How much Native American heritage do you need to qualify for Financial Aid/Scholarships?

[little_ms.fata]

Next year I'll be a senior in high school and I do not come from a rich family, but college is a priority to me. So soon I will have to start searching for scholarships and such and one of them I'm interested in involves Native American heritage. Now, you can't look at me and be able to tell that I have much or any in me, but my Grampa has done a HUGE family tree search (just for himself, not for me) and well, I guess I got some Native American in me. I've never really asked for the specific details but fact is fact and whatever money I can scoop up for school would be great 'cause my family has very limited funds and I've already chosen the cheapest school path that I can live with so if anyone out there knows how much Native American heritage you need to have in these programs would be awesome! Thanks in advance!

 

[Dojoodorj]

That kind of financial aid is meant to help Native Americans who often come from reserves (poverty) and are more directly affected by the aftermath of colonization... (are you suffering from being torn from your traditional way of life?)

 

[Dam]

just wear a turban to the meeting with the financial aid person. threaten to kill her and she will probably give you some financial aid.

 

[French Bear]

Truth be told, you can get all the factual data on your background that want, but at the end of the day colleges will use your outward appearance to decide these sorts of things. So unless you look the part, you won't get any special treatment. You can certainly get grants and scholarships that deal with your family's economic status, but I wouldn't hold my breath on the Native American heritage. The people who grant those kinds of scholarships tend to be extremely strict about the criteria and while they may appreciate a good history, if you look white for example, they'll just see you as white. They will verify all of this in person before granting you anything, so it's not as if they'll just read the information you send and base it on that.

This is just the truth of the matter. I have a friend who is half Indian( as in from India) and White, but she looks more white. The University system see's her as being white and it has prevented her for taking advantage of many things offered to the Indian ethnic group. Medical schools saw her this way, as well as regular Universities. In my time I've also done many scholarships myself and know how they work.

 

[French Bear]

Truth be told, you can get all the factual data on your background that want, but at the end of the day colleges will use your outward appearance to decide these sorts of things. So unless you look the part, you won't get any special treatment. You can certainly get grants and scholarships that deal with your family's economic status, but I wouldn't hold my breath on the Native American heritage. The people who grant those kinds of scholarships tend to be extremely strict about the criteria and while they may appreciate a good history, if you look white for example, they'll just see you as white. They will verify all of this in person before granting you anything, so it's not as if they'll just read the information you send and base it on that.

This is just the truth of the matter. I have a friend who is half Indian( as in from India) and White, but she looks more white. The University system see's her as being white and it has prevented her for taking advantage of many things offered to the Indian ethnic group. Medical schools saw her this way, as well as regular Universities. In my time I've also done many scholarships myself and know how they work.