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Since this question comes up many times, let's try to keep all of the answers and responses in one thread. Everything below is the answers that other TLS posters will give you when you ask a question. I know this because I've spent way too much time on this site for over a year.

The general consensus on this board (TLS) is that the only groups to receive URM (Under Represented Minority) boosts are: Black/African Americans, Native Americans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans.

If you are from any other Latin American or Spanish speaking country, the consensus is to just check the Hispanic box. You may not receive as much of a boost as those that check Mexican or Puerto Rican, but it may still help you in showing diversity to the class.

For Native Americans some schools require that you show a tribe affiliation. This is not all schools, but check with the schools you are interested in before deciding to check this box.

For Arabs/Indians/Pakistanians/Middle Easterners, for law school purposes you are usually not considered a URM. This is for a variety of reasons. It's most likely not fair, but life isn't fair.

If you have any questions about your URM status that are not answered above PLEASE ASK THEM IN THIS THREAD. All questions regarding whether your background/race/heritage/circumstance falls into the URM category will be moved to this thread.

Good Luck to everyone who is applying to law school!!!!

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They are considered Hispanic/Latino and don't qualify for URM status. You could write a really good diversity statement and show the school how you can bring diversity to their class, but as far as getting a boost, you wouldn't qualify.

silver11 wrote:They are considered Hispanic/Latino and don't qualify for URM status. You could write a really good diversity statement and show the school how you can bring diversity to their class, but as far as getting a boost, you wouldn't qualify.

Are you referring to the poster above, or to the OP on Cubans?

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Grutter v. Bollinger, the most recent landmark case regarding Affirmative Action designated those four groups as URM. The lawyers for Grutter, the Caucasian Michigan resident, argued that these four groups were receiving favorable admission compared to Caucasians, Asians, and OTHER HISPANIC GROUPS. The judge said that in the interest of diversity - law schools could continue to grant favorable admission standards. You have to remember that the key is UNDER REPRESENTED not minority. You are a minority, but Cuban/South American numbers in higher education are more proportional to their numbers in the general population. The same cannot be said for the four groups listed above, Mexican-Americans make up a large proportion of the general population, but yearly only 2000 take the LSAT out of 128000 test takers, roughly 1.5 percent. African-Americans make up about 9 percent of LSAT test takers. Asians are also a minority, but they are not underrepresented in fact they are overrepresented.

silver11 wrote:Grutter v. Bollinger, the most recent landmark case regarding Affirmative Action designated those four groups as URM. The lawyers for Grutter, the Caucasian Michigan resident, argued that these four groups were receiving favorable admission compared to Caucasians, Asians, and OTHER HISPANIC GROUPS. The judge said that in the interest of diversity - law schools could continue to grant favorable admission standards. You have to remember that the key is UNDER REPRESENTED not minority. You are a minority, but Cuban/South American numbers in higher education are more proportional to their numbers in the general population. The same cannot be said for the four groups listed above, Mexican-Americans make up a large proportion of the general population, but yearly only 2000 take the LSAT out of 128000 test takers, roughly 1.5 percent. African-Americans make up about 9 percent of LSAT test takers. Asians are also a minority, but they are not underrepresented in fact they are overrepresented.

What information are you using to support that SAs and Cubans are not URMs? I also find it hard to believe that Cubans are not considered URMs.

I'm just generally really weird. Am I a URM?

GRUTTER V. BOLLINGER!

http://www.debatingracialpreference.org ... -Rates.htm

"The Favored Minority Applicants included African, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Native Americans. The Other Applicants were Caucasian, Asian and Pacific Island, and Other Hispanic Americans, as well as Foreigners and Students of Unknown Identity. "

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I don't think your step dad counts toward ethnicity...lol

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KP429 wrote:Well I'd feel awkward claiming to be Colombian when I haven't seen/spoken to my "father" since I was 2. All of my family activities revolve around my stepdad's family, especially since my mom only has 1 sibling who has no children. I don't think ethnicity is always determined by blood alone.

It is if you want URM status.

In this case it is determined by blood, of course you could include a diversity statement speaking about you being raised in a Puerto Rican atmosphere. If a caucasian male grew up in the inner city with out a father and was best friends with only African-Americans and related better to their culture, would you consider this person an African-American? That should answer your question.

silver11 wrote:In this case it is determined by blood, of course you could include a diversity statement speaking about you being raised in a Puerto Rican atmosphere. If a caucasian male grew up in the inner city with out a father and was best friends with only African-Americans and related better to their culture, would you consider this person an African-American? That should answer your question.

Why do people always say "African-American"? A lot of black people don't identify with African culture, and many aren't even of African genetic origin.
Can't you just say BLACK? WTF?

Good point, but I just find it weird I don't know if I would like to be called Brown.

On second thought I don't think it is that bad. White=Caucasian Black=African-American...I guess it's unwarranted for me to feel uneasy about Brown...

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That's true. Something that does confuse me is why Hispanics in general don't receive a larger boost. I mean Hispanics usually have to deal with the language barrier, grow up in the same neighborhoods as African-Americans, and face equal discrimination.

I'm fairly certain African counts too; many schools use them to boost the numbers of their minority applicants.

I guess it does all come down to that. With only 29 African Americans scoring higher than a 170 HYS snatch up all of them before any other schools can. I can't imagine a law school not granting URM status to an African if he can boost their rankings and provide diversity.

Here is some data that could help.

http://www.census.gov/population/www/so ... s2007.html


Hispanics are still getting less professional degrees than whites, blacks and asians. Although this does not contribute to discussion about whether Cubans are URM's, it does show that the group Cubans belong to is still attaining less professional degrees than the other minority groups.

delete.

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Or you guys can stop being lazy and just check the LSAC website! I think 90% of the questions asked on this website can be answered by either browsing to LSAC.org or lawschoolnumbers.com. Additionally, you're best off CALLING LSAC to get your info from the horse's mouth.

All problems solved.