Are different minorities favored during admissions? Forum

[berkeleygirl21]

Will you receive more points for being of one ethnic group than another? I'm just curious because I saw that "Asians" were under the minority list. Does being Indian or Chinese really give you a leg up the same way being African America or Hispanic would? Is this a terribly un-PC question?

[JordynAsh]

Only African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Puerto Ricans receive the URM boost.

[20121109]

Only African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans and Puerto Ricans receive the URM boost.

ftfy

[JordynAsh]

Only African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans and Puerto Ricans receive the URM boost.

ftfy

Damn I always forget the Native Americans

[JordynAsh]

I'm sorry Nightrunner! To clarify, I don't forget *about* Native Americans, I just forget they're URMs. This used to be a bone of contention with an ex.

[BenJ]

No. Asians are just an excuse for schools to up their "students of color" percentage that they tout to prospective students without breaking it down. (So, for example, Columbia claims to be around 40% "students of color," but that amounts to about 30% Asian and 10% black/Hispanic/NA/etc.)

[ram jam]

Sad but true, not all minorities are weighted equally.

[kaydish21]

Most candidates from South American and Central American countries receive a very noticable URM boost. Let's not be ignorant and pretend only Puerto Rico and Mexico have prospective lawyers that face disadvantages in education and opportunity starting at an early age.

[ram jam]

Most South American and Central American receive a very noticable URM boost. Let's not be ignorant and pretend only Puerto Rico and Mexico have prospective lawyers that face disadvantages in education and opportunity starting at an early age.

One would think this to be true. But South Americans and Caribbean Hispanics (Other than Puerto Ricans) do not qualify as minorities. Being part of small ethnic group within a larger ethnic group does not alone qualify you as a minority. Minority status has been fought for politically. Therefore, a minority group has to be less in number than the the largest ethnic group, but large enough in number to matter politically. Also, South Americans do not consider themselves people of color. I had a laugh at the 2010 census, when I had to describe the race of my two south american room mates, I asked them if they were white, black or cholo. First of all, cholo is nearly a racial derogatory term in Spanish, second, what we might call a cholo in the US is very different than what a south american would consider as a cholo. So, I described them as white, though their parents were both mixed racially between Spanish/Indigenous.

I would dare say that URM with a political minority status such as Mex, PR, AA, NA have a greater boost than Cuban Americans or Ecuadorian Americans, etc.

[baboon309]

[strike]One would think this to be true. But South Americans and Caribbean Hispanics (Other than Puerto Ricans) do not qualify as minorities. Being part of small ethnic group within a larger ethnic group does not alone qualify you as a minority. Minority status has been fought for politically. Therefore, a minority group has to be less in number than the the largest ethnic group, but large enough in number to matter politically. Also, South Americans do not consider themselves people of color. I had a laugh at the 2010 census, when I had to describe the race of my two south american room mates, I asked them if they were white, black or cholo. First of all, cholo is nearly a racial derogatory term in Spanish, second, what we might call a cholo in the US is very different than what a south american would consider as a cholo. So, I described them as white, though their parents were both mixed racially between Spanish/Indigenous.

[/strike]


Not true.
A lot of my low 150s South American/Carribean Hispanic friends got in T25 with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[ram jam]

[strike]One would think this to be true. But South Americans and Caribbean Hispanics (Other than Puerto Ricans) do not qualify as minorities. Being part of small ethnic group within a larger ethnic group does not alone qualify you as a minority. Minority status has been fought for politically. Therefore, a minority group has to be less in number than the the largest ethnic group, but large enough in number to matter politically. Also, South Americans do not consider themselves people of color. I had a laugh at the 2010 census, when I had to describe the race of my two south american room mates, I asked them if they were white, black or cholo. First of all, cholo is nearly a racial derogatory term in Spanish, second, what we might call a cholo in the US is very different than what a south american would consider as a cholo. So, I described them as white, though their parents were both mixed racially between Spanish/Indigenous.

[/strike]


Not true.
A lot of my low 150s South American/Carribean Hispanic friends got in T25 with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Are you a member of the South American Low-150s club? How many of these people can u possibly know in order to disprove what I am saying? In actuality, you may be right, but seriously, where did you meet all of these 150s scoring South Americans?

