<p>To apply for Stanford I know that you must use the Common Application, and I had a question about which race I should identify with because I have a very complicated lineage! I know that I am Cherokee Indian, but I am not registered as Cherokee Indian. In order for me to do so I have to prove lineage to someone on the Dawes Rolls, I know that I am related to someone on the Dawes Rolls, however at some point in my lineage an ancestor of mine got a name change. Because it was a long time ago they didn’t really have a legal process of going about this so the person that my dad knows as being descendant of someone on the Dawes Rolls has a death certificate, but no birth certificate because of his name change. Anyways, I would love to be able to put on my application that I am a registered member of the Cherokee Tribe, but after plenty of research I am finding that it seems impossible for me to do so, due to the absence of proof of any name change. Would it still be worthwhile for me to put on the application that I am American Indian but not enrolled, or would I only be able to identify myself as White? Thanks so much, my apologies if this is confusing!</p>
<p>Make sure you put somewhere you are native american, even if you’re not registered (idk if this is a check box, or if you just want to make a note in the “additional info” session), because it will improve your chances a lot.</p>
<p>Some colleges will definitely want to see the specified official documents before treating you as an American Indian applicant. Do the best you can to get what documents you can. See the newly revised FAQ on race in college admission </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1366406-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-10-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1366406-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-10-a.html</a> </p>
<p>for links to some of the official definitions.</p>