Am I a URM???/Is___ race/circumstance considered URM?? Forum

[kn6542]

Ive posted this on another part of this forum, but I will ask it here. My mother was born and raised in Mexico City and my father is American. I was born in the U.S.

What's the Q?

Am I a URM or not?

How good is your mom's pozole?

[MGH1989]

Ive posted this on another part of this forum, but I will ask it here. My mother was born and raised in Mexico City and my father is American. I was born in the U.S.

What's the Q?

Am I a URM or not?

How good is your mom's pozole?

Never cooked that for me. She cooked stuff like Chiles Rellenos and Tamales.

[kn6542]

Never cooked that for me. She cooked stuff like Chiles Rellenos and Tamales.

Then you'll get maybe a +3 boost on the LSAT.

[BreaksWind]

6.25% Native American. Opinions?

[GeePee]

6.25% Native American. Opinions?

Do you experience any cultural effects of being NA? I don't think the one drop rule works for law school admissions.

[fonzerelli]

In this case it is determined by blood, of course you could include a diversity statement speaking about you being raised in a Puerto Rican atmosphere. If a caucasian male grew up in the inner city with out a father and was best friends with only African-Americans and related better to their culture, would you consider this person an African-American? That should answer your question.

Why do people always say "African-American"? A lot of black people don't identify with African culture, and many aren't even of African genetic origin.
Can't you just say BLACK? WTF?

Then, if we simply extended this line of reasoning, why would we call people a color at all? [enter Beatles, "Imagine" song in the background]

[vanwinkle]

6.25% Native American. Opinions?

Do you experience any cultural effects of being NA? I don't think the one drop rule works for law school admissions.

For Native American it seems that you have to be registered with a tribe to get a boost (and indicate that on the app, in a DS if not anywhere else) from what I've seen.

[devilishangelrjp]

Never cooked that for me. She cooked stuff like Chiles Rellenos and Tamales.

Then you'll get maybe a +3 boost on the LSAT.

Does URM status have a numerical value?

Or were you just joking?

[Kiersten1985]

6.25% Native American. Opinions?

Do you experience any cultural effects of being NA? I don't think the one drop rule works for law school admissions.

For Native American it seems that you have to be registered with a tribe to get a boost (and indicate that on the app, in a DS if not anywhere else) from what I've seen.

Yeah, the application asks which tribe and the tribe's registration number (or something like that). They seem to look into Native American URM legitimacy moreso than others.

[legalized]

In this case it is determined by blood, of course you could include a diversity statement speaking about you being raised in a Puerto Rican atmosphere. If a caucasian male grew up in the inner city with out a father and was best friends with only African-Americans and related better to their culture, would you consider this person an African-American? That should answer your question.

Why do people always say "African-American"? A lot of black people don't identify with African culture, and many aren't even of African genetic origin.
Can't you just say BLACK? WTF?

Then, if we simply extended this line of reasoning, why would we call people a color at all? [enter Beatles, "Imagine" song in the background]

Actually, people should say black because not all of us are African-American. Some are american blacks, some are african continent blacks, some are caribbean blacks, there are even the aboriginal blacks in Australia.

None of those are African-American.

[legalized]

Ive posted this on another part of this forum, but I will ask it here. My mother was born and raised in Mexico City and my father is American. I was born in the U.S.

Have you been identifying on government documents as mixed race your whole life?

If you self identified as white all these years then your mother's ethnicity may not help.

[rateesquad]

So from my understanding of this: an individual born outside of the United States, but is a citizen, does not get an URM status.

Of course depending on the country in question. Now if I consider myself a Slav (slavic tribes), born and for sometime raised. Does this considerred to be an URM?

[kn6542]

In this case it is determined by blood, of course you could include a diversity statement speaking about you being raised in a Puerto Rican atmosphere. If a caucasian male grew up in the inner city with out a father and was best friends with only African-Americans and related better to their culture, would you consider this person an African-American? That should answer your question.

