn't??? No offense but many of us worked 40+ hours and did full time school AND had hardships to overcome. So you are going to have to sit down and think until you come up with something. Whether rich or poor, I know everyone has something, at some point in their life, no matter how well off you have it. So think harder and you will come up with something. Maybe something about your family, having to support someone, someone you knew died, stressed at work, overwhelmed at school, tough class, something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbalaban Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Uh oh, the bad hair days just don't seem that bad anymore do they? LOL. J/K! I may be going out on a limb here but I'm getting the feeling you are in your early 20's still. I'm only saying this because it sounds like you are now feeling like you haven't had much "life experience". What kind of work did you do while in school? Was it medically related? Maybe a patient touched you emotionally and you feel you can somehow connect with them? Maybe just the task of working a lot while taking a full load was hard on you, maybe you can talk about that. I get the impression the adcom's aren't looking for sob stories, but for personal reflection and being able to recognize when things are difficult and that you were able to work through it. Let's think about this, person A comes from a low socioeconomic area, both parents died in auto accident, raised by grandmother who was legally blind, brother had arm amputated after infection, gets some financial assistance to get through school and "get out of the rut", but person A's essay brings across a sense of entitlement because of the situation where they came from. Person B, middle class family but not enough to pay for college, so B works to pay for school and support self while going to school. Person B's essay highlights the lessons of hard work and how overcoming the adversity of working and going to school and getting 3.4gpa has made them appreciate work and accomplishments etc. Who do you think the adcom would like to talk to more? The entitled sob story or the humble and appreciative person? Just my $0.02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_PA Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I have a similar background to you and also did not have any real difficulties in my life. Just do the best you can with what you have and hope for the best. Don't feel too disheartened. I got in on my first attempt right out of undergraduate. P.S. Since you haven't had any significant hardships, there is no excuse for you not being exceptional in your academics. That much will be expected from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris_ Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I completely agree with mbabalan- he/she makes some really good points! I am in a similar situation and at times feel like a plain jane when reading all of the traumatic things people post on here. Don't let the people on this forum who say you didn't work hard because you didn't have anything crazy happen to you get to you. Coming from a similar situation, I don't have a 4.0 and I worked my *** off during college working 40 hrs/week. Every other person I knew had parents who were able to pay for everything and I didn't. But I wasn't poor either and I worked hard. Despite was USC_PA says about GPA I don't think that the ADCOM's expect you to be perfect. Just write something with some feeling that makes them want to get to know you better. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loliz Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Working full time while in school is both impressive and admirable. Just because you had normal parents does NOT mean that you had everything in life handed to you. Be humble, be honest and look back at your life at experiences that made you who you are today. If you really don't know what to say, I really recommend that you take a year (or two or three) and get some life experience. I don't say this for the sake of your application, I say this because too many people think they have to go straight from undergrad to grad school and they miss out on so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pre_PA Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Hi! Thank you all for your answers! I certainly didn't expect to get such passionate feedback. Winterallsummer- I really wasn't trying to say that I'm better than you. I'm sorry that you worked through college AND had hardships to overcome. I really was just trying to ask what ADCOMs are looking for when asking this question. I'm really sorry if I offended you at all by explaining that I worked through college but did not feel I had any significant hardships. I also was not trying to say I have it extremely well off. I am in loads of student debt like many others out there. Again, I apologize if anything I said was offensive. mbabalan- Thank you so much for your input! I am still in my 20s! I feel as though I have worked much harder than some people I know yet have not been exposed to nearly as much as others. I have over 4,000 hours of direct patient care working in clinical research and as an optometric assistant. I certainly have had many experiences that have been formative to my growth as a person related to my healthcare experience. However, talking about most of them may be in violation of HIPPA? I'm always hesitant to write in depth about my research patients. I really like your examples about person A and person B! It's very helpful! Thanks again! USC_PA- Unfortunately I do not have a 4.0, but I tried my best in school and did well. And I aced my GRE. Thanks for your input. Kris_- thank you for standing up for me and my averageness! I have often felt the same when reading this forum and dislike how people are so quick to judge. Just because I haven't had any significant hardships does not mean my family was overly wealthy or that I grew up spoiled. Thanks again everyone! Any other comments would still be appreciated, though keep in mind I was just trying to ask a question- not spark a debate over who worked harder during school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pre_PA Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Hi lolz- sorry I missed you in my first response to this. It's not that I don't know why I want to go to PA school- its that after reading this forum and everything people have been through I felt I didn't have a very good grasp on why they were asking the question. I think that for my age (24) I have had enough life experience to know that by this time next year I want to start a PA program and gain the skills needed to be a mid-level practitioner in a rural area. I've known thats what is right for me for a long time but have taken 2 years off after undergrad to make sure I'm making the right choice. During my time off I've been working in primary care and public health research and it has reaffirmed my goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbalaban Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Pre_Pa, You're welcome. I'm by no means an expert or an adcom, but just thinking about it I feel like the thing is not to see hear the "stories" but the lessons and how it made you a "better person". I may be wrong but if they want "stories" and that's all that matters, I think I should be a lock for a seat. LOL. I can sense the excitement and desire to get into school, but I would like to get you to think about a couple items. I have heard it said the PA program is 75% of med school in 50% of the time. That's a lot of info to take in but can be done. In my view, that's not enough time to really come to be proficient in the one thing that this profession is supposed to be all about, patient care. I know it may sound dumb and silly or even condescending, but having been a medic for 15 years now and being an FTO, it takes a long time, YEARS most of the time, in becoming proficient, good and comfortable interviewing patients. Again, I'm not trying to belittle anyone or try to put myself on a pedestal, I just know from experience that communicating with patients is almost an art. If you don't get in right away, NBD, you're young, very young. Go to EMT or paramedic school and work on skills that'll make you better in practice. Heck, might even get some good stories to put in your personal statement (like being a flight medic and surviving a crash, lol) BTW, if you don't say any identifiable info, like name, birthdate etc, and just keep the story to generalities, it's not a HIPPA violation.:) Good luck on your apps and such. Hope you get what you are looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 No offense taken! Just think and reflect on your life and I am sure you will find something. I have known people from all walks of life and know that everyone has their trials and tribulations. No hard feelings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris_ Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Sorry if I was too impassioned. I tend to get upset when people try to belittle others on this forum. It sounds like you are on the right track! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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