The SES Disadvantaged Indicator is one tool medical schools may use to identify applicants who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s intended to help schools place your entire AMCAS application information in context as part of a holistic review admission process. The AMCAS indicators were developed as tools to assist medical schools in their review processes, and they are not intended to be used as standalone elements.
The SES Disadvantaged Indicator is derived from information you provide about your parents’ and guardians’ occupation and education levels* by using the schema in the table below. Once the AMCAS program has processed your application, the indicator associated with your parent or guardian with the highest education and occupation level will appear on your printable application. To view the indicator, select the Print Application button on the Main Menu.
| Parent or Guardian Education |
Parent or Guardian Occupation Executive, Managerial, or Professional Position |
Parent or Guardian Occupation Service, Clerical, Skilled, or Unskilled Labor |
|---|---|---|
| Doctorate or Professional Degree | SES Disadvantaged Indicator: No |
SES Disadvantaged Indicator: Yes, EO-2 |
| Master’s Degree | SES Disadvantaged Indicator: No |
SES Disadvantaged Indicator: Yes, EO-2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | SES Disadvantaged Indicator: No |
SES Disadvantaged Indicator: Yes, EO-2 |
| Less Than a Bachelor’s Degree | SES Disadvantaged Indicator: Yes, EO-1 |
SES Disadvantaged Indictor: Yes, EO-1 |
Note: EO = Education/Occupation.
An SES indicator of “N/A” indicates one of the following:
- Parent(s) or guardian(s) who completed their highest level of education outside the United States and are not legal U.S. residents.
- Parent(s) or guardian(s) who are deceased.
- There is no parent or guardian data.
- Applicant is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
An SES indicator of “Unknown” occurs when:
- All EO levels of the parent(s) or guardian(s) are unknown.
- One EO level of a parent or guardian is unknown or all other EO levels are indicated as “N/A.”
* The AMCAS program does not determine international equivalencies for education or occupation information.