<p>The spain remark was directed at sosomenza</p>
<p>@earthwithoutart your speculating that they will perform equally academic achievements are individual ones environment and so called better opportunities does not mean that they will do better or worse at anything. They’re plenty of kids who come from affluent neighborhoods who perform poorly, as well as plenty of poor kids who perform well. everyone in life has obstacles to overcome. I can promise that if someone has the academic drive and want to succeed they will no matter what environment they come from. also there was a recent case fisher v. texas in where student who was denied admission was challenging the University of Texas Austin admissions’s policy for given preference to minority students. if you ask me that is a race based admission. They were given preference and extra points on their application. That is why I say again admissions should be on merit. I am an AA student from a bad neighborhood who did poorly in high school and joined the military. Now I’m at a CCC with a 4.0 GPA and applying to top schools. I used to be like you and use the argument of what if I was given better opportunities. I would of succeeded thats BS you succeed only if you want too. I can tell you that in the African American community education is not championed and if you want better you have to go for it by yourself and motivate yourself. I have had the opportunity of meeting Marines who came from Wealthy backgrounds and the reasons for their successes was because of personal want as well as good role models and people that surround them push them to do better. Asians on average are not very wealthy but they push each other to succeed that is why they outperform all races in the educational system. I live in California and some of the Asian neighborhoods I have been to are just as bad as the hispanic and black neighborhoods and they still manage to succeed and do well in school.</p>
<p>Obviously, we have different opinions, and that’s fine. I wouldn’t really gain anything from trying to change your opinion, and I don’t think you could change mine. Agree to disagree, and all, I suppose.</p>
<p>I apologize for causing this mess. </p>
<p>@Sikorsky
Who are you to tell me that I’ve earned hostility? Initially all I wanted to see was if those factors would actually qualify me to mark “Hispanic” on my application. I do, to this day, believe that even if someone isn’t raised in Hispanic culture, but becomes integrated in it, they should definitely be able to identify themselves as such.
By the way, asians are not wealthy in America…in general. Trust me. I know what I’m talking about here. They strive for excellence… more so than any other race. Anyways…</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for commenting and voicing your opinions.</p>
<p>EWA-You do have a dog in the fight and I suspect the dog is Asian. Please correct if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>Hey, if Hispanic can be of any race, then why shouldn’t one be entitled to self-identify as such, if one likes to vacation in Mallorca? Doesn’t seem any less arbitrary than the present scheme. </p>
<p>If a blonde/blue-eyed Agentinean of German-descent can call him/herself Hispanic, then can a Peruvian of Japanese descent do the same? I know a number of Japanese Peruvians-- they speak flawless Spanish and hold Peruvian passports.</p>
<p>Hispanic race: Mexican ethnicity is what is often considered to be the primary URM
Inclusive of salvadorean, guatemalan, and other S American cultures, etc. FWIW: my girls didn’t get squat because they were labeled as hispanic! DD at Davis didn’t get special consideration and neither did the elder DD.</p>
<p>The HSF considers its Hispanic applicants to have our spanish surnames and/or to be 1/4 spanish.</p>
<p>I’ve never been to Spain, or to the Dominican republic, so does that mean I cant claim to be Hispanic? I’m Mexican (or the combination of a spaniard and indian= mestizo at some point in my ancestors past), and all of these people going to play in “Spain” in order to be acclimated to the European Spanish culture are exactly that: white european wannabees without a label, who want to claim that they are hispanic!</p>
<p>PLuHHHzee! Wanting to be, is not the same as being. Father, grandfather and great grandfather suffered a lot of injustices as Texas-Amer Indian/Mex’s because they looked different, even though they were citizens of this country. Properties and positions were often taken and they’d have to start again; very demeaning. Now you want to say that you’re hispanic because you played in the land of Spain? YUCK, how unethical can you be?, ¡fregado! Colleges won’t want you to play that game.</p>
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<p>See that part I bolded? That kind of thing is how you earn the hostility. If we give you the benefit of the doubt, we can say that it was na</p>
<p>3 generations ago, our came from Spain. That doesn’t mean anything I think.
