race and gender

[isidella]

Question: Must one indicate race on the AMCAS app? You may choose not to answer the gender question, but AMCAS calls the app incomplete if race info is missing. Is it legal to insist racial status? You input is appreciated!

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[Scooby Doo]

Just put your race..why would you not put your race?

I am so confused by people ....

 

[Doc AdamK in 2006]

I just wondered. Do California schools ask for race on your secondaries? They eliminated affirmative action right.

I can see why people don't want to put race.

AK

 

[isidella]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:
•Just put your race..why would you not put your race?

I am so confused by people ....•••••I don't see why it is so confusing. I asked if anyone know about the legalities, not what your opinion was (and it is a little rude).

 

[Scooby Doo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by isidella:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:
•Just put your race..why would you not put your race?

I am so confused by people ....•••••I don't see why it is so confusing. I asked if anyone know about the legalities, not what your opinion was (and it is a little rude).•••••Well I wanted to put my opinion..ok?

You are always allowed to waive your right to share your race...but as an adcom I would wonder more about a person who failed to share their race than one who did share their race. Here's the thing, you don't share your race for whatever wierd reason that may be. You go to an INTERVIEW!!!

yep! That's right! INTERVIEW IN PERSON! Oh my oh my! They will see you then and be able to see what you are. I think people who try to withold race and gender further supress us into false ideals of segregation and racism. By being "ashamed" or withholding race for whatever reason, you just perpetuate certain ideals that race is something like a skeleton in the closet that needs to be hidden. Maybe I'm just too naive...oh well

 

[UCMonkey]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:
•By being "ashamed" or withholding race for whatever reason, you just perpetuate certain ideals that race is something like a skeleton in the closet that needs to be hidden. Maybe I'm just too naive...oh well•••••Well said Scoobster! I think all those people who don't put their race because because they think it doesn't matter are just making a bigger issue out of the whole thing. If it doesn't matter, then why NOT put it?

This reminds me of that episode of ER when Benton asks Gant if he checked the box that said he (Gant) is black. Gant says he does and Benton proceeds to lecture on how Gant now has to work that much harder to "prove himself". Then Gant asks Benton the same question, and Benton says no, to which Gant replies "then tell people you didn't check the box and quit trying to prove it."

 

[monchi]

Not only are interviews in person, but many schools asked for a photograph. Granted, this was not always required, but it was asked. I don't know how much race factors into the selection process, but regardless of that issue it is impossible to withhold that information.
On a personal note, I think the photograph is an outdated idea. I know they ask so that they can "recognize" and "identify" you when you interview, but come on. It's illegal for employers to ask. They'll see you in the flesh when you interview anyway.
Also on a personal note, I think having to fill out your gender and race is outdated as well. Again, this is regardless of whether it affects anything. Again, they'll see you in person.

 

[jot]

i agree that its not a big deal, but

"If it doesn't matter, then why NOT put it?"
(i don't know how to do the quote thing)

is a dangerous statement. one could argue the exact opposite, and its better to question the status quo than acquiesce. but it does matter. and they will eventually find out.

-jot

 

[Amy]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:

•That's right! INTERVIEW IN PERSON! Oh my oh my! They will see you then and be able to see what you are. •••••I think you need to keep in mind that you can't always tell a person's race by looking at them.

 

[Scooby Doo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Amy:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:

•That's right! INTERVIEW IN PERSON! Oh my oh my! They will see you then and be able to see what you are. •••••I think you need to keep in mind that you can't always tell a person's race by looking at them.•••••True...and I thought of that...but then why not tell the adcoms what you are rather than have them guess by looking at ya...

 

[isidella]

This certainly has turned into quite a discussion. I originally asked if AAMC has the right to reject an application based on the fact that the race was left blank. Noone has answered that question, but certainly a lot of emotion was sparked. For whatever my reasons are (and I think many people assume they know what they are) I asked the question. It is funny though that gender may be left blank. . . Noone here has commented on that. . .

 

[Scooby Doo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by isidella:
•This certainly has turned into quite a discussion. I originally asked if AAMC has the right to reject an application based on the fact that the race was left blank. Noone has answered that question, but certainly a lot of emotion was sparked. For whatever my reasons are (and I think many people assume they know what they are) I asked the question. It is funny though that gender may be left blank. . . Noone here has commented on that. . .•••••If you REREAD my post..you'll see that I did answer it!

