what difference does URM status make?

<p>hi! i'm a junior in high school and i was wondering how much being a URM helps you; i'm biracial (black and white) and middle class- does affirmative action apply mainly to low income families or anyone who's in an ethnic minority? and if it applies to everyone who's a minority, does it help a lot or only slightly? (the main ones i'm wondering about are swarthmore and pomona if that helps, since they're my reaches) i'm not relying on my URM status to help me especially since i think that affirmative action should really only apply to people who are actually disadvantaged, but i'm just not sure what the policies actually are, so i was wondering if you guys knew more about it. thanks for your feedback!! :)</p>

<p>each school will have its own objectives for diversity. Being multiracial with black included, and male, is a big boost.</p>

<p>Each school’s admissions committee will have its marching orders with respect to what sort of stats they are working for in building what THEY consider a balanced class. It is quite possible that multiracial middle class does not fill a desirable diversity bucket at one school, but will at another. Just as it is possible that being an Asian will make one a URM at one school in the deep south or another geography, whereas at most universities, especially in CA, they would actually be ORM.</p>