[kaydish21]

[strike]One would think this to be true. But South Americans and Caribbean Hispanics (Other than Puerto Ricans) do not qualify as minorities. Being part of small ethnic group within a larger ethnic group does not alone qualify you as a minority. Minority status has been fought for politically. Therefore, a minority group has to be less in number than the the largest ethnic group, but large enough in number to matter politically. Also, South Americans do not consider themselves people of color. I had a laugh at the 2010 census, when I had to describe the race of my two south american room mates, I asked them if they were white, black or cholo. First of all, cholo is nearly a racial derogatory term in Spanish, second, what we might call a cholo in the US is very different than what a south american would consider as a cholo. So, I described them as white, though their parents were both mixed racially between Spanish/Indigenous.

[/strike]


Not true.
A lot of my low 150s South American/Carribean Hispanic friends got in T25 with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Was it merit based? I agree with the point here, but I think the distinction is worth noting.

Either way this this is right, there is a political distinction, however as far as law school admissions go these areas receive the full "URM" boost. I know of several people who scored in the upper 140s and have been admitted to T1 schools and some of the more competitive T2 schools.

[kgirl]

I know for medical school, there is a quota system at least in my home town; There are more Asian applicants than there are spots available to them. I hear it's 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Indian, 1/4 Jewish, 1/4 everyone else. Isn't the admissions committee smart? I am not talking about the U.S; this is in another country.


For law school, I would say the majority of applicants are Caucasian, having an URM status probably helps. Not sure about Asians though (Chinese and Korean).

[baboon309]

[strike]One would think this to be true. But South Americans and Caribbean Hispanics (Other than Puerto Ricans) do not qualify as minorities. Being part of small ethnic group within a larger ethnic group does not alone qualify you as a minority. Minority status has been fought for politically. Therefore, a minority group has to be less in number than the the largest ethnic group, but large enough in number to matter politically. Also, South Americans do not consider themselves people of color. I had a laugh at the 2010 census, when I had to describe the race of my two south american room mates, I asked them if they were white, black or cholo. First of all, cholo is nearly a racial derogatory term in Spanish, second, what we might call a cholo in the US is very different than what a south american would consider as a cholo. So, I described them as white, though their parents were both mixed racially between Spanish/Indigenous.

[/strike]


Not true.
A lot of my low 150s South American/Carribean Hispanic friends got in T25 with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Are you a member of the South American Low-150s club? How many of these people can u possibly know in order to disprove what I am saying? In actuality, you may be right, but seriously, where did you meet all of these 150s scoring South Americans?

I went to a cheap TTT undergrad. I believe that the average LSAT in my school is sub 155.

[Unemployed]

No. Asians are just an excuse for schools to up their "students of color" percentage that they tout to prospective students without breaking it down. (So, for example, Columbia claims to be around 40% "students of color," but that amounts to about 30% Asian and 10% black/Hispanic/NA/etc.)

I have a problem with the premise that Asians are somehow deficient as minorities, but setting that aside, Columbia's most recent class is 21% Asian, 10% African American, 6% Hispanic, and (sadly) 0.25% Native American.

NYU currently stands at 10.6% Asian, 7.5% African American, 6% Hispanic, 0.2% Native American. Surely, this is not a product of its integrity or unwillingness to play the diversity game.

[OnWisconsin]

What's the quota for Gingers?

I didn't see a box to check for "transparent" on my applications.

[moandersen]

For law school, I would say the majority of applicants are Caucasian, having an URM status probably helps. Not sure about Asians though (Chinese and Korean).

hating on the japanese?!

sure we are probably one of the least represented asians in the US, but show some love!

[baboon309]

[strike]One would think this to be true. But South Americans and Caribbean Hispanics (Other than Puerto Ricans) do not qualify as minorities. Being part of small ethnic group within a larger ethnic group does not alone qualify you as a minority. Minority status has been fought for politically. Therefore, a minority group has to be less in number than the the largest ethnic group, but large enough in number to matter politically. Also, South Americans do not consider themselves people of color. I had a laugh at the 2010 census, when I had to describe the race of my two south american room mates, I asked them if they were white, black or cholo. First of all, cholo is nearly a racial derogatory term in Spanish, second, what we might call a cholo in the US is very different than what a south american would consider as a cholo. So, I described them as white, though their parents were both mixed racially between Spanish/Indigenous.

[/strike]


Not true.
A lot of my low 150s South American/Carribean Hispanic friends got in T25 with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Was it merit based? I agree with the point here, but I think the distinction is worth noting.

