How much Native American must you be to mark it on apps?

[Reach]

I always find these kinds of topics funny.  I encourage a different set of criteria for what one claims or doesn't claim:  do you consider yourself to be a Native American?  Have you had interactions with the culture or have you experienced discrimination because of your race?  If either of those are "yes," then I think it is more than reasonable to mark it on an application. 

As far as tribal enrollment is concerned, it is a crock of *&^% how it works and is not really indicative of what a person is or is not.  Trust me, I have personal experience with this.  Tribal enrollment can be absolutely dependent upon treaties signed over a hundred years ago, and many tribes have set up exclusionary policies to keep a stranglehold on federal money and casino revenues...it is entirely possible to be 100% Native American but of various tribal blood quanta and be unenrollable in any tribe.  Would that mean a person should not or could not claim Native American simply because the federal government's arbitrary tribal  recognition system?  Hell no.

Put down whatever you feel you are and, if asked about it, explain clearly how and why you are, regardless of enrollment or lack thereof, a Native American.  Remember people, we are not pieces of paper, we are flesh and blood.

[LawSchoolHopeful2009]

I know for a couple of applications I've seen (particularly for the school I'm attending), they ask for your "predominant ethnic background" because they know people will be going out having those blood tests that show they are 1/25 hispanic after which they'll take full advantage by marking that down as their ethnicity. Following that logic, 1/4 native american would not be enough to for you to mark that down on your applications. For people in this situation, I think you should ask yourself a simple question, "Does my appearance and/or my ethnicity make me an easy target for racism?" if the answer is no, well you probably wouldn't qualify for URM status. JMHO.

[->Soon]

the research ive done says you need to be 1/4.  plus recognized by a tribe.

my Great grandmother was full blooded black foot, so im only 1/8

my dad could get all these freebies, i get squat!!!

[coquita]

I am 50% native american and my great grandfather was the chief of our tribe. but alas that didn't help me get accepted. i say check it...but no matter what if you don't apply early and don't have a diversity statement and good stats, the native american claim  isn't going to help much.

[Redlaw]

Now let me tell you a little secret...YOU ALL ARE NOT NATIVE AMERICANS. 1/8, 1/4, or any amount of blood that is not FULL, does make you a Native to the Turtle Island!!! And please using my heritage as a means to get "freebies"

[->Soon]

Now let me tell you a little secret...YOU ALL ARE NOT NATIVE AMERICANS. 1/8, 1/4, or any amount of blood that is not FULL, does make you a Native to the Turtle Island!!! And please using my heritage as a means to get "freebies"

id disagree with that.

50, or 75% is pretty close

[Reach]

Now let me tell you a little secret...YOU ALL ARE NOT NATIVE AMERICANS. 1/8, 1/4, or any amount of blood that is not FULL, does make you a Native to the Turtle Island!!! And please using my heritage as a means to get "freebies"

I wish I had seen this post before I gave you the benefit of the doubt in another thread.  Good luck with your life.

[Reach]

Redlaw...no harm done.  I was a bit hasty.

[randylf]

qualifying as a native american for the purposes of applying to law school does not depend on blood quantum or degree of indian blood.  in fact, each tribe has their own guidelines for determining how much blood quantum is necessary in order to make a person a member of that particular tribe.  so for some tribes there blood quantum is more strict with 1/4 required to be enrolled in the tribe and some are less so, only requiring proof of descendency as with the Cherokee.  so it is really not a question of how much indian blood you have that makes a person legally indian, but actually whether or not that person is legally enrolled in a particular tribe with the appropriate documents to support his/her native american identity.  so to answer the question, you cannot check the box as native american because you are not legally native american, regardless of your blood quantum.

[I can has lauskul!]

Now let me tell you a little secret...YOU ALL ARE NOT NATIVE AMERICANS. 1/8, 1/4, or any amount of blood that is not FULL, does make you a Native to the Turtle Island!!! And please using my heritage as a means to get "freebies"

Lighten up, Francis.

Now let me tell YOU a little secret...IT'S NOT "YOUR" EFFIN' HERITAGE.