<p>I have not looked into this, but my MIL was 1/4 or 1/8 (my memory) Native American born in Kentucky. When I asked her about it years ago, she said they did not keep records. She grew up on her parent’s small farm and it was extremely rural. She delivered the mail on horseback when she was young. This was her impression and she never looked into it further for her 2 sons.</p>
<p>You have to research it to understand. There is unevenness in how various tribes determine and there are issues with DNA tests, sensitivities about tracking back to the old Dawes list, etc. If you have an enrollment number, done. If you don’t, but participate, can show some cultural involvement, etc, many schools are ok with that. You can’t just “discover it.” Adcoms and reviewers can barely consider it (or not at all) if you mark NA, but have nothing else that relates to that heritage.<br>
Add to all that, the “blood quantum” issues go far further than college admissions. Lots of govt related programs, definitions and regs re: autonomy hinge on an indvidual or tribe being able to verify.</p>
<p>Most colleges have become wise to over anxious parents and students looking for an edge in admissions. These people run with the story that GG-grandma was a Cherokee princess so therefore see no harm in putting down Native American on their application. The when they are invited to meetings by the Campus Native American club they want to crawl under the carpet out of embarrassment because they are as white as can be with no cultural knowledge of Native American life. Most major colleges will ask for a CDIB enrollment number and what federally recognized tribe. In a sense, being Native American in the US is
Not an ethnic status it’s a legal status. You must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe or in some cases a child of an enrolled member for recognition. You might be Cherokee or Wannabe but you have to have a CDIB card or enrollment number. Saying that " I know for a fact that great grandma was 100% Cherokee or Apache is not going to cut it these days.</p>
<p>Closing old thread.</p>