Does URM matter anymore?

[john7991]

I am currently reinventing myself (insanely steep uptrend) and am also considered URM/come from a poor background. Will URM still help my chances after today’s SC ruling? People are saying that universities will find ways around it but the SC seemed very straightforward and clear when they said that race can’t at all be used to decide whether or not to admit a student.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Stoasty]

They said you can still write about it in your essays. I'm sure it will affect some schools but I kind of doubt schools like Howard will end up as 90% White/Asian. De jure vs de facto are two different things.

I'm not an adcom or lawyer though, so grain of salt.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I am currently reinventing myself (insanely steep uptrend) and am also considered URM/come from a poor background. Will URM still help my chances after today’s SC ruling? People are saying that universities will find ways around it but the SC seemed very straightforward and clear when they said that race can’t at all be used to decide whether or not to admit a student.

Your personal journey will matter, but what the SCOTUS ruling suggests is that admissions committees cannot use experiences based solely on race in making decisions for interview or for an offer. It seems that you can state your purpose to be a physician is to address healthcare disparities you have witnessed or experienced, but admissions committees cannot use any disclosure of race to benefit your application's standing (subject to any correction by legal counsel).

 

[pleasantpeanut4]

Your personal journey will matter, but what the SCOTUS ruling suggests is that admissions committees cannot use experiences based solely on race in making decisions for interview or for an offer. It seems that you can state your purpose to be a physician is to address healthcare disparities you have witnessed or experienced, but admissions committees cannot use any disclosure of race to benefit your application's standing (subject to any correction by legal counsel).

Do you think this will apply to the current cycle? I’ve already submitted but didn’t use Other Impact essay to talk about race, (although I did talk about socioeconomic status) and I wonder if I should have.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Do you think this will apply to the current cycle? I’ve already submitted but didn’t use Other Impact essay to talk about race, (although I did talk about socioeconomic status) and I wonder if I should have.

It likely will be taking effect immediately. No school wants to have their processes questioned or placed under scrutiny, and their legal counsel will make sure of this.

Past ERAS cycles with OIE only showed around 30% of those applicants submitted a response. This is the first year with OIE in AMCAS, and we will see if this "optional" essay is answered at around the same frequency.

Pre-writing secondaries should inform you on other opportunities other than OIE where you can disclose any relevant information. TMDSAS's application has some prompts similar to OIE which I hope applicants have been able to take advantage.

Fortunately nothing about the decision says that applicants cannot disclose their own race or how racism has affected their preparation or journey. The challenge is how admissions committees will adjust. I suspect many already have transitioned to show how they don't put in a significant factor on race in decision making (redacting this information from decision-makers), and many schools in states that already prohibited AA in admissions decisions have experience on this.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Locking--please discuss in ongoing thread: Supreme Court Ruling, Race based admissions.