Hi guys,
I am filling out the Common Application and am in a predicament. I am primarily white, there is no denying this. I do however have Native American ancestry which I identify with. I am not a member of a tribe, and therefore do not have a tribal enrollment number.
So I ask you, the people of College Confidential to give me some guidance with this. I am not significantly Native American, however I do identify with my ancestry. Without a tribal enrollment number, it may just look like a sham, however.
Please advise me on whether or not I should mark this category on the application.
Thank you
Was this marked on your Federal survey forms in your Elementary school? How do you identify with your ancestry? Do you participate in your tribe?
If not then I would say no.
I am part native-american, but we are not one of the original five tribes.
We also don’t have tribal affiliation so my children do not mark it.
If you don’t have an enrollment number, then don’t put down Native American (sorry if this is too late).
I’m 1/2 Native American, and I have a tribal enrollment number. My high school transcript says that I’m part Native American, and I have also identified as Native American on SAT/ACT tests. In other words, colleges aren’t going to take your claim seriously, because they will receive applications from tribal-affiliated Native Americans who have a ton of documentation and stuff. Even people who are 25% Native American can be enrolled, in many cases. Not being enrolled would be very suspicious.
“I am not significantly Native American, however I do identify with my ancestry.”
I’m curious how this manifests in your life. Maybe if it’s important to you, you can write about it. If you just list it though, most colleges will sort of discount it without a tribal affiliation number.