How many NA's out there applying this cycle? Forum

[mrwarre85]

In at W&L! No scholarship info till next month though. It's been an eventful week for me!

Exciting!! Congrats I hear W&L has really good QOL
Where else are you applying?

All of my apps so far are on my profile on here and LSN (princesarosada28), but at the suggestion of some TLSers I'm thinking about adding a couple of more reaches. Until the acceptances started rolling in, I was worried I wouldn't get in anywhere. Now with two T1s in the bag before Christmas I'm starting to worry I aimed too low.

Also, there was this thread earlier but I want to emphasize the point.



Columbia is really under pressure to recruit more Native students, so, if you have a decent GPA, (Even if you have a very low LSAT) apply to Columbia if you can afford it. No harm, and I know someone who got in with a very low LSAT who's NDN.

I'll definitely consider it, but I have quite the opposite problem. Pretty decent LSAT (at least I think so, 167) but my GPA blows (3.37 degree, 3.39 LSAC). Might be worth a try though.

Maybe I'm way off base here, but looking at your school list it didn't really seem like you applied to any reaches. I say that based off your numbers, not taking into account a URM boost.

If you get a boost, you should apply to Harvard.

[s0ph1e2007]

edit for oops must be mich resident....


If you're interested in some info about tuition for NDNs at Mich let me know via pm.

[llama11]

MI Tuition Waiver is no longer run through the MI Inter-Tribal Council - I think it's now run through the MI Dept of Civil Rights.

kjadkins - I would apply to Columbia, seriously.

[serdog]

MI Tuition Waiver is no longer run through the MI Inter-Tribal Council - I think it's now run through the MI Dept of Civil Rights.

kjadkins - I would apply to Columbia, seriously.

+1 for $80 it worth it rather the thinking what might have been.

[kjadkins]

MI Tuition Waiver is no longer run through the MI Inter-Tribal Council - I think it's now run through the MI Dept of Civil Rights.

kjadkins - I would apply to Columbia, seriously.

+1 for $80 it worth it rather the thinking what might have been.

I think I'm going to, you guys have convinced me. Cornell just sent me a packet about "diversity" and a fee waiver, so applying there too.

My tribe isn't federally recognized (which I know is a requirement of certain scholarships), do ad comms care? They still get to count me as URM right? Part of my diversity statement addresses what bullshit it is that we can't get federal recognition and how I'm going to try to use my legal education to help my tribe get federally recognized.

[serdog]

My tribe isn't federally recognized (which I know is a requirement of certain scholarships), do ad comms care? They still get to count me as URM right? Part of my diversity statement addresses what bullshit it is that we can't get federal recognition and how I'm going to try to use my legal education to help my tribe get federally recognized.

Some do some don't. The thing is with NA more so the other URM there are a lot of box checker who's G"reat-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother was Cherokee Princess", therefore some school will use the federal recognized tribe as a way to figure out just who is NA. However if you have strong community and cultural connection that will have weight if you write about in your PS or DS. Bottom line is no one other Ad comms really knows

[kjadkins]

My tribe isn't federally recognized (which I know is a requirement of certain scholarships), do ad comms care? They still get to count me as URM right? Part of my diversity statement addresses what bullshit it is that we can't get federal recognition and how I'm going to try to use my legal education to help my tribe get federally recognized.

Some do some don't. The thing is with NA more so the other URM there are a lot of box checker who's G"reat-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother was Cherokee Princess", therefore some school will use the federal recognized tribe as a way to figure out just who is NA. However if you have strong community and cultural connection that will have weight if you write about in your PS or DS. Bottom line is no one other Ad comms really knows

that's always my fave.

my DS talks about my ties to the community, drops that i'm officially enrolled and have a card, etc. i think (/hope) it's pretty obvious that i'm not one of THOSE

[dbrddr]

Ohai!

I posted a bit of info about my quasi-URM odyssey in my LSN profile (link in my TLS profile)

[Flett]

Just checking in.

I've got a little armful of acceptances so far, from the Third Tier on up to Cornell. So far, no one has asked me for my tribal verification. However, my PS and DS very heavily reflect my heritage. HTH.

[mrwarre85]

Just checking in.

I've got a little armful of acceptances so far, from the Third Tier on up to Cornell. So far, no one has asked me for my tribal verification. However, my PS and DS very heavily reflect my heritage. HTH.

Thats just awesome about Cornell. I saw you pop up on LSN and was about to post about your success without you haha! Are you going to attend?

[Flett]

Just checking in.

I've got a little armful of acceptances so far, from the Third Tier on up to Cornell. So far, no one has asked me for my tribal verification. However, my PS and DS very heavily reflect my heritage. HTH.

Thats just awesome about Cornell. I saw you pop up on LSN and was about to post about your success without you haha! Are you going to attend?

Thanks! It's very very very likely... I may as well say yes!

[serdog]

Just checking in.

I've got a little armful of acceptances so far, from the Third Tier on up to Cornell. So far, no one has asked me for my tribal verification. However, my PS and DS very heavily reflect my heritage. HTH.

Thats just awesome about Cornell. I saw you pop up on LSN and was about to post about your success without you haha! Are you going to attend?

Thanks! It's very very very likely... I may as well say yes!

