Minority?

[pearlywhitte]

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I am looking at my application to dental school from every angle. GPA, hours, pre- reqs, DAT being most important. I will try to keep this short.

Our family recently discovered that my Grandparents (have birth certificates) were born in Mexico, making my mother 1/2 mexican, myself 1/4 mexican. I have looked all over to find laws defining who is defined as a minority. From what I have seen, its based on where your family originates, regardless of skin color. African Americans, Mexican Americans are the two main minority groups in the United States. I am white though, but my family originates from Mexico and we have birth certificates as proof.

Do I qualify as a Minority ? Would this help me or hurt me in the application process?

Sorry if this sounded like the begining to a bad joke.

 

[Baker2010]

I am looking at my application to dental school from every angle. GPA, hours, pre- reqs, DAT being most important. I will try to keep this short.

Our family recently discovered that my Grandparents (have birth certificates) were born in Mexico, making my mother 1/2 mexican, myself 1/4 mexican. I have looked all over to find laws defining who is defined as a minority. From what I have seen, its based on where your family originates, regardless of skin color. African Americans, Mexican Americans are the two main minority groups in the United States. I am white though, but my family originates from Mexico and we have birth certificates as proof.

Do I qualify as a Minority ? Would this help me or hurt me in the application process?

Honestly man,

If you have been putting down that you been Caucasian all of your life (I'm assuming your at least 20 now), I wouldn't start claiming that your Hispanic now...

 

[flyingforever]

I am looking at my application to dental school from every angle. GPA, hours, pre- reqs, DAT being most important. I will try to keep this short.

Our family recently discovered that my Grandparents (have birth certificates) were born in Mexico, making my mother 1/2 mexican, myself 1/4 mexican. I have looked all over to find laws defining who is defined as a minority. From what I have seen, its based on where your family originates, regardless of skin color. African Americans, Mexican Americans are the two main minority groups in the United States. I am white though, but my family originates from Mexico and we have birth certificates as proof.

Do I qualify as a Minority ? Would this help me or hurt me in the application process?

Sorry if this sounded like the begining to a bad joke.

If your last name is Mexican then you are Mexican. Otherwise NO!

 

[pearlywhitte]

Yea, I am not putting down anything. I know that minorities have more opportunities than the majority. Which personally, I do and don't agree with. It would be great if there was no prejudice and everything was based on merit, but there is.

Please, intelligent responses with facts.

 

[Baker2010]

If your last name is Mexican then you are Mexican. Otherwise NO!

And another thing, I think that would look a lot like an act of desperation in hopes that they will look at your application more favorably.

The majority of people in the U.S. have origins from another country. If everyone thought this way, then everyone would be some kind of minority.

 

[Baker2010]

Yea, I am not putting down anything. I know that minorities have more opportunities than the majority. Which personally, I do and don't agree with. It would be great if there was no prejudice and everything was based on merit, but there is.

Please, intelligent responses with facts.

Please intelligent questions with thought!

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

Honestly man,

If you have been putting down that you been Caucasian all of your life (I'm assuming your at least 20 now), I wouldn't start claiming that your Hispanic now...

Lmao.

If I was born in Kenya... I wouldn't exactly call myself black you know. I would consider myself an honorary one though 😛


Skin color does not dictate what race you are.
But also... where your family originates does not mean where you are born but rather it refers to your genetic make up.

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

Yea, I am not putting down anything. I know that minorities have more opportunities than the majority. Which personally, I do and don't agree with. It would be great if there was no prejudice and everything was based on merit, but there is.

Please, intelligent responses with facts.

Can you be any more wrong?

Please make a list of every opportunity that you have as a caucasian, which a minority does not. In fact you can give yourself a dollar for each situation that comes up and you will be farther ahead than you could ever imagine.

Its just that in THIS particular scenario a minority might have a slight edge over you or so you think.


Nonetheless... I don't really believe in minorities have any edges to begin with. Even if you are a minority, you still have to stand atop of your minority brethren to secure a spot anyway...