I said you ARE ALWAYS ALLOWED To leave it blank..thank you..now just go put your race in there.

You post your pic but don't want to put your race?

 

[isidella]

Scooby,
You did not answer my question. Without race checked, the application audit indicates that it is incomplete. Such an incomplete section must be completed before an application can be verified.

 

[isidella]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:

I said you ARE ALWAYS ALLOWED To leave it blank..thank you..now just go put your race in there.

You post your pic but don't want to put your race?••••You don't have to be hateful towards me just because you think you know my reasons. . . You do not know me.

 

[Scooby Doo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by isidella:
•Scooby,
You did not answer my question. Without race checked, the application audit indicates that it is incomplete. Such an incomplete section must be completed before an application can be verified.•••••Hmmm...I think you can just submit and not worry about it. I can't remember what the deal was. I left a lot of things blank and I still got verified

 

[Jalby]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Doc AdamK in 2006:
•I just wondered. Do California schools ask for race on your secondaries? They eliminated affirmative action right.

I can see why people don't want to put race.

AK•••••Just something interesting. I have a friend. Black Female from UCLa with about a 27-29 MCAT and a 3.4 GPA. Applied to 40 schools, with a very wide range of schools. Her only interviews:
SLU
MCP
UCLA
UCD
UCI
UCSD
UCLA/Drew

Just found that very interesting.

 

[Michelys]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:
•Just put your race..why would you not put your race?

I am so confused by people ....•••••Isid, I just think Scoob is trying to tell you in his own way (and please correct me if I'm wrong here Scoob)that applying to AMCAS is an ordeal in itself without having to worry about little nuances like checking a box under race. I don't see why you couldn't leave it blank, but if your application is coming up incomplete then why not go ahead and check the box to avoid the AMCAS haggle so early on in the application game. If you still have a prob, and if it's that important to you, maybe you should email the appropriate source at the AAMC. At any rate, best of luck on the rest of your application

 

[lola]

when you do the audit, does it come up as a warning or an error?
if it's a warning, you can leave it blank.
if it's an error, you have to fill it in.

 

[Scooby Doo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Jalbrekt:
[QBJust something interesting. I have a friend. Black Female from UCLa with about a 27-29 MCAT and a 3.4 GPA. Applied to 40 schools, with a very wide range of schools. Her only interviews:
SLU
MCP
UCLA
UCD
UCI
UCSD
UCLA/Drew
[/QB]••••Yea...looks like the UC's are doing a great job of eliminating affirmative action. That is extremely interesting...Is this the same girl I met Jalbrekt???

 

[Scooby Doo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by isidella:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:

I said you ARE ALWAYS ALLOWED To leave it blank..thank you..now just go put your race in there.

You post your pic but don't want to put your race?••••You don't have to be hateful towards me just because you think you know my reasons. . . You do not know me.•••••Sorry babe...It just became a snowball rolling down a slope

I don't know you and that IS WHY I am acting more hostile to you...which is the whole point of bad cliques on SDN..beware...run now! agh!!!!!!

 

[isidella]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by lola:
•when you do the audit, does it come up as a warning or an error?
if it's a warning, you can leave it blank.
if it's an error, you have to fill it in.•••••It's just a warning message. Thank you lola. That completely answered my question. (As a result of this discussion, I also now have a lot of swell people to put on my buddy list!)

 

[saimabean5]

I think amcas is just including race etc. just for statistics. but they include nationality which i think is unnecessary

 

[Jalby]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by saimabean5:
•I think amcas is just including race etc. just for statistics. but they include nationality which i think is unnecessary •••••look at my previous post on this thread.

 

[Jalby]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Scooby Doo:
•Yea...looks like the UC's are doing a great job of eliminating affirmative action. That is extremely interesting...Is this the same girl I met Jalbrekt???•••••Yeah. She is one of my fav people here, so I'm happy for her. But I just find it shocking the way the interviews broke down.

 

[SMW]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by saimabean5:
•I think amcas is just including race etc. just for statistics. but they include nationality which i think is unnecessary •••••No I think they do it to identify URM's. How else would they do it?