1/4 Native American...am I considered URM? Forum

rebelyelle · Post by **rebelyelle** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:27 am

I am registered with my tribe (Cherokee Lumbee, South Carolina). My grandmother was a full-blood Native American. I'm hesitant to take advantage of a URM status, however with a lacking GPA (3.0, albeit from an Ivy League university), I'm certainly worried about my competitiveness. Taking the LSAT in June, so we'll see. Shooting for 166-170. I've also been out of undergrad 5 years and work in a completely unrelated field (hospitality and sales, though I've been quite successful). So, will my URM status help me at all? Or should I just forget about it...

Thanks!

Lawyered · Post by **Lawyered** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:30 am

dextermorgan · Post by **dextermorgan** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:42 am

Are Lumbee still unrecognized?

You can self-identify and not have to worry about any repercussions. 1/4 is more than enough for inclusion in most tribes.

And yes you will get quite a boost. You're probably looking at 15-25ish even with those numbers.

rebelyelle · Post by **rebelyelle** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:54 am

You're probably looking at 15-25ish even with those numbers.

Are you referring to rankings? Sorry, I'm new to the process and still getting used to the lingo. That was going to be my next question, actually...I'm in the DC area and really looking to stay here - I've made a life here the last 5 years and am hesitant to leave that behind. So, right now my list is comprised of American, GW, Mason and Georgetown (the loooooong shot; but I have a ton of volunteer experience, which they'll like, and I'm only apply PT to all programs so I can keep working; FT is just unrealistic with my financial obligations). Are any of these programs more/less likely to consider URM status? I wasn't going to write a diversity statement, but suppose I should now...

dextermorgan · Post by **dextermorgan** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:02 am

rebelyelle wrote:
You're probably looking at 15-25ish even with those numbers.
Are you referring to rankings? Sorry, I'm new to the process and still getting used to the lingo. That was going to be my next question, actually...I'm in the DC area and really looking to stay here - I've made a life here the last 5 years and am hesitant to leave that behind. So, right now my list is comprised of American, GW, Mason and Georgetown (the loooooong shot; but I have a ton of volunteer experience, which they'll like, and I'm only apply PT to all programs so I can keep working; FT is just unrealistic with my financial obligations). Are any of these programs more/less likely to consider URM status? I wasn't going to write a diversity statement, but suppose I should now...

If you hit your target LSAT with URM status I would say American and Mason in, GW probably in, and in part time at GW and GULC if you go that route. Good luck!

VictoryFord · Post by **VictoryFord** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:39 pm

look around here more or on lawschoolnumbers.com. a native american with a 3/170 will be accepted to some amazing schools.

zero1 · Post by **zero1** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:45 pm

dextermorgan wrote:
rebelyelle wrote:
You're probably looking at 15-25ish even with those numbers.
Are you referring to rankings? Sorry, I'm new to the process and still getting used to the lingo. That was going to be my next question, actually...I'm in the DC area and really looking to stay here - I've made a life here the last 5 years and am hesitant to leave that behind. So, right now my list is comprised of American, GW, Mason and Georgetown (the loooooong shot; but I have a ton of volunteer experience, which they'll like, and I'm only apply PT to all programs so I can keep working; FT is just unrealistic with my financial obligations). Are any of these programs more/less likely to consider URM status? I wasn't going to write a diversity statement, but suppose I should now...
If you hit your target LSAT with URM status I would say American and Mason in, GW probably in, and in part time at GW and GULC if you go that route. Good luck!

She/he can do much better than that with those LSAT scores.

frank_the_tank · Post by **frank_the_tank** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:13 pm

rebelyelle wrote:I am registered with my tribe (Cherokee Lumbee, South Carolina). My grandmother was a full-blood Native American. I'm hesitant to take advantage of a URM status, however with a lacking GPA (3.0, albeit from an Ivy League university), I'm certainly worried about my competitiveness. Taking the LSAT in June, so we'll see. Shooting for 166-170. I've also been out of undergrad 5 years and work in a completely unrelated field (hospitality and sales, though I've been quite successful). So, will my URM status help me at all? Or should I just forget about it...