That awesome. SO happy to hear you got Cornel/

Flett I think the PS and DS about heritage are key for NA it a good way for law school to figure out who the real deal is and who's not(In some case for fair then asking for a tribal card)

[s0ph1e2007]

Also, SUPER IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS

if you are 1/4 composite federally recognized Indian Tribe then you can go to school FOR FREE

TOTALLY FREE
COMPLETELY FREE
just found this out. I think I'm going to pass out with joy.

--LinkRemoved--

I'm about 90% sure that the Michigan Tuition Waiver policy only applies to residents of the State of Michigan.

Yea. I should have specified. Thanks Nightrunner.

[serdog]

I think I'm going to, you guys have convinced me. Cornell just sent me a packet about "diversity" and a fee waiver, so applying there too.

My tribe isn't federally recognized (which I know is a requirement of certain scholarships), do ad comms care? They still get to count me as URM right? Part of my diversity statement addresses what bullshit it is that we can't get federal recognition and how I'm going to try to use my legal education to help my tribe get federally recognized.

If you are interested in working for your Nation have you thought about ASU or University of Arizona both have great programs in NA law and both provide exchanges with Canadian law school(UVic and UBC) with top Aboriginal law programs for a full vision in the North America context of the movement.

[mbw]

MI Tuition Waiver is no longer run through the MI Inter-Tribal Council - I think it's now run through the MI Dept of Civil Rights.

kjadkins - I would apply to Columbia, seriously.

+1 for $80 it worth it rather the thinking what might have been.

I think I'm going to, you guys have convinced me. Cornell just sent me a packet about "diversity" and a fee waiver, so applying there too.

My tribe isn't federally recognized (which I know is a requirement of certain scholarships), do ad comms care? They still get to count me as URM right? Part of my diversity statement addresses what bullshit it is that we can't get federal recognition and how I'm going to try to use my legal education to help my tribe get federally recognized.

My tribe is also not a FRIT in the US (terminated in 1850, 20 years on the BIA list for fed rec.) However, seeing that my Indian Law professor last semester (also an alum from my school 25 years ago) is from a non-FRIT, I suspect that it's generally accepted in most places (he was also an Assistant Sec. of Interior, so it didn't stop him there either.) Over half of the tribes in the US are non-FRIT -- most adcomms are at least nominally aware of the issues regarding federal-tribal relations in the US, and don't hold it against students. From what I've seen, you might be more likely to be admitted to a higher ranked school if you are closely affiliated to a non-FRIT than if you have no other association than a membership card to a FRIT, especially one like the CNO.

But to be really honest, most schools are looking for anyone to boost their diversity numbers, and so will take just about anyone with a CDIB, let alone anyone who can show cultural affiliation to a FRIT -- just so long as you don't harm both their median numbers too much. I suspect kjadkins would be accepted to at least one of CCN, along with MVPD, CG and perhaps even Stanford.

[thrillhouse]

All Native applicants should be applying to Columbia. Columbia is actively seeking Native students. There is a fellowship, the Strine Fellowship (a full-tuition fellowship), specifically for students interested in Indian law. Columbia has been more generous with this fellowship as of late. For the current 1L class Columbia awarded 3 Strine fellowships.

I know it's late in the cycle, but the reward vs. risk is too great to pass up the opportunity. Definitely apply.

[serdog]

Howdy all,
How did those of you who wrote the Dec LSAT do? in got a 159 which I think is ok.

[cmail000]

Hey everybody I am half african american and half lenape and I will be applying this cycle. I just took the Dec LSAT and got a 168.

[chebbyshev]

Also applying this cycle. Just got a 161 in december, and applying to the top 10 law schools in california.

[serdog]

fee wavier at Minnesota with a 159 they said it was due to my LSAT performance.

[serdog]

fee wavier at Minnesota with a 159 they said it was due to my LSAT performance.

Dude, give it a shot. Minnesota's Indian Law program is legit - I'm really, really impressed with John Borrows.

Me too. I've also got applications out to UVic where he is also on facility

[lucylove]

Hello

[thrillhouse]

I'm 1/4 Native, and the vast majority of my family lives on the rez. I have a card too.

Someone told me that if you are Native, then you might as well add 10 points to your LSAT score... is this true? What about GPA? I have a great LSAT score and not so great GPA (come from a top 5 undergrad and have a difficult major)... will this negatively affect me?

Native bumps are the least predictable of all for many reasons. Suffice it to say that the add 10 points speculation is specious at best.

You'll need to define "great LSAT" and "not so great GPA" for us to offer much real help. The top 5 undergrad will help for sure.

Give us some numbers and we can help more. I'd say that no matter what, you should take your chances by blanketing the T14 among other apps.

[SherlockHolmes]

Thought I'd chime in. I'm 1/4 Native with a 161 Dec score and 3.45 gpa. The unpredictability of the NA bump, like previous posters have stated, has me applying all of the rankings. Hoping for the best, but probably going to end up retaking in June and reapplying next cycle.

[kjadkins]

I hope this thread has been so quiet because we've all been busy celebrating our fantastic acceptances!

University of Minnesota has been quickly becoming my first choice. They have a really impressive Native American law curriculum: American Indian Law, Federal Indian Law, Native American Law & Literature, Tribal Courts Seminar, American Indian History Seminar, and an Indian Child Welfare Clinic. I'm definitely going to try to take many (if not all) of those classes.