At what point is URM status finally determined?

[Anonymous]

My two children have a legitimate basis to claim URM status. We've checked the white/Caucasian box in the past, but going through the admission process I wish we had laid a foundation for URM status. DS is applying this year and if he claims his URM status it will be inconsistent with his SAT ethnicity. Will that be noted by colleges? DDhas not yet taken the SAT (or PSAT), but her high school is not aware of her minority status. Will anything in a high school transcript reflect ethnicity?

[Anonymous]

If they don't identify as a URM they shouldn't claim it to gain advantage.

[Anonymous]

If she's claiming to be black or Hispanic, then there should be something in the transcript, like being involved with African-American students organization, or Hispanic students organization, etc. Otherwise, it just sounds like you're jockeying for an edge. If you're African-American, there are lots of essay contests, leadership groups particularly for teen guys. You could attend an African-American church. In short, there should be actual activity within the community which would back up your claim that you identify heavily with the group.

[Anonymous]

How far are you stretching here? Its difficult to envision a scenario in which your child has always identified as white and suddenly isn't.

[Anonymous]

OP here - my husband's family has Native American hertigage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she's claiming to be black or Hispanic, then there should be something in the transcript, like being involved with African-American students organization, or Hispanic students organization, etc. Otherwise, it just sounds like you're jockeying for an edge. If you're African-American, there are lots of essay contests, leadership groups particularly for teen guys. You could attend an African-American church. In short, there should be actual activity within the community which would back up your claim that you identify heavily with the group.

But the question is about race or ethnicity, not identification. If you have ancestry of a given race or ethnicity, you should be able to claim that for purposes of URM status.

With native Americans, you can certainly claim if it you are enrolled with a tribe, whether or not you have ever participated in tribal events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - my husband's family has Native American hertigage.

Meaning what? One of your DH's parents or grandparents is 1/2 Cherokee? I think that's a stretch, TBH.

[Anonymous]

Do they have tribal membership? If so, absolutely claim. If they don't qualify for tribal membership, I wouldn't do it.

[Anonymous]

I work in a position where I have to determine URM status, and American Indian/Native American is harder than most to claim, as you typically have to have tribal affiliation. Other URM categories use self-identification as the standard. The affiliation on the SAT scores won't matter, the college will use the information provided on the application.

[Anonymous]

At DD's large public, the generally accepted position among the kids is that you can claim minority status if you have one grandparent (1/4) in that minority. Anything more removed than that and other kids will roll their eyes at you (but they may not know whether you checked the box).

We know some white-looking kids with 1/8 minority status, but very ambitious parents who made them join minority groups at school to establish the track record another PP refers to. I feel sorry for the kids, because I can only imagine how the other kids in these minority student groups reacted to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a position where I have to determine URM status, and American Indian/Native American is harder than most to claim, as you typically have to have tribal affiliation. Other URM categories use self-identification as the standard. The affiliation on the SAT scores won't matter, the college will use the information provided on the application.

Op - here is your answer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a position where I have to determine URM status, and American Indian/Native American is harder than most to claim, as you typically have to have tribal affiliation. Other URM categories use self-identification as the standard. The affiliation on the SAT scores won't matter, the college will use the information provided on the application.

So great when those in a position to know post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a position where I have to determine URM status, and American Indian/Native American is harder than most to claim, as you typically have to have tribal affiliation. Other URM categories use self-identification as the standard. The affiliation on the SAT scores won't matter, the college will use the information provided on the application.

So great when those in a position to know post.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a position where I have to determine URM status, and American Indian/Native American is harder than most to claim, as you typically have to have tribal affiliation. Other URM categories use self-identification as the standard. The affiliation on the SAT scores won't matter, the college will use the information provided on the application.

So great when those in a position to know post.

+1

And so sad that we continue to think in these terms.

[Anonymous]

In the Midwest it is not at all unusual to find families that there are many families that obscured Native American heritage in the family history. Some families would, for example, claim “Black Irish” ancestry to account for dark hair and eyes. I knew people that looked entirely European, but held a Cherokee Nation registration card "1/128 degree Cherokee blood."

I’m not surprised that someone with Native American ancestry might wish to continue to obscure that heritage in an area like the DMV where most people see nothing wrong with using a Native American slur as the nickname of the most popular sports team and there is very little support for Native Americans. I’d be surprised if any local high schools had Native American support groups.
All this is to say that I don’t think you should be ashamed of “coming out of the closet” so to speak about your children’s ethnicity. The past (present?) need to obscure Native American ancestry is a manifestation of past discrimination. Your children likely offer a perspective that colleges would value. Indeed, they might consider a college essay on the topic of what it is like to hide their ethnicity. I had a friend whose mixed-race child wrote a compelling essay on what it was like to have a white mother when the child was very dark skinned.