How do law schools even KNOW YOUR RACE? Forum

[dingoesatmybaby]

I hear of people just flat out lying on their applications and stating that they are a different race just in hopes of maybe getting an extra boost. I find this insulting that people can just do that. There was a guy in my LSAT course who was saying he was African American (because some ancestor was many generations ago-- even though he is for all intents and purposes, white. )Shouldn't the admissions board be asking for proof of anything somehow? Because I feel like if anyone can say, they are unrepresented, it just cheapens it for everyone else. And that is wrong.

[JazzOne]

I think the whole system would be more fair if everyone lied about race.

[2011Law]

I think the whole system would be more fair if everyone was black and/or puerto rican.

[dingoesatmybaby]

Or rather if race wasn't a factor at all. And I am black, but I would hope that my 3.8 GPA and my 166 LSAT score are what get me into a university, rather than my cultural background.

I just hate that basically anyone can say they are Black, Hispanic etc and get away with it. Because there really is no concrete way to prove this. The only thing that should matter is Native American, and that you CAN prove.

[HowdyYall]

Or rather if race wasn't a factor at all. And I am black, but I would hope that my 3.8 GPA and my 166 LSAT score are what get me into a university, rather than my cultural background.

I just hate that basically anyone can say they are Black, Hispanic etc and get away with it. Because there really is no concrete way to prove this. The only thing that should matter is Native American, and that you CAN prove.

There was an article on here about a year ago about some guy getting in trouble by his firm for lying about his race. It was like a huge story, couldnt find it in search though.

[im_blue]

They probably have access to your self-reported race from your undergrad application, so if that doesn't match up you'll have some explaining to do for C&F.

[2011Law]

Or rather if race wasn't a factor at all. And I am black, but I would hope that my 3.8 GPA and my 166 LSAT score are what get me into a university, rather than my cultural background.

Obviously you can get into some good law schools with those numbers alone, but you can get into some even better schools with the addition of the URM status that you would not get otherwise.

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

[Ratchet Jackson]

I think the whole system would be more fair if everyone lied about race.

Please explain this.

[buchy2009]

I had a similar conversation with someone about sexual orientation last night… that would be even harder to prove.

[Ratchet Jackson]

Or rather if race wasn't a factor at all. And I am black, but I would hope that my 3.8 GPA and my 166 LSAT score are what get me into a university, rather than my cultural background.

Obviously you can get into some good law schools with those numbers alone, but you can get into some even better schools with the addition of the URM status that you would not get otherwise.

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

Hilarious.

[Blindc1rca]

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

I hope this was sarcasm.

If so: hahahaha.

If not: bravo for making the stupidest statement I've heard all day.

[JazzOne]

I think the whole system would be more fair if everyone lied about race.

Please explain this.

I just think it's funny that something as ill-defined as "race" has such a huge impact on admissions. My maternal grandparents were from Mexico; their ancestors immigrated to Mexico from Germany during the war era. My paternal grandfather was Polish, and my paternal grandmother was French. I have no fucking idea what race I am. I'm just a dude from Texas. I don't even speak Spanish, but Hispanic is probably the best description of my ethnicity and cultural heritage. What a joke.

[mah]

I thought lying about being a URM catches up with you during the character and fitness inspection by the state bar...

[JazzOne]

I thought lying about being a URM catches up with you during the character and fitness inspection by the state bar...

It could hurt you real bad in that respect. Lying about this is a stupid move.

[005618502]

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

I hope this was sarcasm.

If so: hahahaha.

If not: bravo for making the stupidest statement I've heard all day.

Why, if I was black i would be going to HYS, so yes life would be easier for me too

[sophia.olive]

if you lie, they will probably catch you.
(either C&F or the school)
If they catch you they can take away your law degree. You will never become a lawyer and now you are 100+thousand in debt.

[005618502]

if you lie, they will probably catch you.
(either C&F or the school)
If they catch you they can take away your law degree. You will never become a lawyer and now you are 100+thousand in debt.

This is true, especially if you are white claiming black/mexican.

Now from what ive heard ANYONE can claim Native American and say they are not affiliated with a tribe and there is no way to prove anything

[sophia.olive]

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

I hope this was sarcasm.

If so: hahahaha.

If not: bravo for making the stupidest statement I've heard all day.

Why, if I was black i would be going to HYS, so yes life would be easier for me too

....I would have a completely different life.

P.S. you are incredibly stupid...

[mrmangs]

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

I hope this was sarcasm.

If so: hahahaha.

If not: bravo for making the stupidest statement I've heard all day.

Why, if I was black i would be going to HYS, so yes life would be easier for me too

True for the most part, if the only thing that changed about you was the color of your skin. If instead we rewrote your personal history from birth as growing up as a random black person, then statistically, no.

[zanda]

Perhaps one day people won't have incentive to lie about race.

Twasn't so long ago my grandparents were excluded from jobs and universities based on explicit discriminatory policies.

[sophia.olive]

if you lie, they will probably catch you.
(either C&F or the school)
If they catch you they can take away your law degree. You will never become a lawyer and now you are 100+thousand in debt.

This is true, especially if you are white claiming black/mexican.

Now from what ive heard ANYONE can claim Native American and say they are not affiliated with a tribe and there is no way to prove anything

With the affiliation comes most the boost

[Ratchet Jackson]

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

I hope this was sarcasm.

If so: hahahaha.

If not: bravo for making the stupidest statement I've heard all day.

Why, if I was black i would be going to HYS, so yes life would be easier for me too

It is funny how people make completely unsubstantiated comments. You are quick to forget the socioeconomic ramifications of actually being black.

[005618502]

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

I hope this was sarcasm.

If so: hahahaha.

If not: bravo for making the stupidest statement I've heard all day.

Why, if I was black i would be going to HYS, so yes life would be easier for me too

....I would have a completely different life.

P.S. you are incredibly stupid...

You're retarded, you have no idea what you are talking about. You have no idea where i grew up, how much money my family made.

I was one of the VERY few white people in my HS for some time. So dont act like you know what you are talking about, many of my best friends are black and there is no difference between their lives and mine, besides with the same numbers they are getting into much better schools.

P.S you are incredibly stupid

[Ratchet Jackson]

I think the whole system would be more fair if everyone lied about race.

Please explain this.

I just think it's funny that something as ill-defined as "race" has such a huge impact on admissions. My maternal grandparents were from Mexico; their ancestors immigrated to Mexico from Germany during the war era. My paternal grandfather was Polish, and my paternal grandmother was French. I have no fucking idea what race I am. I'm just a dude from Texas. I don't even speak Spanish, but Hispanic is probably the best description of my ethnicity and cultural heritage. What a joke.

That's where you are mistaken. Please do not confuse race with under represented minority. Race is a social construct which cannot be proved with any sort of accuracy. Under represented minority status can be easily proved with empirical data. The two are not synonymous with each other.

[005618502]

God I wish I was black, life would be so much easier.

I hope this was sarcasm.

If so: hahahaha.

If not: bravo for making the stupidest statement I've heard all day.

Why, if I was black i would be going to HYS, so yes life would be easier for me too

It is funny how people make completely unsubstantiated comments. You are quick to forget the socioeconomic ramifications of actually being black.

Wow, another dumb one here, There are TONS of rich black people. The color of your skin has nothing to do with your socioeconomic status. There are TONS of white people who are well below poverty and get no kind of boost. So I wouldnt even go there