What should I do

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>I MAY apply to Yale SCEA, its either Yale or Stanford but I will apply RD if not SCEA.</p>

<p>I am a Native American but I don't have tribal affilations here is the story:</p>

<p>So the father of my grandfather (mom's side) and his mother were both Native Americans in Kenya, Africa and they made my Grandpa who is obviously Native American as well and he married a British lady they made my mom who is born in Kenya as well, who is then 1/2 Native American and they stayed in Africa for a while and then they moved to England for better job oppertunities and his wife's family was there, but then my mom married my dad who is from India (ORM) and out I came. So therefore I am 1/16 Native American but the problem is I don't have tribal affiliation documents. </p>

<p>I know when you apply to Yale and you apply as a Native American they send you Ethnicity Verification papers asking for your tribal I.D. # and such, and I dont have any of that. </p>

<p>What should I do?</p>

2

<p>Enjoy your interesting ethnic heritage. I don’t think your 1/16 NA heritage without tribal affiliation means anything for admissions and there is nothing you “should do”.</p>

3

<p>^ Okay, but wont the question me about it?</p>

<p>What should I write down on the verification papers then?</p>

4

<p>I think he means you shouldn’t say you’re Native American, then.</p>

<p>I’m 1/16th as well, and it didn’t even cross my mind to put down Native American on my app. Honestly, if you don’t have any of the “papers”, saying you’re an Indian for the benefit of URM just seems wrong to me.</p>

5

<p>Yes I can understand how it seems wrong to do that but Yale says if your 1/16 Native then you count as a Native.</p>

6

<p>…I think you’re 1/4 Native American, not 1/16. Because if your grandpa is 100% Native American, you’d be 1/4.</p>

7

<p>^ Oh really? How do I go about proving this to college admins? I would ask my Grandpa to come with me but he is no longer in this world, (RIP) lost his battle to pancreas cancer in 2001, and he was not registered in the Blackfoot tribe. I asked my parents about our family history and what not, my dad doesn’t know crap becuase he is from India but my mom said they were never registered becuase of the life associated with being Native American such as the harsh criticism from classmates she recieved when she was in school (ended up dropping out dad did the same therefore I am a First Gen college student), and she did not want me to go through the same. She told me she is very proud to be a Native American from Kenya but she never wanted to register becuase her father forbidded her to, and that was one of his dying wishes and therefore she never registered my brother and I. </p>

<p>How do I go about communicating this to adcomms?</p>

8

<p>perhaps you could write this in the “Additional Information” section of your application? </p>

<p>hmmm…you do have a tricky situation.</p>

9

<p>Any other suggestions?</p>

10

<p>I’d say put it in the additional information section! You seem to have a really interesting background which you should be proud of. Mark native american and then explain your story in additional information, if not your main common app essay (which you could write about your family history- Africa, India, Britain, etc- but in an effective way which allows you to reveal something about YOU)</p>

11

<p>

Perhaps you should honor your grandfather’s wishes by not trying to gain a benefit from being a Native American.</p>