 

[flyingforever]

.

 

[doc toothache]

Yea, I am not putting down anything. I know that minorities have more opportunities than the majority. Which personally, I do and don't agree with. It would be great if there was no prejudice and everything was based on merit, but there is. Please, intelligent responses with facts.

In ds, it appears to be questionable.


http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=563953

 

[pearlywhitte]

Lmao.

If I was born in Kenya... I wouldn't exactly call myself black you know. I would consider myself an honorary one though 😛


Skin color does not dictate what race you are.
But also... where your family originates does not mean where you are born but rather it refers to your genetic make up.

I found my answer, thanks for the intelligent, and unintelligent comments. You know who you are. Or do you?

According to federal law Directive No. 15 : Defines origin as in a geographic location.
Hispanic. A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
These classifications should not be interpreted as being scientific or anthropological in nature, nor should they be viewed as determinants of eligibility for participation in any Federal program.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_notice_15

 

[pearlywhitte]

Can you be any more wrong?

Please make a list of every opportunity that you have as a caucasian, which a minority does not. In fact you can give yourself a dollar for each situation that comes up and you will be farther ahead than you could ever imagine.

Its just that in THIS particular scenario a minority might have a slight edge over you or so you think.


Nonetheless... I don't really believe in minorities have any edges to begin with. Even if you are a minority, you still have to stand atop of your minority brethren to secure a spot anyway...

Your right. There are opportunities everywhere . I have a brother who with 4.0 GPA, High MCAT scores graduate of Uof U applied to their Med School was turned down with the response in his interview, if you were gay and black then we would have accepted you. To me thats wrong.

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

Your right. There are opportunities everywhere . I have a brother who with 4.0 GPA, High MCAT scores graduate of Uof U applied to their Med School was turned down with the response in his interview, if you were gay and black then we would have accepted you. To me thats wrong.

I believe I would be correct to assume that Caucasians with lower stats than your brother got in. I wonder why?

His race had nothing to do with his rejection.

I found my answer, thanks for the intelligent, and unintelligent comments. You know who you are. Or do you?

According to federal law Directive No. 15 : Defines origin as in a geographic location.
Hispanic. A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
These classifications should not be interpreted as being scientific or anthropological in nature, nor should they be viewed as determinants of eligibility for participation in any Federal program.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_notice_15

Sorry bro but... according to your source:

1. Definitions
The basic racial and ethnic categories for Federal statistics and program administrative reporting are defined as follows:

1. American Indian or Alaskan Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliations or community recognition.
2. Asian or Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa.
3. Black. A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
4. Hispanic. A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
5. White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.

You would be correctly classified in E rather than D. Notice how in A and B they are pretty specific in their description of what 'origins' meant? "A person having origins in any of the original peoples of" but when it got to D, they slacked off a bit. That is due to colonization back in the colonial era so the lines a smudged more...

 

[pearlywhitte]

I believe I would be correct to assume that Caucasians with lower stats than your brother got in. I wonder why?

His race had nothing to do with his rejection.





Sorry bro but... according to your source:

1. Definitions
The basic racial and ethnic categories for Federal statistics and program administrative reporting are defined as follows:

1. American Indian or Alaskan Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliations or community recognition.
2. Asian or Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa.
3. Black. A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
4. Hispanic. A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
5. White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.

You would be correctly classified in E rather than D. Notice how in A and B they are pretty specific in their description of what 'origins' meant? "A person having origins in any of the original peoples of" but when it got to D, they slacked off a bit. That is due to colonization back in the colonial era so the lines a smudged more...

Wow, you need to read it a little bit better. How can I say this, your wrong. The part you have underlined is a definition for specifically, Native American not Hispanic. Native American is a completely different Catagory of Minority than Hispanic. If you had completed your quote it would say" having origins of any of the original peoples of North America." Again, geographic location is origins. Again, thank you for your comments.

