Not disclosing Ethnic / Gender / Financial identity in application

fishtwentyfivefishtwentyfive Free Trial Member
in General 227 karma
I am curious to what degree it will affect my application if I do not disclose my gender, financial or ethnic identity. I am a straight white male from a relatively wealthy family, and I feel that providing this information will in no way benefit me. I am concerned that it might even negatively affect my applications. But what is the result of my not providing this information? Will that hurt me? I am applying only to T14 schools, if that matters.

Comments

  • lsatblitzlsatblitz Alum Member
    521 karma
    @fishtwentyfive said:
    might even negatively affect my applications.
    I seriously doubt that anyone viewing your application will put you down for things that you have absolutely no control over.
  • PacificoPacifico Alum Inactive ⭐
    8021 karma
    It won't matter either way. So since it's probably easier to check all the "this section does not apply to me" boxes, you could just do that.
  • AlejandroAlejandro Member Inactive ⭐
    2424 karma
    Yup, this should not adversely affect you man. In fact, I think you should embrace it! I'm no expert but imho if you show your true self then you will have the best chances of getting accepted at getting to the law school of your choice :). How did your background mold you into who you are? How do you view yourself and others who are different and/or less privileged than you? What do you want to use your law degree for and how does that relate to you as a person? Build a killer application as you reflect on these things :).
  • lsatislifelsatislife Free Trial Member
    14 karma
    @lsatblitz said:
    I seriously doubt that anyone viewing your application will put you down for things that you have absolutely no control over.
    If people viewing your application will put you up for things that you have absolutely no control over, why would you not believe that they would put you down for things that you have absolutely no control over?
  • AlejandroAlejandro Member Inactive ⭐
    2424 karma
    lol... i think this is going to turn into a heated debate... (starts eating popcorn)
  • PacificoPacifico Alum Inactive ⭐
    8021 karma
    If you get to the point in your life that you experience reverse discrimination then you're doing pretty okay and I wouldn't worry about it. But again, there is no way an adcom would know you were white, rich, etc. unless you told them, so if you're super worried about that then just don't. I can't even believe this is an actual discussion we are having.
  • fishtwentyfivefishtwentyfive Free Trial Member
    227 karma
    @Pacifico that's exactly my thinking
  • lsatblitzlsatblitz Alum Member
    521 karma
    @lsatislife said:
    If people viewing your application will put you up for things that you have absolutely no control over, why would you not believe that they would put you down for things that you have absolutely no control over?
    I'm 99% sure this flawed argument has been on every other LR section I've seen.

    So you seriously think they're looking down on people for being non-URM's?
  • Jonathan WangJonathan Wang Yearly Sage ⭐
    6866 karma
    They'll just assume you're a reasonably well-off white candidate if you don't specify. In your shoes, it probably doesn't hurt you. If you're really worried, get that LSAT score up and leave no doubt. No adcom is going to affirmative action a dude sitting above their 75th percentile LSAT and GPA.
  • lsatislifelsatislife Free Trial Member
    14 karma
    @lsatblitz said:
    I'm 99% sure this flawed argument has been on every other LR section I've seen.

    So you seriously think they're looking down on people for being non-URM's?
    And which flaw, specifically, would that be?

    Note that I never asserted whether I believe that "they're looking down on people for being non-URM." I was simply challenging the implication that it would be almost ridiculous to assert that admissions people would disadvantage you for something out of your control. If they significantly reward applicants for something out their control, that the opposite could occur is not beyond belief.
  • nicole.hopkinsnicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    7965 karma
    @Pacifico said:
    If you get to the point in your life that you experience reverse discrimination then you're doing pretty okay and I wouldn't worry about it.
    @Pacifico said:
    I can't even believe this is an actual discussion we are having.
    Word to the voice of "let's all calm down," The Dude, @Pacifico .

