<p>What races are considered minorties?</p>
<p>Western Europe? people on the asia / europe border? oh and INUIT haha</p>
<p>Are Malaysians minorities?</p>
<p>not sure, but i was wondering the same about people from singapore</p>
<p>I’d guess Malaysians are minorities as people from Singapore…</p>
<p>What about Pakistani Americans???</p>
<p>Well, there’s minorities and there are URMs (under represented minorities).</p>
<p>Asians, Asian-Americans, and Indo-Pak/South Asian Subcontinent are minorities, but definitely not under-represented at most Boarding Schools. So it’s not really any advantage in terms of admissions (unless an AO can say otherwise).</p>
<p>My understanding is that URM is generally defined as African-American/Black, Hispanic, and Native American.</p>
<p>I think that too. And I truly don’t mean any offense, but the majority at boarding schools, at least in my opinion, are whites. There are some that are more represented than others, but typically, unless you are white, you can pretty much count yourself as the minority.</p>
<p>@deerfield15: I assumed the OP was asking the question in an admissions context. </p>
<p>While you are correct that most of the kids at most BSs are caucasian, the URM thing comes into play if your particular type of minority is under-represented at that particular school. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to say that Asians and Asian-Americans are NOT under-represented in the applicant pool at most schools. I recall reading/hearing that Asian girls are OVER represented in the applicant pool…so it may be even more competitive for people in this minority group.</p>
<p>Good thing I’m not a girl…</p>
<p>Is there a higher chance for Asian Americans to be accepted than Asians?</p>
<p>At most boarding school asians of any kind are not considered minorities. Blacks/hispanics are mostly what constitutes the minority population at these schools.</p>
<p>I agree with newportcrown, it’s a pretty black and white thing, there’s no “kind of a minority so you get a little bonus”, you either are a minority, or you aren’t. If you’re black or hispanic then you’re a minority, and it will be very easy for you to get in. On the other hand, if you are white or asian (any type) then you’re NOT a minority. I go to a private school, and once you are there you will realize that there is the regular “non-minority” and there are the “how the hell did he get in? oh wait, he’s a minority”. The schools literally let you in automatically if you’re a minority which they need.</p>
<p>sorry if you don’t like that, but that’s how the private school admissions officers do it.</p>
<p>@PreMed4</p>
<p>It’s not “how the private school admissions officers do it.” no matter how much you all pontificate on the issue.</p>
<p>PreMed:</p>
<p>““how the hell did he get in? oh wait, he’s a minority”. The schools literally let you in automatically if you’re a minority which they need.”</p>
<p>Really? This comment truly saddens me. It is also completely untrue. My child is what you would consider a “minority” and he still had to meet the same academic standards that every other student had to meet. Attitudes like this are what perpetuate racial undertones in society today. Sad.</p>
<p>Ive always assumed that if you aren’t a majority, then you are a minority…</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s that simple. I know some will disagree with me, but I “dream” of the day, when all academic institutions whether it be boarding high schools or colleges select students based on merit, talent and background alone, not race as a factor. Legacy is not really pertinent either. For diversity sake and toward an aim of bringing people together, I think it is important to assess a student’s achievement thru the lens of opportunities afforded to that individual. This is where race and SES may play a factor, but outright asking about race, makes me shudder, if it leads to “quotas” based on race. I know CCers here have said that no school has quotas for race, but I’m still skeptical.</p>
<p>Is Mexican a minority?</p>
<p>I recall Martin Luther King having a strikingly similar dream.</p>
<p>@RBG2 - I know what you mean. The rumors, for instance, that there is a quota on Asians. </p>
<p>But think of it this way - it is not viable, or even desireable, to look only at a limited set of stats to select students. Most students want the school to go strictly by whatever standards most benefit them (test scores, family circumstances, etc.) It’s a natural tendency to believe someone is “less qualified” simply because their stats are different.</p>
<p>Believe it or not - the schools DO look at which students will most benefit from the experience in addition to which students will most add something of value to the school. But outside of the Admissions room, people still look at the outcome in limited terms such as race, income, etc.)</p>
<p>The standards you desire are actually in place and more often than not are why the white male tuba player from a Montana ranch, or a white female from a rural Missouri farm, are on the roster even with lower test scores.</p>
<p>But those kids don’t make easy (or obvious) targets. I’ve spent time with kids at several schools whose parents are well known and knew that “connections” not “academic prowess” is what got them in.</p>
<p>The world is what it is - there just isn’t enough physical space for every kid who wants a spot. Worse - some schools go begging for students because everyone wants the same 1,000 slots at Exeter.</p>
<p>It is wholly possible to fill a school or college with a single race based on qualified applicants. But that’s not what a private school is or does. Public schools must take ANYONE. Private schools cherry pick for certain traits and based on who they like. It’s subjective and self-serving and the very reason the schools have thrived.</p>
<p>So MLK’s dream aside, as long as someone with strong stats is left in the cold, they’ll always believe its because someone less qualified took their spot and based their assessment on what’s obvious.</p>