Am I a URM

If my mother is Jamaican (she was born there and moved to the US in her late teens) and my father is American, making me biracial, am I considered a URM? If so, is this considered a “hook” in the college admissions process?

Yes.

They generally judge by skin color, so yes to both.

If you are black like most Jamaicans, you could be considered URM by some colleges.

However, there is a strong tendency here to overestimate the URM effect, probably because it is one of the few applicant characteristics besides academic stats that are easily observable by outsiders (compared to essay quality, recommendation quality, and (to some extent) extracurricular quality and achievement). Some colleges do not consider race/ethnicity at all, and many others that do consider it give it only minor importance.

It’s not just skin color, depending.



OP, if you’re thinking Ivies, you might want to look into how all this is worded and defined. “Jamaican” could still be white or other origins. “American” could be various race or ethnicity, too. It’s more than the country.

However, there is a strong tendency here to overestimate the URM effect"

I think it’s underestimated actually, look at the statements of the colleges themselves - “we’re proud to have a diverse class”, “50% of our class are students of color”, 10% of students are first gen" (code for urm). Colleges can build their class any way they want, and I’m glad more of them are saying this in their press releases, it should convey to prospective ORM or white applicants what their chances realistically are.

Includes those who are not URM.

Although URMs are more commonly first generation to college (i.e. neither parent with a bachelor’s degree), the number of white families whose kids would be first generation to college is probably greater than the number of all URM families (first generation to college or not).

Even with your corrections, when colleges make statements like that, they’re clearly looking at the racial, ethnic, income and demographic attributes of their applicants.

There are colleges that do not consider race or ethnicity in admissions that do make statements like those, presumably for marketing or political purposes.

No, it’s not code for URM. It’s code for “neither parent went to (or finished) college”.

But i think you know that.

@smsliadgal - it depends. Jamaicans, as I’m sur eyou know, can be descended from Asians or North Africans or Europeans or African slaves. So can Americans - so for your dad it depends also.

https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html

“There are colleges that do not consider race or ethnicity in admissions that do make statements like those, presumably for marketing or political purposes.”

That’s a fair point, but do you think that’s what’s going on at the top schools, i.e. the ones that talk about having a diversity day for URM admits? For places where urm doesn’t matter or only matters a little, I agree, it’s for marketing and political correctness.

I’d say don’t count on any hooks. Instead, take control and take the most rigorous classes you can, study, and get involved in ways that make a difference. Give your teachers and guidance counselor reasons why they should write stellar recommendations on your behalf.

IMO it’s not political correctness. Most schools see it as part of their mission to improve society as an engine of social mobility, to educate those who don’t come from educated backgrounds.

And top schools know the contributions diverse experiences and perspectives bring, how that forms a dynamic campus.



But OP needs a good read of what her targets want to see in applicants. It’s not just stats, a few hs clubs, time filled.

If you’re black, then yes you are a URM.
As to whether that’s a hook, it’s debated endlessly:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1843141-race-in-college-applications-faq-discussion-12-p1.html

While I know this is hotly contested as implied in #15, I think it’s almost safe to say, being a URM if it doesn’t help you, it likely won’t count against you either, like being ORM would. (over represented minority - like Asian).

From:“Moving Beyond Access” published by the Pell Institute", November 2008

“Our analysis shows low-income, first-generation students face a number of challenges
that make it difficult for them to be successful in college. They disproportionately
come from ethnic and racial minority backgrounds with lower levels of academic
preparation. They also tend to be older, less likely to receive financial support from
parents, and more likely to have multiple obligations outside college, like family
and work, that limit their full participation in the college experience. Research has
shown that these factors lower students’ chances of persisting to graduation.”

I agree it’s a little old, but if there’s something newer that contradicts this, please post, it would be good to know.

“And top schools know the contributions diverse experiences and perspectives bring, how that forms a dynamic campus.”

I think that’s debatable, I was in a diverse campus and most of the racial and ethnic groups tended to self-segregate, not really bringing their perspectives in a dynamic manner. I agree the principle is good but I think it works better in companies than colleges, where diverse groups (gender and race) do a lot better than homogeneous groups.

First of all, “URM” stands for “underrepresented minority.” It simply means people who are in the minority and are underrepresented at elite schools. It’s not confined to race and ethnicity, and at some colleges includes first-generation college students, low-income students, students from disadvantaged rural areas like Appalachia, etc.

Secondly, it’s not really debatable that diverse experiences and perspectives improve teams and contributions - there’s research supporting that. It’s also true that the only function of racial/ethnic minorities is not to make campuses a “dynamic place” for the majority to attend - to be a feature, like the library or the rock climbing wall.