Thanks!

liar

lostmyname · Post by **lostmyname** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:17 pm

Frankly, if you have a 3.0/170, you'll have a real chance at Harvard and you'll be a lock at Georgetown.

marqban · Post by **marqban** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:17 pm

rebelyelle wrote:I am registered with my tribe (Cherokee Lumbee, South Carolina). My grandmother was a full-blood Native American. I'm hesitant to take advantage of a URM status, however with a lacking GPA (3.0, albeit from an Ivy League university), I'm certainly worried about my competitiveness. Taking the LSAT in June, so we'll see. Shooting for 166-170. I've also been out of undergrad 5 years and work in a completely unrelated field (hospitality and sales, though I've been quite successful). So, will my URM status help me at all? Or should I just forget about it...

Thanks!

Should definitely help you, but why would your GPA make you hesitant to "take advantage of your URM status?" WTF are you talking about?!?!

rebelyelle · Post by **rebelyelle** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:24 am

liar

Excuse me?

Should definitely help you, but why would your GPA make you hesitant to "take advantage of your URM status?" WTF are you talking about?!?!

My GPA doesn't make me hesitant. I haven't been associated with the reservation in years, although I did I declare URM for undergrad applications. I just have a personal hesitancy to taking advantage of a status that I don't embrace on a daily basis. It's something I rarely think about/discuss, except at family reunions and limited holidays. But, it might be a hang-up that I need to get over if I want to stay competitive. I meant to say that I don't feel as though my GPA is competitive enough, so if URM will help me, I'll just have to get over it. Just wasn't sure how much it will help me.

tha trev · Post by **tha trev** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:11 am

zero1 · Post by **zero1** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:45 pm

rebelyelle wrote:
liar
Excuse me?

Should definitely help you, but why would your GPA make you hesitant to "take advantage of your URM status?" WTF are you talking about?!?!
My GPA doesn't make me hesitant. I haven't been associated with the reservation in years, although I did I declare URM for undergrad applications. I just have a personal hesitancy to taking advantage of a status that I don't embrace on a daily basis. It's something I rarely think about/discuss, except at family reunions and limited holidays. But, it might be a hang-up that I need to get over if I want to stay competitive. I meant to say that I don't feel as though my GPA is competitive enough, so if URM will help me, I'll just have to get over it. Just wasn't sure how much it will help me.

If you declared in the past, declare now. See you at Harvard.

ndnlawdc · Post by **ndnlawdc** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:43 pm

I guess I'd just be very clear about my tribe -- because if you tell folks who understand Indian affairs that you're a member of the "Cherokee Lumbee Tribe of South Carolina," people are going to wonder what the heck you're talking about. There's the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, the Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina, but I've never heard (and I would be in a position to know) of a "Cherokee Lumbee Tribe of South Carolina."

Globetrekker · Post by **Globetrekker** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:48 pm

In most AA cases, though I may disagree with some, I can usually see the argument as to why it ought to be relevant.

Yours, though, is a classic intense personal conflict of maintaning dignity vs. easy gratification...

Good luck!

swanny · Post by **swanny** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:19 am

Hi,

I think I understand some of what you may be feeling about being hesitant to claim your status. I'm white, but I've had similar feelings around a mild birth defect/cosmetic deformity and whether to mention that in essays. I think the question that I started asking myself back in high school and that you may be asking yourself now is some version of "Am I oppressed enough?/Have I suffered enough?"

When it comes to my experience, I'm not really "oppressed" with regards to my deformity. But as time has passed, I've realized that I don't think that's always the only right question when it comes to mentioning URM status or other unique parts of your identity during admissions. I think the thing schools really want to know is "What unique perspective do you bring?" So if your worries are that you haven't been on the receiving end of enough oppression personally, refocus and frame the question more positively: what unique viewpoints and experience do you bring as someone who is 1/4 American Indian? Because that is totally, totally relevant, and something that I'm guessing you may be able to write about with less personal conflict and more confidence.

