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qIsn't it partly because of the sheer number of applicants who lie about their ethnicity/race?

The temptation to just check that "Latino" or "African-American" box in the hopes that perhaps one of your great-great-great grandfathers did indeed have Latino or Black blood in him.

After all, how the hell can the admissions folk really know whether you really are Latino or African American or heck, even part Native American?

From friends at HLS, I hear that the actual diversity of the student body is quite disappointing compared to what they say on paper (which states that nearly 40% of students are students of color [Blacks, Asians, Latinos, etc]).

So it appears that HLS admissions folks want to do a double-check on whether or not people have truthfully identified their race/ethnicity, or if they have pushed the ethnic identification ladder just a bit too far to gain an edge in the admissions process.

I think that's why Harvard so stresses the webcam part, as opposed to just talking over the phone.

If you think about it, unless people own MacBooks, not that many own webcams. So I imagine that many folks would have to go out and buy a webcam just for this one interview.

Winterfell wrote:Isn't it partly because of the sheer number of applicants who lie about their ethnicity/race?

The temptation to just check that "Latino" or "African-American" box in the hopes that perhaps one of your great-great-great grandfathers did indeed have Latino or Black blood in him.

After all, how the hell can the admissions folk really know whether you really are Latino or African American or heck, even part Native American?

From friends at HLS, I hear that the actual diversity of the student body is quite disappointing compared to what they say on paper (which states that nearly 40% of students are students of color [Blacks, Asians, Latinos, etc]).

So it appears that HLS admissions folks want to do a double-check on whether or not people have truthfully identified their race/ethnicity, or if they have pushed the ethnic identification ladder just a bit too far to gain an edge in the admissions process.

I think that's why Harvard so stresses the webcam part, as opposed to just talking over the phone.

If you think about it, unless people own MacBooks, not that many own webcams. So I imagine that many folks would have to go out and buy a webcam just for this one interview.

Pretty much every laptop made within the past few years has a webcam, sparky.

I have always thought they do it to see if any people will self destruct during interviews. It makes their admissions decisions easier.

Maybe they just want to make sure their student body is disproportionately really hot? This is what I would do.

Methinks the OP doth protest too much.

Maybe they just do it because it better simulates a real interview and is more beneficial in getting to know us? Maybe thats not conspiracy-ish enough though haha

You can't always tell a person's race by their appearance. Plenty of Latinos are white. I knew a 1/2 black girl who looked whiter than me (I am Caucasian). A native american could certainly look white. Just because someone looks white doesn't mean they are.

cynthiad wrote:You can't always tell a person's race by their appearance. Plenty of Latinos are white. I knew a 1/2 black girl who looked whiter than me (I am Caucasian). A native american could certainly look white. Just because someone looks white doesn't mean they are.

Pics or it didn't happen. Sounds like white people just claiming to be non-white to me.

ManOfTheMinute wrote:

cynthiad wrote:You can't always tell a person's race by their appearance. Plenty of Latinos are white. I knew a 1/2 black girl who looked whiter than me (I am Caucasian). A native american could certainly look white. Just because someone looks white doesn't mean they are.

Pics or it didn't happen. Sounds like white people just claiming to be non-white to me.

I don't have pictures of someone I haven't seen in years lol but she was definitely black. Her mom was black. And Latinos/Native Americans can have light skin, plenty of NA's are part white and affiliated with tribes, as for MA/PR they can be white, plenty of latinos have European ancestry.

ManOfTheMinute wrote:Pics or it didn't happen. Sounds like white people just claiming to be non-white to me.

Cameron Diaz looks white as hell.

ManOfTheMinute wrote:

cynthiad wrote:You can't always tell a person's race by their appearance. Plenty of Latinos are white. I knew a 1/2 black girl who looked whiter than me (I am Caucasian). A native american could certainly look white. Just because someone looks white doesn't mean they are.

Pics or it didn't happen. Sounds like white people just claiming to be non-white to me.

So you're saying that 1) you can tell someone's race by looking at them and 2) how someone self-identifies and their family history is irrelevant if their skin isn't dark enough?

bk187 wrote:

ManOfTheMinute wrote:Pics or it didn't happen. Sounds like white people just claiming to be non-white to me.

