disbelief... Forum

[Azmatt]

6'4 Blonde white guy. Mom is 1/2 Mexican and 1/2 Irish. Father is a tall skinny white guy.

For all intents and purposes, I've always identified as white. Living with my father and my mom's husband after my father.. White guys, I looked 100% white.. why not?

Anyway, I keep hearing about boosts from URM students with only 1/4 urm heritage. I put down Chicano/Mexican & European decent on the LSAC. I guess it applies. I usually just identified with White since I'm a big blonde guy. My family has some latino influence on my mother's side. Not a big deal, but it's apparent.

I'm a mutt. I graduated with a 3.93 but my LSAC GPA will be closer to 3.1 with the way it all came about and my first two years before transferring and finishing up right.

Would/Should I consider myself a URM and thus, write a DS?

If a DS is consistent with how you're perceived as opposed to how you perceive the world, then I would say no.

If it applies that, because of my ethnic background(s), I've experienced a diverse live thus far , I would say yes? People make some interesting assumptions about me living in Arizona. On all sides of the proverbial and literal fence. It's put me into some peculiar situations...

Regardless. Not sure how to approach this. This is all moot if my LSAT score is garbage, but a URM boost MAY make up for my lackluster beginnings during undergrad.

Any advice is appreciated.



Thanks

[gin]

I would just call the schools and ask them. They are by far the best equipped to answer that question

[Azmatt]

Any more advice would be great? I'm just not sure about this to be honest. I did call a few schools and they simply said to put down which groups I identified with. Makes sense. That's what I did on my LSAC...

So, I'm mixed. I'm 1/4 Mexican. I don't look hispanic by any means. I don't have a underprivledged story. Middle class. Mostly identified as white as I never thought people cared or that it ever mattered most of my life. First in my family to go to school.

I have some interesting perspectives and could certainly write a good DS, but..

I don't want this to be viewed as fraud or be an issue with my C&F later on. I guess I've never had any boost or never considered that i'd ever been eligible for one. So, the idea of utilizing it now is different. I want to make sure that if I go down this path, that it won't bite me in the butt later.

[174]

Don't write a DS if you have nothing to say. Just check the box and still get your bonus.

[CanadianWolf]

Incorporate your DS experience into your PS.

[bk1]

There are plenty of Hispanics who could easily pass for just white, that doesn't mean they aren't Hispanic. If you have a certain race/ethnicity's blood then you are that race/ethnicity. End of story.

If you're writing a DS, write something genuine. If it comes off as forced/contrived then don't do it at all. Whether you write a DS or not you should still fill out the race/ethnicity questionnaires honestly.

[Azmatt]

Thanks. Not sure if I'll do a DS... I have an interesting perspective I could provide, but.. We'll see.

Just by reporting as Hispanic/Mixed, it goes into their reporting where they then potentially give a boost?

We'll see. Thanks everyone.