    And seriously. Let's all just calm down and not worry about whether privilege actually puts us at a disadvantage. Some serious forest-for-the-trees issues going on here.
  • lsatblitzlsatblitz Alum Member
    521 karma
    @lsatislife said:
    is not beyond belief.
    I choose not to believe it. You can believe in whatever you want, I'm not gonna type for hours trying to convince you otherwise.
  • lsatislifelsatislife Free Trial Member
    14 karma
    @lsatblitz said:
    I choose not to believe it. You can believe in whatever you want, I'm not gonna type for hours trying to convince you otherwise.
    Wasn't going to post here again, but you have yet to explain the flaw in my argument. If it is indeed a flaw as common as you say it is, I'm sure it would help some students if you would explicate.

    Of course you're free to believe whatever you'd like. Notice, however, that I made an argument for my belief in response to your original assertion. Simply asserting that you "believe" a certain thing is true is not particularly persuasive.
  • JennelbasilJennelbasil Member
    2 karma
    I do not like to answer the ethnicity question simply for the fact that I do not like putting people into categories. We are all human, what does it matter if we are different races or ethnicity? I feel it only divides and separates people based on characteristics they have no control over. And yes, I have experienced reverse discrimination, so has my teenage daughter. The experience only solidifies a personal desire to not want anyone else to experience the feeling it invokes.

    I do worry though that my choice of refusing to choose an ethnicity will play a negative role regarding the fact that I am stepping outside of the box and not conforming. I might be seen as someone who will not go with the flow? Maybe my thoughts on this are silly, but I have wondered this.
  • always learningalways learning Free Trial Member
    99 karma
    @fishtwentyfive it probably won't send the message you want to send anyway, since the only people who decline to answer are probably those for whom ethnicity/socioeconomic status would work against
  • speedwagonspeedwagon Alum Member
    edited October 2016 393 karma
    I just want to reiterate what @"Jonathan Wang" said above: if you don't specify, people will likely assume you are those things anyways. You may as well be honest and up front about it.
  • AlejandroAlejandro Member Inactive ⭐
    edited October 2016 2424 karma
    @Jennelbasil it is true that we are all human! However, it is in a Law School's best interest to have diverse classes. Having people from multiple races, backgrounds, and socioeconomic status enriches the education experience and the discussions in class. The constant bringing together of ideas is paramount for an excellent law school experience so having people from multiple backgrounds chime in their own perspectives definitely helps. Plus, to quote what @speedwagon and @"Jonathan Wang" said, if you don't specify, people will likely assume you are white and wealthy anyways. You may as well be upfront about it! :)
  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27823 karma
    @Jennelbasil said:
    I do worry though that my choice of refusing to choose an ethnicity will play a negative role regarding the fact that I am stepping outside of the box and not conforming. I might be seen as someone who will not go with the flow?
    They aren't going to give this more than about 5 seconds of thought. They'll assume you're a well off white dude and move on without any further thought or care. They've got thousands of these things to work through so they really don't have time or interest to ponder abstract hypotheticals.
  • nessa.k13.0nessa.k13.0 Inactive ⭐
    edited October 2016 4141 karma
    @Jennelbasil unfortunately, the course of human history has shown that time and time again people cannot escape the social bias of their societies and humans do categorize and treat others differently. Some people have more advantages than others from living with the consequences of racial conflict and exploitation while others struggle with that legacy. When we pretend that these differences have not advantaged some while disadvantaging others, we perpetuate those systems that do have very real negative effects for people. In this case, when we pretend that we are all colorblind and live without labels, we do nothing to actually improve issues around race and identity because we are too busy denying such issues exist when in fact they do. Law Schools recognize this difference (and they attempt to create classes that are much more reflective of the general population than they have been in the past--like when certain people were barred from entry on the basis of their race or gender) it could help you to do so as well.

    As Jonathan said, you'll still be put in a box even if you don't check it off. It is better to check off the box and be honest up front about your identity then write a statement about how your experiences would contribute to a class rather than provide nothing and leave an admissions office to assume whatever they want about who you are and move on.
  • inactiveinactive Alum Member
    12637 karma
    Let's try to look at dates before we revive twelve month old drama threads, please!
This discussion has been closed.