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New poster here.

I've seen a lot of contradicting opinions on this site regarding "underrepresented states." I'm from Montana, which seems to be one of the most underrepresented states. Will being from Montana help me at all in the admissions process? I understand that I won't get nearly the same boost as a URM will, but I figured it might help some.

Thanks for any info.




Edited for spelling.

It might help a bit. Schools like to say the student body represents all 50 states or close to it, and diversity in the class is always beneficial to both the students and the school's reputation. So if they were choosing between you and a very similar applicant from a more well represented state, they might choose you if they don't have anyone from Montana yet. But you have no control over who else from your state or other states apply, so I woudn't think about it too much...

It won't get you anywhere that your numbers wouldn't make you competitive on their own, but it might help you stand out slightly if you are a bubble candidate. Wouldn't really call it a boost, more like something that might make an admissions officer think "oh, that's interesting."

id focus on the LSAT lol

Maybe in waitlist decisions but it isn't a quantifiable bump.

fisheatbananas wrote:But you have no control over who else from your state or other states apply, so I woudn't think about it too much...

Yeah even if it matters a tiny little bit it shouldn't really play a role in any of the decisions you make

I would say it plays a real role, especially at schools with smaller class sizes. I'm from Idaho and I think I outperformed my numbers, and I would think there are fewer Montana students.

Don't count on it being a lot, but it can make up for a point or so on the LSAT or .05 or so GPA (at the higher ends).

PS: Montana isn't necessarily "underrepresented"--that would imply that there are relatively few Montana applicants relative to Montana's population size.

It's not going to get you in anywhere your numbers preclude you from. It may be a feather on the scale, if anything. I wouldn't be too concerned about it.

Are we talking undergraduate or where you are originally from?