I am curious if anyone can shed some light on enrolling into college as a Native American. I’ve always marked Native American for SAT, applications, etc. Can anyone explain how this would benefit my application for colleges and what colleges have strong native clubs, groups, ties, etc. Thanks!
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I go to school in LA. It is a private jesuit school and is also college prep. I am a junior there. I am in the process for registering since my grandmother is very sensitive about her history, since her father left with other tribe members. In previous threads I’m looking to go to a small/medium sized town/small city. I want to be apart of the city but not directly in the heart of it. I’m into Georgetown, Boston College, Cal, UPEN, Brown. All very difficult schools. I run a non-profit organization that packs socks with daily essentials/toiletries to the homeless around Santa Monica and Skid Row. I’m curious how (when I finish registration) it will affect my application. I’ve heard it helps but nobody can give any solid answer. Thank you!
In general, most private colleges in the tier you mention (e.g. Georgetown, Brown) “consider” ethnicity in their admissions process. So yes, being Native American can help your application just like being a first-generation college student can help. Cal does not consider ethnicity per state law.
Have you considered Dartmouth? They admit a much larger % of Native Americans than similar colleges due to that being part of the school’s mission established by Dartmouth’s founders.
https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/visits-programs/dartmouth-bound/native-american-community-program
A few points, you might need a tribal affiliation number to be considered as Native American by schools.
I’m not too sure how much it will factor in if that culture is not something you have in your life now. It is an interesting story why not tho.
I recommend searching for the posts of @KickingBear , a very knowledgeable Native American forum member. Hasn’t been around for a while, I think, but his posts were excellent and may answer some of your questions.
@jmcmillan12
Do you know if I will need to apply with the registration # and what not when I apply? I plan on learning more about my past and want to tie it in with a app college essay.
@jmcmillan12 - different colleges have different policies about that.
Some schools would need you to already Have the registration #. If you intend to do it, work on that now.
The process for registering as a Native American is simple but it takes a while (months) because there’s lots of paperwork that the various government entities have to process.
- Start with your tribal government. If you have multiple tribal ancestries, pick one. Most tribes have a website that outlines the steps to obtain tribal citizenship.
- Through your tribe, request a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB). This is a Federal document issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but the request is handled by the tribe.
- Once you receive your CDIB, it will denote your fractional amount of Native American blood (e.g. 1/4, 1/64) and the tribe you are affiliated with.
The CDIB is your official proof of Native American ancestry.
The road to discovering all this might be an interesting essay.
That is what I wanted to do. Thanks everyone!
Good luck, @jmcmillan12 !
It’ll be an interesting search, for sure. In terms of college, they’ll be interested in how involved you are with the Native American community.
Fort Lewis College Durango, CO - free tuition for Native Americans
https://www.fortlewis.edu/financialaid/NativeAmericans.aspx
Though it’s a ‘step down’ from the schools the POP listed, the U of MN Morris (a lovely small public LAC) offers free tuition to admitted Native American students. This is rooted in the campus’s shameful history as an Native American boarding school run through the Catholic Church then the United States government. Interesting history of the place as well as details on the scholarship are here:
I have never been very involved before. I have visited a reservation (not specifically the one my family is connected with) and I want to explore my history this year. Hoping it will be a unique experience and one that I can write about.