 

[mr24]

I found my answer, thanks for the intelligent, and unintelligent comments. You know who you are. Or do you?[/URL]

hate to be obvious, but you are calling people out on their intelligence and you don't even know what race you are! why did you even ask this unintelligent question? you know you are going to put down that you are mexican in hopes that it will make up for some weakness in you application... yeah thats intelligent!!! your so desperate that you dug up your grandparents birth certificates? what a joke!

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

Wow, you need to read it a little bit better. How can I say this, your wrong. The part you have underlined is a definition for specifically, Native American not Hispanic. Native American is a completely different Catagory of Minority than Hispanic. If you had completed your quote it would say" having origins of any of the original peoples of North America." Again, geographic location is origins. Again, thank you for your comments.

This is my sentence:
Notice how in A and B they are pretty specific in their description of what 'origins' meant? "A person having origins in any of the original peoples of"

If I had done as you said and inserted it, it would be this:
Notice how in A and B they are pretty specific in their description of what 'origins' meant? "A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America"

That would contradict the first part of my sentence "Notice how in A and B"...

Anyway... away from the technicalities, since you did not understand what I wrote, I will say it again. Due to the history of the hispanic people, the term is very broad in order to encompasse the people living there... but no, you still do not qualify as hispanic.

You are E.

 

[pearlywhitte]

hate to be obvious, but you are calling people out on their intelligence and you don't even know what race you are! why did you even ask this unintelligent question? you know you are going to put down that you are mexican in hopes that it will make up for some weakness in you application... yeah thats intelligent!!! your so desperate that you dug up your grandparents birth certificates? what a joke!

Not too suprised by your comment after reading previous posts by you. I suggest you rethink the purpose of this forum and why you are here. I had a genuine question and received rude comments with no substantial facts to back those comments. I appreciate input from both sides as long as they are objective. I know who I am and it matters little to me what race I am or anyone else. Under our skin we are all the same human race. If there was something extra about myself that I could put down to increase my odds of acceptance, hell yes I would put it down. My grandmother had just passed away and we just discovered her birth certificate. Don't make personal attacks. Everyone has weaknesses and strengths, don't pretend you have none. I am sure if your application was visible, there would be weaknesses. To me the purpose of this forum is to share information, uplift and encourage.

 

[pearlywhitte]

This is my sentence:
Notice how in A and B they are pretty specific in their description of what 'origins' meant? "A person having origins in any of the original peoples of"

If I had done as you said and inserted it, it would be this:
Notice how in A and B they are pretty specific in their description of what 'origins' meant? "A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America"

That would contradict the first part of my sentence "Notice how in A and B"...

Anyway... away from the technicalities, since you did not understand what I wrote, I will say it again. Due to the history of the hispanic people, the term is very broad in order to encompasse the people living there... but no, you still do not qualify as hispanic.

You are E.

This is fun. Let me first say again, before there is a breakdown and definitions of minorities in their specific catagories it says..."These classifications should not be interpreted as being scientific or anthropological in nature." That is to say, it is not genetic or based on if you have blood ties to the ancient peoples.. Again, again, under hispanic .... "A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race." I am a Mexican American, and Dam proud of it.

 

[mr24]

to answer your question.
you're a mexican, and it will help!

 

[Baker2010]

This is fun. Let me first say again, before there is a breakdown and definitions of minorities in their specific catagories it says..."These classifications should not be interpreted as being scientific or anthropological in nature." That is to say, it is not genetic or based on if you have blood ties to the ancient peoples.. Again, again, under hispanic .... "A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race." I am a Mexican American, and Dam proud of it.

Well I guess at this point at you can do is put it down and see what the Adcoms think.

Honestly, I wouldn't do it but thats your call.
In my case, I am like 1/8 Native American but I do not classify myself as so on applications.
As mentioned before, this does come off as a kinda desperate attempt for having adcoms look at your app more favorably (even if thats not your intention).
As evident in other peoples response to your post, it seems like thats the general consensus it terms of how your intentions come off and maybe you should consider if the adcoms also will feel this way before you make your final decision.
Anyways Goodluck none the less

 

[qhorse]

This is to the original question:

I think you should ask your pre-dental advisor at your school. They would know best, since they deal with this stuff all the time.