I don't know if that speaks to your concerns or not, but I hope it helps. I know this is a hard decision to make. Ultimately I did wind up mentioning my birth defect. Did it leave me with a major disability? No. Does it shape the way that I see and move through the world? Yes. And it definitely influences my conception of justice and social justice, which is totally relevant to applying to law school.

Anyhow, good luck

texaslawyer · Post by **texaslawyer** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:57 am

Rebeyelle use any advantage you have to stack the deck in your favor. I am 1/4 Cherokee (Eastern Band) and I have to do a lot of documenting prior to applying. I believe one has to be at least 1/16 in order to qualify as a member of a tribe. If you recieve any grants or schloraships from your respective tribe , you might be obligated to do some pro bono work for them. That's only fair. I'd say that you are URM.

mbw · Post by **mbw** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:59 pm

ndnlawdc wrote:I guess I'd just be very clear about my tribe -- because if you tell folks who understand Indian affairs that you're a member of the "Cherokee Lumbee Tribe of South Carolina," people are going to wonder what the heck you're talking about. There's the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, the Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina, but I've never heard (and I would be in a position to know) of a "Cherokee Lumbee Tribe of South Carolina."

N, there's a faction of Lumbees who claim Cherokee descent, in contrast to the majority view of Croatan and/or Tuscaroran descent. Perhaps the OP belongs to that faction.

ndnlawdc · Post by **ndnlawdc** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:54 am

mbw wrote: N, there's a faction of Lumbees who claim Cherokee descent, in contrast to the majority view of Croatan and/or Tuscaroran descent. Perhaps the OP belongs to that faction.

At first I thought "WTF? FAKE!" and then I googled a bit and saw the piece about some Lumbees claiming Cherokee descent. I suppose the Lumbees are reasonably close to South Carolina, too. That's why I just asked the OP to be clear with adcomms (and us), for the OP's own sake. There are a few too many "Lost Cherokee/Apaches of Delaware and New Jersey" floating around to not at least mention it -- and I'm sure adcomms have seen their fair share as well.

Why don't other tribes get picked on?

srb · Post by **srb** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:01 am

If you didn't identify as Native American on your college apps, and your transcript lists your race as caucasian, I would be very careful about identifying as Native American now (at least without an addendum explaining the change). Could look fishy.

zettsscores40 · Post by **zettsscores40** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:15 am

Throw your morality out of the window. These WASPs are trying to help you after they basically committed genocide against your people!!!! Take the opportunity and stick it to these crackas!!!!!!

/stupidity

In all seriousness, use it to your advantage. You shouldn't feel guilty or undeserving b/c you don't identify with it on a daily basis. It doesn't take away that it is a part of you.

Kohinoor · Post by **Kohinoor** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:44 pm

lostmyname wrote:Frankly, if you have a 3.0/170, you'll have a real chance at Harvard and you'll be a lock at Georgetown.

Evidence?

Cestjustemoi · Post by **Cestjustemoi** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:05 pm

I would declare both white and NA. I'm a quarter lumbee and I did this. My grandmother basically raised me and because of this I feel neglecting to put this information on any form is neglecting her. Her struggle through racism, segregation, and poverty directly influenced the manner in which I was raised. I spent most my summers in NC, and I was constantly surrounded by that portion of my family so I still feel tied in this way.

liberty · Post by **liberty** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:39 pm

No you're not you little lying punk. Uggh white people who try to claim URM piss me off.

stratocophic · Post by **stratocophic** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:43 pm

liberty wrote:No you're not you little lying punk. Uggh white people who try to claim URM piss me off.

Even ASCII Captain Picard has to facepalm at the failtroll.

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1/4 Native American...am I considered URM? Forum

1/4 Native American...am I considered URM?

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