Hey guys i was wondeirng how do amcas or med schools verify our race that is put on our application?
race verification
- Thread starter cc54091
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
- Messages
- 21,964
- Reaction score
- 181
They look at you?
mandatory DNA testing if you get an interview
hey guys i love the jokes seriously lol.. and i dont mean to be like up tight.. but does anyone know how does amcas verify our raaces.. because i am 75 percent albanian and 25 percent mexican but usually on apps like undergrad i just put albanian.. so its not confusing..do med schools have records on our past race designations..thanks guys
well to start... those are nationalities, not races. and secondly, they don't have some sort of official race verification process (that i know of). it's sort of an honor system, and sort of the type of thing that's really obvious based on your app-- what do you look like, do you have cultural activities that are specific to your background, etc.
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
- Messages
- 21,964
- Reaction score
- 181
I don't think they'd have access to that. And I doubt they really investigate races all that much. They have too many applicants to do that.
hey guys i wanted to know because in the past i just put Albanian on my apps like undergrad but i am 25 percent Cuban.. ti make it more simple.. and i wanted to know if aamcas looked at our old race desgiantions...
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
- Messages
- 21,964
- Reaction score
- 181
If you identify with being Hispanic, put it down. As long as you aren't lying, it doesn't really matter.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
- Messages
- 379
- Reaction score
- 1
do you really have to ask?
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2009
- Messages
- 912
- Reaction score
- 1
Albanian and Cuban is not a race.White,Black, Asian and Native American are the recognized races.Also ethnicity is not a race. Pick of the 4 races listed above and called it a day or you can decline to enter since racial idenification is optional.At least on AMCAS...
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2006
- Messages
- 2,173
- Reaction score
- 27
Because it will obviously give him a better advantage in this heartless process. In my opinion, an applicant would be stupid to not take advantage of every little thing s/he can come up with (as long as they're being honest of course).
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2007
- Messages
- 422
- Reaction score
- 2
Before you go on and on about "looks" determining race I know a great, true story about a white guy from Africa who checked the african american box on his application (because he is, by definition AA) and got all kinds of crap about it at his interviews. Obviously they were judging by his appearance but that is very unfair in this case.
On the other hand I know a girl that checked Hispanic on her application to grad school because she thought it would help her get in. She said people always say she looks Hispanic even though she isnt so most likely no one would question it.
Last edited:
i'm still waiting for an answer to this question, OP.
yeah, there was a huge thread about this in pre-allo a few months ago. let's not do that again.
👍
are theya llowed to judge you based on your looks.. i know tons of ppl who dont look mexican but are actually half mexican.. and also what system do they use to verify your race on your app..s ome ppl were talking about.. and i speak spanish but in my trancsirpt i got a C and a W on a upper level spanish class.. since i didnt know speaking and actually taking a class would be so diff.. would this look off to med schools... thanks guys!
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
- Messages
- 21,964
- Reaction score
- 181
I really don't think there are any rules about determining race or ethnicity. What I said before stands... if you identify yourself as Hispanic, then put it. I really think you are thinking too much into this. You wouldn't be lying, so there's nothing to worry about.
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2007
- Messages
- 196
- Reaction score
- 0
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2008
- Messages
- 998
- Reaction score
- 3
I researched the DNA tests a bit.. there was I believe a judicial case that stated along the lines of "a single drop of blood" i.e. if were the tiniest bit (insert preferred race here) you would qualify. So an idea would be to do a DNA test, and list on the Amcaas form whichever ancestry you are determined to be by the genetic testing company. (caveat - I could not locate any genetic testing company that would provide results in this form)
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2008
- Messages
- 460
- Reaction score
- 3
I'm pretty sure they ask for a picture so that after your interview when they are reviewing your file they can put a face to the file and remember you, not to verify you are, indeed, black.
This thread is funny
This thread is funny
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2008
- Messages
- 42,221
- Reaction score
- 26,910
They are not allowed to judge your ethnicity based on appearance. I don't look Hispanic at all, but am actually half-Mexican, and I was only really asked anything regarding my race at one interview (out of nine). So if you're Hispanic, put down that you are--it's that simple.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2008
- Messages
- 429
- Reaction score
- 1
I doubt that by looking at a picture or just looking at a person they can confirm a persons race. Unless, the adcoms are involved in some highly classified studies that categorize the colors, faces etc associated with a race.
OP, yes stop worrying about such things; If you want to go w/ mexican/hispanic do it. They are not going to verify it. If they have a slightest of doubt, they will verify it during the interviews by asking questions etc.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2008
- Messages
- 1,263
- Reaction score
- 4
Wouldn't being mexican help a whole lot more than being just another european? I'd go with Mexican fa sho.
disclaimer: i said the DNA thing as a total joke. because OP asked a ridiculous question.
fun fact: i actually saw a documentary a few months ago (can't remember name; will look it up) that showed people doing experiments comparing the DNA of people of different races. it turned out that the differences were basically insignificant, i.e. it was not really possible to tell which race someone was (or if they were the same race as the person they were being compared to) just by looking at their DNA sequence.
EDIT: i remembered. the film was "race: the power of an illusion."
ah, but the OP is 75% albanian, 25% mexican, AND 25% cuban! that should help a whoooole lot.
Last edited:
A
AdemTD
I'm sure the only way they'd really know that you lied is if it's very obvious.
