I'm a first-generation immigrant from a country that has a population of 3 million people, but I'm a naturalized U.S. citizen. No one from my country is represented in American law firms, political circles, or other important segments of society. Zero. Very few of them are physically present in the U.S. to begin with.
I should add, I'm white. Would I qualify for URM (underrepresented minority) status?
A serious question on URM status Forum
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nixy
- Posts: 4451
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: A serious question on URM status
Almost certainly not. The underrepresented part asks whether you're underrepresented in proportion to your population in the U.S. (e.g. 13.4% of the US is black, but only 5% of lawyers are). If almost no one from your country is even in the US, the fact that there aren't any in the legal profession probably isn't an underrepresentation.
(URM is also, as you imply, usually a racial/ethnic category that doesn't apply to non-Hispanic white people. While the legal justification for considering race/ethnicity in admissions is for the benefits of diversity, I don't think it's coincidence that the practice is intended to increase representation of people from groups historically oppressed in this country through slavery/colonization/getting kicked off their land. That also almost certainly doesn't apply to you.)
You may well contribute to the diversity of a campus based on your heritage/immigration status and you might be able to write an effective diversity statement that can help make you an appealing candidate. But you will almost certainly not get the kind statistical boost that you see for Black, Native, and Mexican/Puerto Rican applicants.
(URM is also, as you imply, usually a racial/ethnic category that doesn't apply to non-Hispanic white people. While the legal justification for considering race/ethnicity in admissions is for the benefits of diversity, I don't think it's coincidence that the practice is intended to increase representation of people from groups historically oppressed in this country through slavery/colonization/getting kicked off their land. That also almost certainly doesn't apply to you.)
You may well contribute to the diversity of a campus based on your heritage/immigration status and you might be able to write an effective diversity statement that can help make you an appealing candidate. But you will almost certainly not get the kind statistical boost that you see for Black, Native, and Mexican/Puerto Rican applicants.
