Top Law Schools

Iroquois to be specific. She says she has some kind of ID # or something, is this all LS care about?

If she has a tribal card with an ID#, she should be good money. Does she identify as being native american? If not, she could probably get away with it, but it is a tad bit unethical.

I would think procuring a tribal ID signals the requisite level of identity to avoid ethical problems. Just my opinion.

AboveTheLawSchool wrote:Iroquois to be specific. She says she has some kind of ID # or something, is this all LS care about?

For her: yes
For you: no

Diversity in who you date does not help.

If she is a card-carrying member of a NA tribe, that's what they care about, and she'll def get an NA boost.

bdubs wrote:

AboveTheLawSchool wrote:Iroquois to be specific. She says she has some kind of ID # or something, is this all LS care about?

For her: yes
For you: no

Diversity in who you date does not help.

I wonder what the world would be like if it did. Hmmmmm

LLB2JD wrote: I wonder what the world would be like if it did. Hmmmmm

Your statement makes me think of all those people who "have a black friend," hahahahaha.

Does she identify with that part of her heritage? Is she able to speak intelligently about her NA background? Is it a part of who she is? These are the questions that one should ask when determining "if they are URM or not". Whether or not she can find an ID card based on a great-grandparent she probably never knew, and who came from a culture she is unfamiliar with, is a different issue entirely.

I heard this can go either way and even depends are school. Some what community and/or cultural conection other want a card carrying member. Both is best but she shouldn't count on a boast without a good DS

btw im a 1/4 a feel fine claiming URM status and I feel your Girlfriend is fine

dakatz wrote:Does she identify with that part of her heritage? Is she able to speak intelligently about her NA background? Is it a part of who she is? These are the questions that one should ask when determining "if they are URM or not". Whether or not she can find an ID card based on a great-grandparent she probably never knew, and who came from a culture she is unfamiliar with, is a different issue entirely.

This. I've heard that in order to get the full boost, the person has to be able to write a DS about it. This isn't necessarily the case with some other races but many NA applicants that have the required blood but have never identified as such (me for instance). However, I do nearly totally identify with one branch of great-grandparents so don't think that anything would be wrong if your gf did identify with that part of her heritage and could write about it.

AreJay711 wrote:

dakatz wrote:Does she identify with that part of her heritage? Is she able to speak intelligently about her NA background? Is it a part of who she is? These are the questions that one should ask when determining "if they are URM or not". Whether or not she can find an ID card based on a great-grandparent she probably never knew, and who came from a culture she is unfamiliar with, is a different issue entirely.

This. I've heard that in order to get the full boost, the person has to be able to write a DS about it. This isn't necessarily the case with some other races but many NA applicants that have the required blood but have never identified as such (me for instance). However, I do nearly totally identify with one branch of great-grandparents so don't think that anything would be wrong if your gf did identify with that part of her heritage and could write about it.

I'm multiracial AA/NA/White and I didn't write a diversity statement.

I feel as though if I have to write a diversity statement explaining my race and how it has affected me I am just subjecting myself to an oppressive admissions system. So I passed. Screw it if I don't get a bump. One of my recommenders wrote about my race being a boost to me in the class room as I have a different perspective on a lot of issues because of it. My mother grew up in a single wide trailer in the poorest county in the U.S. on the reservation. I spent my summers on the res catching bullheads for breakfast and getting into trouble. However, I grew up in the only city in my state with a white father and a middle class home. I attended a decent school system, although by national standards it isn't great. Writing a DS for that just seemed stupid considering a black youth in the bronx with a single mother had it way worse off than me. I had 2 parents willing to parent and I didn't grow up under abject poverty, although much of my extended family is impoverished.

It's a catch 22 I think. My race definitely affects how I think about myself and issues, but I feel as though I can rise above race despite the occasional slur and bigot.

I'm an 1/8 NA candidate, wrote nothing about it in my PS or otherwise, and am getting invited to diversity events. So I am pretty sure I got the URM boost from it.

I have the ID#/card for my tribe, and a CDIB (Certified Degree of Indian Blood) card.

If she is 1/8 NA and has a card, absolutely and definitely and absolutely does this count as URM. schools don't care and don't check (so i've heard, i'm sure there are exceptions) the percentage.

Think about it like this: the school really wants to be able to say 'we have [high %] minorities' and race is self reported, so it is in their advantage to turn a slight blind eye to what may be borderline cases. I'm in no way suggesting you lie, but if she really is part Native american, thats as URM as it gets.

B

jd20132013 wrote:

typ3 wrote:

AreJay711 wrote:

dakatz wrote:Does she identify with that part of her heritage? Is she able to speak intelligently about her NA background? Is it a part of who she is? These are the questions that one should ask when determining "if they are URM or not". Whether or not she can find an ID card based on a great-grandparent she probably never knew, and who came from a culture she is unfamiliar with, is a different issue entirely.

This. I've heard that in order to get the full boost, the person has to be able to write a DS about it. This isn't necessarily the case with some other races but many NA applicants that have the required blood but have never identified as such (me for instance). However, I do nearly totally identify with one branch of great-grandparents so don't think that anything would be wrong if your gf did identify with that part of her heritage and could write about it.

I'm multiracial AA/NA/White and I didn't write a diversity statement.

I feel as though if I have to write a diversity statement explaining my race and how it has affected me I am just subjecting myself to an oppressive admissions system. So I passed. Screw it if I don't get a bump. One of my recommenders wrote about my race being a boost to me in the class room as I have a different perspective on a lot of issues because of it. My mother grew up in a single wide trailer in the poorest county in the U.S. on the reservation. I spent my summers on the res catching bullheads for breakfast and getting into trouble. However, I grew up in the only city in my state with a white father and a middle class home. I attended a decent school system, although by national standards it isn't great. Writing a DS for that just seemed stupid considering a black youth in the bronx with a single mother had it way worse off than me. I had 2 parents willing to parent and I didn't grow up under abject poverty, although much of my extended family is impoverished.

It's a catch 22 I think. My race definitely affects how I think about myself and issues, but I feel as though I can rise above race despite the occasional slur and bigot.

I don't know man, you bring a unique perspective to the classroom. I feel as if these boosts are not just about socioeconomic strata but also about raising the level of dialogue by bringing people like yourself into these top law schools.

Just my two cents though

While I agree I bring a unique perspective, I didn't feel as though I needed to dedicate an entire page to it through a DS. I had a paragraph in my PS about my race, but I see my race as part of the whole package including how my decision to practice law makes sense with my WE and how I approach issues.

I certainly identify as native and I identify as black but also as white, though most people assume I'm italian/brazillian/or mexican. It's difficult because I grew up in a white neighborhood and I don't live on the res anymore although much of my family still does and I go back every few months. I'm sure what I'm saying is nothing unique. Hell, barack obama delineated the same thing in his book about his struggle to understand race. I feel as awkward on admissions forms because I hate being put into certain categories when I am my own category.

Having a recommender who said they would mention race in their letter as having been a big benefit to class discussion perhaps made me less inclined to write about how I see the world and my experiences since I figured they would be able to speak adcom langauge.

.