Why do people always say "African-American"? A lot of black people don't identify with African culture, and many aren't even of African genetic origin.
Can't you just say BLACK? WTF?

Then, if we simply extended this line of reasoning, why would we call people a color at all? [enter Beatles, "Imagine" song in the background]

Actually, people should say black because not all of us are African-American. Some are american blacks, some are african continent blacks, some are caribbean blacks, there are even the aboriginal blacks in Australia.

None of those are African-American.

Yeah, I never understood why ppl would insist on saying African American to sound politically correct, when all you had to do was 1) note that it isn't accurate, 2) talk to some black ppl who hate it.

[Noog]

My dad's side of the family has a weird genealogy and I don't know if I should claim any type of URM status. My grandfather, who I do not know much about because he died when my dad was 16, was pretty much considered a mullato. Our native american ancestory affiliates with "mitsawokett" tribe which was an isolate community in scattered areas across South Jersey and Delaware. My grandmother is still alive and is a member of this tribe and although I do not see her very often, I know that she is active with the tribe. Having a mulatto background, many of my dads distant relatives are also African American.

http://www.mitsawokett.com/MainMenu.html

The link above proves that the tribe does in fact exist. I have contacted some of my distance reatives on facebook to get some more information.

I don't look African American at all, but I have extremly tan skin as well as some Native American facial features

So my question is, should I claim URM status? If I do, will anything significant come out of it? Im taking the June LSAT and applying to schools the following fall. What do you guys think?

[kn6542]

My dad's side of the family has a weird genealogy and I don't know if I should claim any type of URM status. My grandfather, who I do not know much about because he died when my dad was 16, was pretty much considered a mullato. Our native american ancestory affiliates with "mitsawokett" tribe which was an isolate community in scattered areas across South Jersey and Delaware. My grandmother is still alive and is a member of this tribe and although I do not see her very often, I know that she is active with the tribe. Having a mulatto background, many of my dads distant relatives are also African American.

http://www.mitsawokett.com/MainMenu.html

The link above proves that the tribe does in fact exist. I have contacted some of my distance reatives on facebook to get some more information.

I don't look African American at all, but I have extremly tan skin as well as some Native American facial features

So my question is, should I claim URM status? If I do, will anything significant come out of it? Im taking the June LSAT and applying to schools the following fall. What do you guys think?

First off, what you look like is irrelevant. Second, you don't "claim" URM status, so you don't need to stress about whether to do that. You merely indicate what your ethnicity is on the app. You can, however, write a diversity statement explaining how you are diverse. It seems like you could potentially have a lot to say there.

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

In this case it is determined by blood, of course you could include a diversity statement speaking about you being raised in a Puerto Rican atmosphere. If a caucasian male grew up in the inner city with out a father and was best friends with only African-Americans and related better to their culture, would you consider this person an African-American? That should answer your question.

Why do people always say "African-American"? A lot of black people don't identify with African culture, and many aren't even of African genetic origin.
Can't you just say BLACK? WTF?

Then, if we simply extended this line of reasoning, why would we call people a color at all? [enter Beatles, "Imagine" song in the background]

music history fail.

[Miznitic]

Am I URM?

I'm Half Puerto Rican, half not.

My father was a First Generation "NewYorkRican" while my mother was an Oxford schooled brit. Odd mix indeed. Myself, I do speak spanish, although I sound like a retard doing so. I have my mothers accent, I'm exceedingly pale, and about the only thing that even may be considered PR is the color of my hair. Everything else just just screams, "White Boy."

I know, technically I am, but upon my admittance to whatever school, and on that first day, when they see me, will they suddenly question that? Perhaps I am overthinking it, but I'm really trying to not screw myself over.

[vanwinkle]

Am I URM?

I'm Half Puerto Rican, half not.

My father was a First Generation "NewYorkRican" while my mother was an Oxford schooled brit. Odd mix indeed. Myself, I do speak spanish, although I sound like a retard doing so. I have my mothers accent, I'm exceedingly pale, and about the only thing that even may be considered PR is the color of my hair. Everything else just just screams, "White Boy."