And also, in regards to the gay thing, most people have to be very careful about revealing this sort of information still in this day and age when applying to professional schools. You never know what prejudice an adcom has against someone's sexual orientation, or anything for that matter.

 

[TXistheReason]

Here's what would be the deciding factor for me: If I were in your situation and decided to classify myself as Mexican on the application, and let's say I get some interviews and show up to them. Well, what will the ADCOMs person think when I'm actually a white guy and don't even speak Spanish (maybe you do, I don't actually know) and have never lived there? Even if I tell him, "No, it's okay, my grandparents lived there so technically I'm Mexican," what will they think? You wouldn't want to give them the impression that you're trying to be sly with your application.

I'm definitely not trying to tell you you're wrong or lacking common sense, because you bring up an interesting situation. I'm just saying that this would be how I'd reason through it.

On another note, since Hispanics are the majority now in Texas, I get to be classified as a minority for those schools right? (just kidding)

 

[dmdluffy]

Hrm... well if you're having to question it, it sounds more like you were raised in a white household and are therefore white. Culturally, were you raised with any Mexican customs? Do you bear an ethnic last name? Are the majority of your family white? To me, it sounds like you discovered you may have a chance for a potentially easier road because you want to be considered an URM but really are white.

 

[pacificNW]

This is to the original question:

I think you should ask your pre-dental advisor at your school. They would know best, since they deal with this stuff all the time.

And also, in regards to the gay thing, most people have to be very careful about revealing this sort of information still in this day and age when applying to professional schools. You never know what prejudice an adcom has against someone's sexual orientation, or anything for that matter.

The above is definitely good advice.
My input is: If you indicate you are Mexican, it will definitely help you get into all schools, as they have to report the "race" of their students, and having high minority percentages is something that makes a school look better. If an interviewer asks about your heritage they are actually violating Federal anti-discrimination law, but it's risky to point this out in the middle of an interview.
Think about your family, your family traditions, your relationship to Mexico, your self image, and then make the best decision you can.

Notice the hassling you are already getting from other pre-dent's? It's because they know you have an advantage with this fact (fair or unfair I can't say). If you do decide to self-identify it's something you're going to need to continue througout D-school for consistency's sake.

 

[pacificNW]

here's what would be the deciding factor for me: If i were in your situation and decided to classify myself as mexican on the application, and let's say i get some interviews and show up to them. Well, what will the adcoms person think when i'm actually a white guy and don't even speak spanish (maybe you do, i don't actually know) and have never lived there? Even if i tell him, "no, it's okay, my grandparents lived there so technically i'm mexican," what will they think? You wouldn't want to give them the impression that you're trying to be sly with your application.

I'm definitely not trying to tell you you're wrong or lacking common sense, because you bring up an interesting situation. I'm just saying that this would be how i'd reason through it.

On another note, since hispanics are the majority now in texas, i get to be classified as a minority for those schools right? (just kidding)

+1

 

[longhornpride]

Just a heads up... schools will sometimes have a faculty member who has something in common with you interview you.

But then again, it would be a hilariously awkward moment if a hispanic faculty member interviewed you. What would be even funnier is if they let other schools know about the gray area you're stepping on in order to gain an advantage.

Honestly, if it's your stats that might be holding you back, then being Hispanic isn't going to make that big of a difference (there are plenty of hispanic applicants with great stats that will most likely fill their quota). If your stats are great, then why bother with it?

Edit: I'm assuming you don't speak spanish, have never been to Mexico, or have any sort of connection to Mexico other than the fact that your grandparents were born there. If my assumption was wrong, then by all means put down that you're Hispanic and disregard the above.

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

Edit: I'm assuming you don't speak spanish, have never been to Mexico, or have any sort of connection to Mexico other than the fact that your grandparents were born there. If my assumption was wrong, then by all means put down that you're Hispanic and disregard the above.

