A Little Advice...

[Traumaturtle]

Growing up my mother put a lot of pride in our Native American heritage. We went to Pow-wows pretty often and really enjoyed learning about the way that my ancestors lived.

My only problem with marking myself as a Native American on my med school app is the fact that i am whiter then wonder bread and at best I am 1/16th Native America. I don't want interview committees looking at me as if I'm trying to hope on a bandwagon, in hopes of being a minority. I'm very much a non-trad as it is and am fighting an uphill battle with my GPA, I don't want them to think this is a dishonest attempt to try to get any advantage that I can.

Is this something I need to address in my personal statement? leave it alone? Anyone have any advice? I'm sure this will be brought up (if i'm lucky enough) at the interview and I have NO problem addressing it. I jsut don't want it to seem like a cheap trick.

Any advice would be greatly considered!

Thanks,
Will Smith

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[redlight]

what did you put on college applications? what have you been putting all your life? what have you been identifying yourself with all your life?

put that.

don't talk about your native americanness unless it has had a role in you choosing medicine as your intended career, or unless it will be an important factor in your career, etc.

 

[Traumaturtle]

For undergrad I applied as Caucasian but I also kind of struggled with this then too. Since then, I have "re-connected" and gotten back into some of the events my mother and I used to go to as well as after some family members passed away. I can definatly say that i am more reconnected then i was in high school. I've been trying ti get in contact with the tribe to see if I could get some validation or at least reassurance in the matter, but haven't had much success as of yet.

 

[redlight]

For undergrad I applied as Caucasian but I also kind of struggled with this then too. Since then, I have "re-connected" and gotten back into some of the events my mother and I used to go to as well as after some family members passed away. I can definatly say that i am more reconnected then i was in high school. I've been trying ti get in contact with the tribe to see if I could get some validation or at least reassurance in the matter, but haven't had much success as of yet.

so
... "whiter than wonder bread"
... at best 1/16 native, which means at MAX 1 of your 16 great great grandparents was a full-blooded native american
... you've been putting "caucasian" on forms for your whole life
... and i'm guessing you don't speak any native languages, you're not a registered member of any tribe, and generally would not consider native american culture a substantial part of your life

my take: it's pretty clear that you're white, with no substantial ties to any native american community, tribe or tribal culture.

why are you making such a big deal about wanting to claim native american background? even if you put it on your application, i dont think it can be given much weight given how weak your ties are to said culture. it clearly hasn't shaped your desire to practice medicine, and you have not mentioned it as having a significant role in what you plan to do with your potential md degree.

 

[njbmd]

You can put anything that you want on your application as ethnicity is a self-designation. Whether or not you are going to be successful in using your ethnicity to "enhance" your application is largely going to depend on what else you bring to the table. If you are looking for URM "status" to get you into professional school, you are likely to end up disappointed.

 

[Black Surgeon]

Growing up my mother put a lot of pride in our Native American heritage. We went to Pow-wows pretty often and really enjoyed learning about the way that my ancestors lived.

My only problem with marking myself as a Native American on my med school app is the fact that i am whiter then wonder bread and at best I am 1/16th Native America. I don't want interview committees looking at me as if I'm trying to hope on a bandwagon, in hopes of being a minority. I'm very much a non-trad as it is and am fighting an uphill battle with my GPA, I don't want them to think this is a dishonest attempt to try to get any advantage that I can.

1/16th Native American? "marking yourself as an Native American" IMO may seem like a bit of an extrapolation. Your concerns are valid, and yes the admissions committee may very well see it as "a dishonest attempt". I don't think it's worth the risk. It may result in you spending half of your interview time validating your ethnicity.


PS: It's FRIDAY!!!!!! and life is good.

 

[PinkIvy08]

Growing up my mother put a lot of pride in our Native American heritage. We went to Pow-wows pretty often and really enjoyed learning about the way that my ancestors lived.

My only problem with marking myself as a Native American on my med school app is the fact that i am whiter then wonder bread and at best I am 1/16th Native America. I don't want interview committees looking at me as if I'm trying to hope on a bandwagon, in hopes of being a minority. I'm very much a non-trad as it is and am fighting an uphill battle with my GPA, I don't want them to think this is a dishonest attempt to try to get any advantage that I can.

Is this something I need to address in my personal statement? leave it alone? Anyone have any advice? I'm sure this will be brought up (if i'm lucky enough) at the interview and I have NO problem addressing it. I jsut don't want it to seem like a cheap trick.

Any advice would be greatly considered!

Thanks,
Will Smith

You're miles ahead of this chick.
Eh, imho, if you feel connected to the community then don't hold back. I wish you would have checked it before (i.e. for college). You can read my post I wrote to that girl, some of it (not the offended part) applies to your situation - though, I feel you're in much better standing than she.

Best wishes this app cycle!