native american/puerto rican mix....how much will this help me?

[coquita]

hey guys,
i am new here and i really do not fully understand the URM process. I have read a few posts that mention that being a certain URM raises you "score". Is this your LSAT score? My mother is puerto rican and my father is Native American (100%)..how will this affect my score? my stats are 3.63/155

also how are my chances at my reach school (boalt) with my stats and URM status? any response would be appreciated because the whole URM thing mystifies me.

[pass36]

I would think "URMness" would be evaluated differently by each school.  Different schools value different things in students.

My guess is that they will evaluate your "URMness" on the basis of how it fits into the context of your life.  If your life tells a very compelling story of overcoming barriers, then your numbers will seem fantastic because of the circumstances.  If your life has been one of power, comfort and wealth, your genetic makeup alone might not spin your numbers as highly. 

It is always informative to look at law school numbers and see where people with similar numbers have been accepted and rejected.

[coquita]

well definitely not wealth and power i grew up in Camden,NJ and my dad drove taxis. My mom was and still is a bilingual teacher in Camden.

[slacker]

These should help. I know when I interviewed at a Midwestern school, hispanic was definitely URM. I also mentioned having a friend who was native American to one of the admissions people, and she asked if the person had any interest in law school. Your GPA and LSAT do matter, but all else being equal, being a URM can help you in some situations.

[Victor]

Hmmm . . . Native American and Puerto Rican mix . . . . ummm . . . can you send me a pic? 

[coquita]

lol victor...maybe

[Groundhog]

That mix actually does sound very pretty. But anyway, you will probably get a fairly large boost since Native American is reported to be one of the most in-demand ethnicities and the least represented. Getting a better score on the LSAT would definitely improve things significantly, though.

[coquita]

I know groundhog. I really should take it again but I am terrible at standardized tests and I was afraid I would do the same or maybe worse. If I can scrounge up some money for a class maybe I will try to take it again.

Also I am applying to Pepperdine and Santa Clara...any thoughts on those?

And thanx Victor and Groundhog. It is a pretty mix! LOL! guys are always saying they love my cheekbones! I didn't even know guys NOTICED cheekbones on a woman!