Yes.

Either way this this is right, there is a political distinction, however as far as law school admissions go these areas receive the full "URM" boost. I know of several people who scored in the upper 140s and have been admitted to T1 schools and some of the more competitive T2 schools.

[kaydish21]

[strike]One would think this to be true. But South Americans and Caribbean Hispanics (Other than Puerto Ricans) do not qualify as minorities. Being part of small ethnic group within a larger ethnic group does not alone qualify you as a minority. Minority status has been fought for politically. Therefore, a minority group has to be less in number than the the largest ethnic group, but large enough in number to matter politically. Also, South Americans do not consider themselves people of color. I had a laugh at the 2010 census, when I had to describe the race of my two south american room mates, I asked them if they were white, black or cholo. First of all, cholo is nearly a racial derogatory term in Spanish, second, what we might call a cholo in the US is very different than what a south american would consider as a cholo. So, I described them as white, though their parents were both mixed racially between Spanish/Indigenous.

[/strike]


Not true.
A lot of my low 150s South American/Carribean Hispanic friends got in T25 with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Was it merit based? I agree with the point here, but I think the distinction is worth noting.

Yes.

Either way this this is right, there is a political distinction, however as far as law school admissions go these areas receive the full "URM" boost. I know of several people who scored in the upper 140s and have been admitted to T1 schools and some of the more competitive T2 schools.

That's awesome. Many congratulations and it's nice to see at least some adcoms looking holistically.

[ogman05]

It's about underrepresentation, not minority status. FYI. And most minorities are broadly grouped. For example if you are Laotian it is just considered asian/ No boost even if you are the only laotian that would be at the school. HTH

[Unemployed]

It's about underrepresentation, not minority status. FYI. And most minorities are broadly grouped. For example if you are Laotian it is just considered asian/ No boost even if you are the only laotian that would be at the school. HTH

Right. That's really narrowly tailored.

[Flanker1067]

I am just going to throw this out there.

I am Mex, and I received zero URM boost. My cycle went almost exactly according to LawSchoolPredictor without the checked URM box. I was waitlisted at almost (got in to one) all my "consider" schools, which were all "admit" with the box checked. I have not gotten into any "weak consider" or "deny" schools. For my own interest I have been searching URM's on LSN and it seems the boost is largely skewed towards AA.

I am not complaining about this, my numbers were fine to get me into places I want to go and I don't necessarily even feel that people deserve a boost. I am just stating that this Mex URM boost is not some sort of magical "get into anywhere" card, even if I wish it was.

/rant

[baboon309]

I am just going to throw this out there.

I am Mex, and I received zero URM boost. My cycle went almost exactly according to LawSchoolPredictor without the checked URM box. I was waitlisted at almost (got in to one) all my "consider" schools, which were all "admit" with the box checked. I have not gotten into any "weak consider" or "deny" schools. For my own interest I have been searching URM's on LSN and it seems the boost is largely skewed towards AA.

I am not complaining about this, my numbers were fine to get me into places I want to go and I don't necessarily even feel that people deserve a boost. I am just stating that this Mex URM boost is not some sort of magical "get into anywhere" card, even if I wish it was.

/rant

It's probably because of your GPA. All the South Ameircan/Hispanic frds of mine who got in T1 schools with $$$$$$ have 3.8+ GPA.

[orphanarium]

...

[Flanker1067]

I am just going to throw this out there.

I am Mex, and I received zero URM boost. My cycle went almost exactly according to LawSchoolPredictor without the checked URM box. I was waitlisted at almost (got in to one) all my "consider" schools, which were all "admit" with the box checked. I have not gotten into any "weak consider" or "deny" schools. For my own interest I have been searching URM's on LSN and it seems the boost is largely skewed towards AA.

I am not complaining about this, my numbers were fine to get me into places I want to go and I don't necessarily even feel that people deserve a boost. I am just stating that this Mex URM boost is not some sort of magical "get into anywhere" card, even if I wish it was.

/rant

It's probably because of your GPA. All the South Ameircan/Hispanic frds of mine who got in T1 schools with $$$$$$ have 3.8+ GPA.

This could be true, it does seem that schools are more friendly to URM reverse splitters then URM splitters, via my own looking through LSN. Still, I thought it would be rarer to be a URM with a high LSAT then one with a high GPA. Oh well, what can you do.