Cameron Diaz looks white as hell.

That's because she's white Hispanic. There are white and non-white Hispanics.

Edited to echo this:

ManOfTheMinute wrote:Maybe they just do it because it better simulates a real interview and is more beneficial in getting to know us?

It's harder to place ugly people in jobs and grads getting jobs has a tangible benefit on the law school for morale, rankings, and future endowment gifts. If I ran a law school I would want to make sure I wasn't admitting any ogres too.

Basically, so they can play "Hot or Not"

A lot of the most successful lawyers (OK I can't speak for all of them, just the ones I know personally) are easy on the eyes, so I think you guys are totally right with the "hot or not" idea. Funny how that can factor into law school admissions.

ManOfTheMinute wrote:

cynthiad wrote:You can't always tell a person's race by their appearance. Plenty of Latinos are white. I knew a 1/2 black girl who looked whiter than me (I am Caucasian). A native american could certainly look white. Just because someone looks white doesn't mean they are.

Pics or it didn't happen. Sounds like white people just claiming to be non-white to me.

The interview is probably to also take people with good attributes for getting a job. Doubt it's to color-check folks as JS/KB are probably smart enough to know skin color isn't the only way you know someone is a certain race/ethnicity.

HOMER PLESSY in PLESSY v FERGUSON.

If you do not know him now, you will later.

itachiuchiha wrote:1 NAME: PLESSY FERGUSON.

If you do not know him now, you will later.

Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?

Crowing wrote:

itachiuchiha wrote:1 NAME: PLESSY FERGUSON.

If you do not know him now, you will later.

Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?

absolutely not. Plessy was 1/8 black and was discriminated against. But he could have been considered a URM, I suppose. But if you look at a picture of him, you would wear that he is white. you will learn about him in law school.

itachiuchiha wrote:

Crowing wrote:

itachiuchiha wrote:1 NAME: PLESSY FERGUSON.

If you do not know him now, you will later.

Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?

absolutely not. Plessy was 1/8 black and was discriminated against. But he could have been considered a URM, I suppose. But if you look at a picture of him, you would wear that he is white. you will learn about him in law school.

LOL yes all of us non law school students have never heard of the great PLESSY FERGUSON (sic!). In other news, Led Zeppelin is like the greatest singer ever.

itachiuchiha wrote:

Crowing wrote:

itachiuchiha wrote:1 NAME: PLESSY FERGUSON.

If you do not know him now, you will later.

Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?

absolutely not. Plessy was 1/8 black and was discriminated against. But he could have been considered a URM, I suppose. But if you look at a picture of him, you would wear that he is white. you will learn about him in law school.

I'm aware of the case lol. I just don't get the "1 name: Plessy Ferguson" part

bernaldiaz wrote:

itachiuchiha wrote:

Crowing wrote:

itachiuchiha wrote:1 NAME: PLESSY FERGUSON.

If you do not know him now, you will later.

Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?

absolutely not. Plessy was 1/8 black and was discriminated against. But he could have been considered a URM, I suppose. But if you look at a picture of him, you would wear that he is white. you will learn about him in law school.

LOL yes all of us non law school students have never heard of the great PLESSY FERGUSON (sic!). In other news, Led Zeppelin is like the greatest singer ever.

Once you get to HBS, you also learn about a little company called Apple. Don't worry, you'll learn one day.

Eh, I'm not sure how many law students know that Plessy looked wholly white and had to tell the conductor that he was black.

Crowing wrote:

itachiuchiha wrote:

Crowing wrote:

itachiuchiha wrote:1 NAME: PLESSY FERGUSON.

If you do not know him now, you will later.

Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?

absolutely not. Plessy was 1/8 black and was discriminated against. But he could have been considered a URM, I suppose. But if you look at a picture of him, you would wear that he is white. you will learn about him in law school.

I'm aware of the case lol. I just don't get the "1 name: Plessy Ferguson" part

boom! edited before people make stupid comments like this!

Too late it's already quoted