Self Selected URM?

[lawschoolbound1]

Ok, so I am definitely curious about this.  I'm American Indian (like 1/8th or 1/16th), but I am unsure if this is appropriate to select in applications.  Where would this go?  In the ethnicity portion that's optional?  Does this really help?  Do I have to provide any kind of documentation to the law school or anything?

All responses appreciated!

[lawschoolbound1]

Also, just for a little more information and so people don't think I am being insensitive and such because I am not, I just want more information.

My great-grandmother was either 1/2 or 1/4 Choctaw(I am unsure because she died a few years ago and this is all coming from my grandmother, who told me to get more information about this because it supposedly helps), but we don't have the documentation, due to my great-grandparents being very poor and throwing away stuff like that.  All I am asking is if it would be worth pursuing the paperwork for the applications. Until today, I didn't know saying that I was Native American meant anything to law schools, so I am looking at all my options.

[cooleylawstudent]

Wow.If your only 1/16th then at most MABEY put multi-racial(which is true) but if you mark Native American and walk in there with flat cheekbones blond hair and babyblue eyes, thats probally not going to sit well.

[lawschoolbound1]

No no no no no no no no no no no no I will most definitely check that I am white because I am.  I would never put that I am 100 percent Native American because that is a total lie, and that would just be dumb.  Please don't misunderstand, I just want more information on this because I had no idea that me being any percentage Native American could help my admissions chances.

[cooleylawstudent]

It's ok you seem like an honest person. (a lot of people aren't is all) and just so you know if you can prove mixed blood you can legally mark multiracial if you wish. Nothing wrong with being one of use white boys either though.

Schools like to get their percentiles up in female and minority students is why it sometimes helps. My school prides itslef on having the highest number of both in the nation(and its still a minority of students) I know a guy who is hispanic who shouldnt have been able to get in since his lsat was only a 141 but due to his ethnicity he got in to raise the stats. So yeah if your borderline it helps. Some scholarships are for specific races too. I used to think of it as reverse racism(and it kind of is since if someone opened an "Aryan scholarship" the news would scream untill the world cried tears of blood over it) but heck if its legal and it helps, then I say rock on at this point.

Only a 1L and already started to get disallusioned, lucky me.  

[Jamie Stringer]

There are other posters who can speak to this with more knowledge, but it seems like people who mark Native American are given a lot of scrutiny because everyone tries to claim some 1/32 of Native American heritage and are somehow, secretly, Cherokee princesses. Unless you're willing to talk about how your Native American-ness affected your life (which it hasn't), then don't anticipate much of a boost.

[mbw]

There are other posters who can speak to this with more knowledge, but it seems like people who mark Native American are given a lot of scrutiny because everyone tries to claim some 1/32 of Native American heritage and are somehow, secretly, Cherokee princesses. Unless you're willing to talk about how your Native American-ness affected your life (which it hasn't), then don't anticipate much of a boost.

Jumping in per MA's incitement...

American Indian/Native American "heritage" will only be viewed as a diversity factor by adcomms IF you can assert convincingly that your heritage has directly affected your life prior to law school. 

Also know that if someone is able to fudge it, it isn't so easy once you reach law school.  Not participating in NALSA is a significant blot, one which isn't viewed favorably by most.  So, make sure that if you're NDN enough to check the box, you're NDN enough to walk the walk every day in school. 

[lawschoolbound1]

Thank you so much for your replies. I do appreciate them. To the person that said that being native American hasn't meant anything to my life: you don't really know me or anything about my life, so to claim that I would do this for a boost is insulting when you don't know me. I've known what I  am and I grew up learning things from my great graandmother about her heritage and her tribes culture. If I put down that I am part native American, my application will most certainly include a diversity statement because I think it would be a crap boost if someone selected being native American and didn't include what it meant to them and their life. I am very proud to say and be able to put that I am part native American. I understand some people don't care and will just put it down for the bump, but I am not like that and I would never do that, out of respect for other native Americans. So please don't jump to conclusions about me and whatever motives you think I might have.

Again, thanks for all the replies. They've been very helpful and I really do appreciate ech and every one of them. Also, I'm typing from my phone, so if there is a typo, I apologize.

[cooleylawstudent]

Standing up for yourself  and  your  beliefs from day one, rockon. 

[Jamie Stringer]

Thank you so much for your replies. I do appreciate them. To the person that said that being native American hasn't meant anything to my life: you don't really know me or anything about my life, so to claim that I would do this for a boost is insulting when you don't know me.

From your own mouth/fingers...

No no no no no no no no no no no no I will most definitely check that I am white because I am.

The additional information in the latest post is oh so touching, but it's quite a different tune than what you posted earlier. If you consider yourself white, I don't see why you would check Native American. I can only respond to what you write and despite what you claim now, it seems precisely like you were asking what you claim you were not -- that you found out that being part Native American can serve as a boost and you are going to use it as such. If that's not what you meant, then fabulous. Follow the advice you were given and keep it moving.