The Ethnic Question

[heart]

Greetings PowerScore,

Im applying for enrollment in Fall 2016. Of course, some school applications explain that they would like to have your ethnic identification for statistical purposes. I understand and support the idea that admissions committees would like their school to be as diverse as possible, but I am wary of indicating my ethnicity. I am a person of Middle Eastern and North African descent, and yet this always falls under the Caucasian category. In no way, shape, or form do I feel or identify with a Caucasian identity. Many of my peers feel the same way as well. Since LSAC has already collected its own information about my ethnic nature, I am wondering what law schools truly use to report their diversity. I do not mean to offend anyone, but I feel that my chances could be hurt when listing my idenity under Caucasian. Do you think its best for my chances to Decline to Respond?

Thanks PS

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Heart,

Thanks for the question! I've been asked this before, and my response has always been that you should put down what you identify with. If you don't identify as Caucasian, you don't have to put Caucasian. You could put African American, if that's how you identify. If you are concerned about questions over your ethnicity, it would seem to me that if you are of Middle Eastern/north African descent, that answers all questions right there. To support this view, let me quote LSAC:

• From: http://www.lsac.org/jd/diversity-in-law ... applicants
  
  Why am I considered a minority applicant?
  
  "Law schools consider your ethnic or racial status to be whatever you indicate on your LSAT registration forms."

So, for admissions and reporting purposes, law schools will use what you state on your application.

The other part of your question references whether you will be hurt by stating that you are Caucasian. No, you won't. You simply won't be helped by it in the same way that someone putting an under-represented minority status would be helped. And, if you put Decline as your response, there is again no benefit to that (that is, no harm but also no gain).

Please let me know if that helps answer this one. Thanks!

[heart]

Thanks Dave!

So, do you think it would be misleading to use African American on my application? I did do this on my college applications...back then I knew nothing about the significance of ethnicity on applications. I simply put it down because it made sense that my father was in fact of African descent and now living in America. I felt it applied to me.

However, I have seen it debated that admissions committees would take this as misleading, specifically since there is a North African option that falls under Caucasian. I know this is part of a bigger issue on how someone who happens to be North African could automatically be considered White/Caucasian, but I have very strong feelings on the matter. (about both accurate ethnic identity and being transparent with the admissions committees).

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Heart,

To me, the key sentence here is, "I felt it applied to me." In your own words, this is how you view yourself, and you noted earlier that "In no way, shape, or form do I feel or identify with a Caucasian identity." So, I'd say that answers your question. The rest of it is really external to you. What people debate on a discussion board isn't central to who you are, and doesn't change how you feel about yourself.

I'm 100% for being honest in your applications. I'm not going to tell you what to put down, but you appear to have strong feelings about this and you view yourself in a very definite way. You also have a family heritage from this area. Thus, if you were asked about this, it would appear you'd have a rock solid answer.

Thanks!

[dlavian]

Hi Powerscore

I'm also Middle Eastern (not North African) and feel vey uncomfortable categorizing myself as white, but there's no middle eastern option or category that I fit into. Should I just put down caucasian? What are my options?

[Jonathan Evans]

Hi, DLavian,

Unfortunately, there is not a great option for people of Middle Eastern descent to report their ethnicity on the LSAT registration. There used to be an "Other" category before 2010 but that has been removed. You have the choice simply not to respond. Depending on the policies of the schools to which you are applying, race/ethnicity does not carry much preferential weight unless you are a member of a historically disadvantaged minority (among the available options Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, or perhaps Hispanic/Latino, Puerto Rican).

However, I am responding in broad generalizations. If you consider your ethnicity or cultural background a significant part of your identity or if you perceive a manner in which this heritage might inform your practice of law, you may consider it relevant enough to disclose in your personal statement.

I have a personal acquaintance who lived in Jordan for ten years after high school, extensively studied Islamic Jurisprudence there, and returned to get his BA. He subsequently got offers from both Yale and Harvard because he was both brilliant and also able to share this unique expertise with these schools.

I wouldn't stress too much about which box you check. It is unlikely to be the determining factor in your application, except occasionally among the ethnicities mentioned above at certain schools.