Grazie.

Hi!

I can't really seem to get the right information on LSAC so please forgive me if this is redundant. My mother's parents and most of her family are either from Puerto Rico (born there) or have parents who were born there. However, my father is Caucasian. I have typically identified most with my mother's family as I am much closer to them and to that culture. Do I mark both Puerto Rican and Caucasian down on the sheet? I usually have just marked Puerto Rican in the past, but I want to make sure I am doing the right thing. Also, even though I was not born in Puerto Rico, I am still considered Puerto Rican, correct? The whole concept of what constitutes an URM/what the correct box to check is confuses me a bit.

Thanks!

The question is about race or ethnicity, not birthplace. If you identify as Puerto Rican you may identify as such.

It's your choice whether to identify as one or both. Since you've historically identified only as Puerro Rican there should be no problem with doing so. It's largely a matter of preference; the correct box to check is the one (or ones) you identify with.

I am a Salvadorian male,age 23. I was born in U.S., both parents born in El Salvador. Under LSAC, I am considered "Central American". Before coming on this sub forum, I thought I was good to go (considering how many more Mexican's and PR people there are compared to Salvadorians in the U.S.) however after reading that the 4 primary URMs are Mexicans and PR (regarding Hispanics), am I screwed out of being a URM?

I read somewhere (on this forum I believe) that if your not Mexican or PR, other Hispanics (like me) are given no thought of. I thought being "Central American" would be better than being "Mexican" when I initially thought about it. I mean how many Central Americans are in law school compared to your average Mexican/PR? No offense...

Honestly up until this point, I didn't realize the potential impact being Central American would be regarding being accepted into law school, however after reading how significant the boost can be, I am worried that I will lose out...why couldn't I be Mexican or Puerto Rican

What about if I write a diversity statement? TBH I have had a pretty chill life, im far from being poor,etc. I mean, if I write a diversity statement saying how bad I have had it and how poor I am (well im not rich), would that help? To be truthful, I have worked ever since I was 16, but don't most people? If downplaying my life will help,then why not? I have yet to play the "racecard" in my life but now seems like a good time to start.

This thread is hilarious! Not in the least because OP wrote "Pakistanians" with impunity. Still not sure what she meant to say. Palestine - Palestinian ; Pakistan - Pakistani

Also LOL-ing HARD at white South African trying to gain URM status.

I think you are misunderstanding how PRs/MAs are under represented. It is because there is such a large population of MAs/PRs in the US, yet there are so few MA/PR attorneys relative to their national population.

You are still a diverse candidate and should write a DS. You just said you are far from poor, and then asked if you should write about being poor. You should not misrepresent yourself.

Hello,

I hope you can help me with this:

I was born in Israel (though I'm an Americn citizen) both my parents are from Israel and 3/4 of their parents were born in different parts of Africa. I am by no means dark skin (I have no idea how this matters but I am adding it). How do I go about by deciding if I can clasify myself as URM? I cocnede to the fact that if you are unsure if you are a URM, then you probably are not but I nevertheless want to see if it is legal for me to clasify myself as URM and what is the process if you clasify yourself as such but you don't appear own (skin color etc.) most schools will not see my face until the first day of orientation.

I want to do what is right, but I also want to see that all my options are covere and also to really understand the URM policy in regards to the app process.

thank you for any help

No.

Is that because only parts of African are part of the URM?

thanks

It's because only black people URMs.

Your three grandparents born in Africa: are any of them black, or are they African the same way Dave Matthews is African?

one is dark skin, two are light skin.

Not what I asked.

I thought that by 'black' you are asking about skin color? If no, what are you asking about?

thanks

Don't play cute.

Ok

My grandmother is from France, but her family is Tunisian (both her parents born there, family lived there since way back). The rest of my ancestry is white. I have been told that this qualifies me as 1/4 African-American, but it feels dishonest to claim this, as I look white, have basically no identification with Tunisian culture, and have never suffered any discrimination on account of my heritage. Thought?

Is your grandmother black? If yes then you are black. If no then you are not black.

Top quotes in this thread should help: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=193620

I find this kind of tricky simply because I consider my grandmother black, but she is not from the US and never been here. (I immigrated here by myslef) so I concussed if this qualifyes me as URM or not.

Considering her black won't make her so. If she's not actually black, then guess what?

I agree with you. But the question here is how are these things gets verified? And according to who? My grandmother had been gone for over 10 years. I am unsure to how do schools inquire on the whole URM notion when it's not cut throat as it is when someone is AA by color of skin and direct heritage.

If you feel like nitpicking and loopholing on the internet all damn day, I suppose you're free to do so, but if the fact that your own gut feeling is "this is dishonest" doesn't give you your answer, then you're a lost human being.

Schools do not inquire on the "URM notion." You mark your race/ethnicity and then schools choose to do something or not based on that. It's not cutthroat, it's just honesty in self-reporting your race/ethnicity.

Thank you for the info. So my next question is if I identify myself as a URM and get accepted (partly) because of that, and then I get to orientation and the color of my skin is white, how will that go from there? will I be asked to explain why I marked myself as a URM? Also - since this is something that I am now beginning to discover about my family heritage, I marked myself as 'white' in the former LSAT I took. Does that matter at all? Again, in the way that that I would need to explain to schools why I marked myself as white in June but as a non-white in Oct (All this is simply because of my new found understanding of how URM work and also discussions I had with my family about that).

thanks you for all your help with this!

This is not complicated at all. Just honestly report your race/ethnicity and there will be no issues. Period.