Hello,
I have a question regarding my race on my application. Because I do not have an official gmat score I will refrain from submitting my profile. Thanks in advance for your response.
I am a 25 yr old white male. I am 1/8 Native American and my application for CDIB certification and Tribal membership is currently being reviewed. I have been told by these tribes and agencies that this process could take a long time. It is my intention to apply for Round 1 (November 1st) at several schools but I have sincere doubts that I will be certified by then. It is 50/50 whether I will be certified by round 2.
Here are my questions-
Does applying as a native american give me an advantage? I have to think it does.
Would applying as Native american without official documentation come off as deceptful once the adcom inquired? I relate to my heritage and am sure of my blood but do not want to come off as shady or deceptive because my official documentation may not be verified.
In your opinion, would it be worth waiting for round 2?
Any advice on this would be appreciated. I do not want to appear deceptive or "gaming the system" to adcoms but I would intend to use this info because I think it provides me with an advantage.
thanks!
GMAT Forum
4 postsPage 1 of 1
- MBAApply
If you're Native American by blood only, then no, it's not going to make any difference.
When it comes to underrepresented minorities, it matters if you're a minority by culture, and not just by your genes. For example, it would be an asset if you have a history of being involved in extracurricular activities related to your culture/heritage - otherwise what else do you have to bring to the table other than that check mark on the application form?
So in your case, it's going to mean zip.
Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com
When it comes to underrepresented minorities, it matters if you're a minority by culture, and not just by your genes. For example, it would be an asset if you have a history of being involved in extracurricular activities related to your culture/heritage - otherwise what else do you have to bring to the table other than that check mark on the application form?
So in your case, it's going to mean zip.
Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com
- Guest
Alex,
Thanks for your response. I appreciate your opinion. I agree with you for the most part. I am involved in a few small Native American events but nothing extremely cultural. However, I believe your argument is flawed. I would argue that there are plenty of people who check Hispanic on their application who had a grandparent/great grandparent that was spanish/mexican, yet they do not even speak Spanish or have any cultural ties. At the end of the day, they are still considered an underrepresented minority. How does this differ from my case? In your opinion, would it be advantageous to check both races on the box? I understand your reasoning, but I still think this would be advantageous for the fact that it would make me stand out. If I am not trying to be deceptive, then shouldnt I let the adcom be the judge of my minority status?
Thanks for your response. I appreciate your opinion. I agree with you for the most part. I am involved in a few small Native American events but nothing extremely cultural. However, I believe your argument is flawed. I would argue that there are plenty of people who check Hispanic on their application who had a grandparent/great grandparent that was spanish/mexican, yet they do not even speak Spanish or have any cultural ties. At the end of the day, they are still considered an underrepresented minority. How does this differ from my case? In your opinion, would it be advantageous to check both races on the box? I understand your reasoning, but I still think this would be advantageous for the fact that it would make me stand out. If I am not trying to be deceptive, then shouldnt I let the adcom be the judge of my minority status?
- MBAApply
I'm not saying people don't check the box, but just because they check the box doesn't mean they automatically have an advantage or are seen in a completely different light.
Check the Native American box if you wish and if it's a fact. All I'm saying is that that datapoint alone is not going to impact your chances for admission (my guess is that you're grossly overestimating how important ethnicity is to graduate business admissions; it's not the same as college admissions).
Regardless of your ethnicity, it still comes down to your candidacy as an individual. The majority of applicants to b-schools are men. The majority in b-schools are men (the applicant ratio is around 70/30, and the class ratio is 70/30). The majority of applicants to b-schools are Caucasian, South Asian, or Asian -- and the overwhelming majority of the MBA students are from these three ethnic groups (underrepresented minorities make up around 3-5% of the total applicant pool, and they make up around 3-5% of the incoming class). You may want to believe that there is an inherent advantage, but there is absolutely no shred of evidence to suggest that there are dual admissions standards.
You can believe me or not. Keep in mind that I do provide admissions advice for a living, so what I'm saying isn't uninformed conjecture.
Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com
Check the Native American box if you wish and if it's a fact. All I'm saying is that that datapoint alone is not going to impact your chances for admission (my guess is that you're grossly overestimating how important ethnicity is to graduate business admissions; it's not the same as college admissions).
Regardless of your ethnicity, it still comes down to your candidacy as an individual. The majority of applicants to b-schools are men. The majority in b-schools are men (the applicant ratio is around 70/30, and the class ratio is 70/30). The majority of applicants to b-schools are Caucasian, South Asian, or Asian -- and the overwhelming majority of the MBA students are from these three ethnic groups (underrepresented minorities make up around 3-5% of the total applicant pool, and they make up around 3-5% of the incoming class). You may want to believe that there is an inherent advantage, but there is absolutely no shred of evidence to suggest that there are dual admissions standards.
You can believe me or not. Keep in mind that I do provide admissions advice for a living, so what I'm saying isn't uninformed conjecture.
Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com
4 posts Page 1 of 1