I spent the first 16 years of my life in our native India before we immigrated to America. My country is very stratified regarding social class and education; subsequently, economic opportunities are very strictly allotted along class lines. Among the poorer classes of our society, very few children grow up to be dentists. Most dentists in India come from the upper middle classes of society. I come from the lower middle class of India and feel most fortunate to have the opportunity to apply to dental school as a competitive candidate. I will feel even luckier if I am accepted. Most of all, however, I ask to focus 100% on my studies as a student in dental school, and I hope to be able to do so because of being granted disadvantaged student status.
The school was never difficult for me, except concerning how much it costs, fees, and materials. Great stress hung in the air in my house growing up; arguments over the cost of school were frequent; the other things that could have been purchased with this money often came up in conversation. There were no shiny new toys in my life; we could never afford the special treats at the store. I felt fortunate to be one of the children who at least had a bicycle to ride to school, even if it was one of the eldest, and beat up all the bikes outside. I rode that bike 5 km every day through the scorching heat of summer, crazy monsoons, and chilly winters. While many of my classmates had private tutors to help them gain an academic edge, this was way beyond the means of my parents. After school every day, I taught myself.
I am very thankful that we could immigrate permanently to America in time for me to complete my last two years of high school on schedule in New York. This helped me to begin college on an even footing with my American peers, fully adjusted to the vastly diverse cultural environment. At first, I was very shy and comfortable, scared that people would make fun of my Indian accent. Getting through high school was quite rough. While my dad was working day and night to provide us with a roof over our heads and food to eat, he had no time to help me with anything, especially school, even if he could support me. I'm the first in my family to complete high school and college. During my first two years of college, I worked full-time as a server to pay my college fees and expenses. Again, it was hard to concentrate on school and work because there were always arguments and disputes over money. I also helped to take care of my sick grandmother, who lived with us all through my college years. During my last two years of college, I took a job at the hospital as a Unit Receptionist to help my father with the household expenses on top of my educational expenses.
Nevertheless, I am proud to have come so far, considering my humble origins and our economic struggle as a family throughout our lives. I was taught at an early age that I had no right to advanced education and the satisfying career that it brings, mainly because I was a woman and expected to dedicate myself primarily to home and family since Indian society is highly patriarchal and very discriminatory towards girls concerning education and career advancement. For years now, I have looked up to women who buck the system and advance to the highest echelons of society. Another source of strength has been my devotion to the Sikh religion. We believe that women have the same souls as men and, thus, innate spiritual equality.  It is said that founder Guru Nanak proclaimed the full equality of men and women. Therefore, I was raised with vastly different messages about my place in the world.
My undergraduate education has infused me with an extremely elevated level of motivation and a renewed sense of direction and purpose. I want to become the finest dentist that I can and never lose sight of my moral and spiritual duty to help the underserved.
I chose dentistry because I love to see people smile. When you know repression as I have, a smile can be a radiant statement of self-renewal, and nothing would bring me greater joy than a lifetime of devotion to the smile of those I serve. I hope to devote my life to ongoing learning, especially about restoration, while giving my all to education efforts in oral hygiene, both here in America and back in India.
I thank you for your consideration of my application for disadvantaged student status.
Dental School Disadvantaged Status Essay
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