I know, technically I am, but upon my admittance to whatever school, and on that first day, when they see me, will they suddenly question that? Perhaps I am overthinking it, but I'm really trying to not screw myself over.

Do you think of yourself as PR? Then put PR and stop worrying about it.

People in law school are constantly being surprised to learn I'm Hispanic. Anything I mention that indicates it usually gets an instant "You're Hispanic?" Yep, half. I put it on my application, and none of the adcomms questioned it even though I met with all of them at some point.

Put what you are. If you can defend it easily (and you can by saying "My father is Puerto Rican" and that settles it) then there shouldn't be a problem with it.

[180lawstudent]

I have a two part question:

In this day and age of getting your Ancestral (Genetic/DNA) Origins test and map... it used your DNA and matched it to the regions of peoples whose DNA structure yours most closely matched.

My question is could you use that as a proof of being a URM? I ask because I have Native American and Black in my family lineage, but as most people, I can't prove the NA portion of it.

My second question is if you want to be considered as a URM; it's the consenous that you should write a diversity statement instead of a personal statement?

[s0ph1e2007]

6.25% Native American. Opinions?

Do you experience any cultural effects of being NA? I don't think the one drop rule works for law school admissions.

For Native American it seems that you have to be registered with a tribe to get a boost (and indicate that on the app, in a DS if not anywhere else) from what I've seen.

Yeah, the application asks which tribe and the tribe's registration number (or something like that). They seem to look into Native American URM legitimacy moreso than others.

Just FYI because people insist on telling people the wrong this about this.
You do NOT need to be registered. They ask you for your registration number because it is helpful to them if you are. For many people though registration is a virtual impossibility due to how the US government treats their tribe.

So advice to ANY NA applicant. Write a DS especially if you're not enrolled. You can even put in a little paragraph why you're not enrolled and it could be interesting for your adcom.

[mayra0509]

This is really bad news for me. I'm from El Salvador so I guess that would make me part of that "other hispanics" group. Lame.

[SoCalStudent]

What about Persians (Iranians)? I would think that this group (my group) is a URM, right??

[hiromoto45]

What about Persians (Iranians)? I would think that this group (my group) is a URM, right??

No

[vanwinkle]

What about Persians (Iranians)? I would think that this group (my group) is a URM, right??

Definitely not. You could write a diversity statement and look for some help from that, but you're not a URM.

[Langfall]

Ive read through most of this thread and really I think some of these questions have delved into the realm of ridiculous. Really if your say PR and white, always identified as white, you look white, and gained some of the perks and privileges of being considered white while you can in good faith and honesty check the PR box on your apps I do think there is something morally wrong with that. Most minorities know they are minorities, have always been identified by society as a minority, and thus self identify as a minority from the time they were able to understand what a minority is. If while writing your apps its the first time you have ever had to search through your genealogy or engage in some form of self reflection as to if your a minority or not then your probably not. That being said I think it is a good thing to reflect on your background and write a diversity statement on how your history has affected who you are and your experiences. I think even urm's should write this essay.

Why do people always say "African-American"? A lot of black people don't identify with African culture, and many aren't even of African genetic origin.
Can't you just say BLACK? WTF?

Then, if we simply extended this line of reasoning, why would we call people a color at all? [enter Beatles, "Imagine" song in the background]

Actually, people should say black because not all of us are African-American. Some are american blacks, some are african continent blacks, some are caribbean blacks, there are even the aboriginal blacks in Australia.

None of those are African-American.

Yeah, I never understood why ppl would insist on saying African American to sound politically correct, when all you had to do was 1) note that it isn't accurate, 2) talk to some black ppl who hate it.

I think probably bc this is the longest standing and least offensive term there is. Some people dont appreciate being called by a color. Its also worth mentioning that most census's (Law school apps included) only have one box to check off for blacks despite the various countries we come from, in comparison to other races.