College Discussion - View Single Post - How to prove/claim Native American heritage on college applications.

jag08 · 10-24-2007, 02:39 PM

I am a senior in high school and my father's great great grandmother was Abanaki Indian, and my mother's great great grandmother was also Abanaki Indian (simply a coincidence). This would make me 1/32 on BOTH sides of my family. I have recently been informed that the fact that I am 1/32 qualifies me as able to put "American Indian/Alaskan Native" on my college application. It would be very difficult to actually provide paperwork and proof of my relation to my great great great grandmothers, but I'm sure it could be done (considering my father is very involved in my family's genealogy.) Although I know I am not a member of a tribe or even involved in my Native American heritage, I would truly like to be! I want to learn more about the culture and my family. I also am aware that it is a very controversial topic that I am bringing up but I want to know opinions and ways to help prove my heritage. Would it be "wrong" of me to label myself as American Indian in order to get a step up on my college application? (I only plan on applying to one school, hoping that I get in early admission ) I have a 3.6815 GPA and many many extracurricular activities, but my SAT scores are sadly medeoker. I know that some schools do not even check to see the validness(?) of people's ethnicities that they check off, but in case they check mine I want to be able to prove it.

10-24-2007, 02:39 PM	#1
jag08 New Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chesapeake, VA Gender: Female Threads: 3 Posts: 17	How to prove/claim Native American heritage on college applications. I am a senior in high school and my father's great great grandmother was Abanaki Indian, and my mother's great great grandmother was also Abanaki Indian (simply a coincidence). This would make me 1/32 on BOTH sides of my family. I have recently been informed that the fact that I am 1/32 qualifies me as able to put "American Indian/Alaskan Native" on my college application. It would be very difficult to actually provide paperwork and proof of my relation to my great great great grandmothers, but I'm sure it could be done (considering my father is very involved in my family's genealogy.) Although I know I am not a member of a tribe or even involved in my Native American heritage, I would truly like to be! I want to learn more about the culture and my family. I also am aware that it is a very controversial topic that I am bringing up but I want to know opinions and ways to help prove my heritage. Would it be "wrong" of me to label myself as American Indian in order to get a step up on my college application? (I only plan on applying to one school, hoping that I get in early admission ) I have a 3.6815 GPA and many many extracurricular activities, but my SAT scores are sadly medeoker. I know that some schools do not even check to see the validness(?) of people's ethnicities that they check off, but in case they check mine I want to be able to prove it.