But who knows 
</p>
<p>English royalty intermarried with Spanish Royalty, maybe the new prince can check Hispanic on his college application?</p>
<p>Sosomenza - what? Could you clarify that (#25)?</p>
<p>EWA: I am pro Hispanic. Are you pro Asian?</p>
<p>Edit: I misread that, sorry. Pro-Hispanic, pro-Asian? What does that even mean? I don’t have a “preference” among races/ethnicity, and I still don’t even know what you are asking. I am not against any race/ethnicity, that would be ridiculous. I personally am Hispanic, but that doesn’t mean I “prefer” them, or anything.</p>
<p>But, no. I don’t have an “Asian dog” in this fight. I have no dog. That I am Hispanic only means that I have seen the struggle many (no, not all) Hispanic families and communities face. I believe you’re trying to turn my words against me somehow, but don’t. I honestly do not care about this outcome. I’m not relying on my being Hispanic as a “Get in to college free card”, so don’t try to assume that.</p>
<p>Edit again: You know what? I am pro-Hispanic. I am proud of my culture, my heritage, and I love being involved in my culture. I am a proud Hispanic, and shame to anyone who tries to twist that into something it’s not.</p>
<p>Who is a better student: A Hispanic student with a 2100 with a 3.8 or a White student with a 2100 and a 3.8? Lets just say everything else is the same as well. Who will the college look at better? The Hispanic! The fact that Hispanics TEND to have a higher poverty rate, etc. does not indicate what type of student one is. </p>
<p>What if I told you the Hispanic student lives in a rich neighborhood is very well off financially, and has not had to do any real tasks while the white student comes from a single parent home in a trailer and has to work night shifts at a McDonalds to support her 8 younger siblings? Race does not tell the whole story at all. Socioeconomics play a much bigger role as far as overcoming adversity goes. A poor Hispanic is only at a disadvantage because he or she is poor, not because of his or her race.</p>
<p>I have always been a supporter of race-blind admissions. I am disappointed that SCOTUS did not take action over that this past term when they had the chance. The diversity may or may not come, but it makes admissions officers look beyond the color of one’s skin.</p>
<p>EWA-Thank you I stand corrected. Feel free to ready my many posts. You will see that things are rough at CC for minorities.</p>
<p>This is why you are getting vibes back:
I do have Spanish roots, but they go far back. I also spent a month there recently in which I was heavily integrated into Spanish culture, and became accustomed to it. I am regularly integrated/ exposed to Dominican culture as well due to many close friends.</p>
<p>You can call yourself anything you want.<br>
But you don’t just waltz in and tell them you’re Hispanic and ask where to send your deposit. If you think you’re backing it up with details about a trip and friends, well, NO. </p>
<p>And if we’re talking abut maybe sliding into a highly competitive college without the usual accomplishments and potential…fuggedaboutit.</p>
<p>Let me give you the advice you really need: since you’re curious about getting into a tippy top, go look at the Common App and see what it is your adcoms will review you for. In a nutshell, you are either the quality they are looking for - in terms of academics, potential and personal qualities- or not. If you are sitting here thinking Hispanic is the needed tip, we have to wonder if you may be missing “the rest of the story” that holistic crucuially focuses on. Think about it.</p>
<p>The discussion on this thread about poverty rates and offspring of Guatemalen cleaning ladies illustrates why colleges should give consideration to socio-economic status, and not race.</p>
<p>So based on OP’s thought process, a white rapper like Eminem who identifies with black hip hop culture should be able to claim that he is black. I’m with Sikorsky on this one.</p>
<p>But, GMT, what colleges ought to do seems to me somewhat beside the point if the question is whether, under the status quo, it’s OK for vipstephen to represent himself as Hispanic.</p>
<p>I agree that the status quo is flawed. I don’t think that means it’s OK for vipstephen to misrepresent his circumstances in order to exploit the flaw.</p>
<p>@PsychoDad10
If Eminem moved to South Africa for a year and lived in a hut, I think he should be able to say he was integrated in African culture. He is not black, but he was exposed to the culture. ALSO: Hispanic is not comparable to being black, because black= race and Hispanic= culture. For the last time, under Common App standards, a person can be of any race and be Hispanic. It’s ethnicity.</p>