I still don't see how one of his grandparent being born there makes him/her 100% mexican, thus making his mother 50% mexican, and the OP 25% mexican.

If his mother is 1/2 then one of the grandparents were 100% white and the fact that his mother did not even know about it... the grandparent who was born in mexico probably stayed there pretty briefly anyway or at the very least did not spend the majority of their life there. Also, since the grandparent has never once mentioned it to the daughter or grandchildren...

 

[dantemac]

Unless you were born in another country to foreign parents OR your parents are both of foreign origin and they came to the US to start a family and had you, I wouldn't say you're a minority.

I mean, going back in the filial ranks to grandparents, everyone can probably claim minority status. It isn't worth putting down.

 

[jackalo34]

Unless you were born in another country to foreign parents OR your parents are both of foreign origin and they came to the US to start a family and had you, I wouldn't say you're a minority.

I mean, going back in the filial ranks to grandparents, everyone can probably claim minority status. It isn't worth putting down.

Pretty accurate. My great-grandmother was 100% American Indian, but I never got the chance to meet her and I wish I could have 🙁. I'm not sure about my great-grandfather, but I'm pretty sure he was 100% African American. That makes my grandma 50% Indian…Mom 25% and Me 12.5%. I've known this for years, but never put it down, because ..well I don't really identify with them culturally, I'm only 1/8th…and I'm black so don't really need to push it any further lol! I mention great-grandmother, because she's probably more accurate than grandmother as far as generations go…my mom and grandma both had kids young and I think my great-grandma did as well.

 

[shiftypoptart]

TBH i think the main reason dental schools try to accept more minorities is because of the lack of dentist in underserved communities. More than just race they look for someone that can speak the language and actually is interested in setting up shop in those areas. Even if you were 3/4 mexican but can't even speak spanish or look completely caucasian with no intention of goin to an underserved community i doubt the "minority" aspect of your application would help you at all. I am myself half mexican and half korean however both my parents were born and raised in mexico. Even my korean father knows more spanish than english and practically no korean. I also am fluent in both spanish and english and my dads dental practice is in a heavily hispanic community which is where i plan to work in. So in my situation I think the minority aspect of my application helped me. Dunno how true my claims are but I think thats what they look for when they are trying to fill minority slots in the class (if there even is such a thing).

 

[Bis-GMA111]

im gonna have to go with a no on this one.

i know of a kid who is egyptian and put african american down on his app. he was given crap from every school he applied to

 

[YoHomey]

Here's the deal: say you put down your Mexican and wind up scoring an undeserving interview. What do you think will happen when they see that you're caucasian? They will think that you LIED on your app meaning DING DING DING.

If you plan on marking down that you're an URM, you better look the part!

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

im gonna have to go with a no on this one.

I know of a kid who is egyptian and put african american down on his app. He was given crap from every school he applied to

thank you sir!

 

[Ghostface17]

im gonna have to go with a no on this one.

i know of a kid who is egyptian and put african american down on his app. he was given crap from every school he applied to

Lol my friend last night was telling me about how he knows an egyptian guy who put down african american on his app. wonder if its the same dude haha

 

[susalman]

I am looking at my application to dental school from every angle. GPA, hours, pre- reqs, DAT being most important. I will try to keep this short.

Our family recently discovered that my Grandparents (have birth certificates) were born in Mexico, making my mother 1/2 mexican, myself 1/4 mexican. I have looked all over to find laws defining who is defined as a minority. From what I have seen, its based on where your family originates, regardless of skin color. African Americans, Mexican Americans are the two main minority groups in the United States. I am white though, but my family originates from Mexico and we have birth certificates as proof.

Do I qualify as a Minority ? Would this help me or hurt me in the application process?

Sorry if this sounded like the begining to a bad joke.

The way I see it, is that if you can claim minority and sound like a minority member be the time of the interview, then by all means do!!

If you have doubts that you can't convince the ad com that you are a minority, then i'd say don't mention the mexican origin.. It'll only makes you look bad!!

goodluck!