<p>My mothers parents, grandparents, etc. were from El Salvador. She was born in El Salvador, lived there until she was seven, and then moved to the US. So, I am Hispanic, but will this help at all in admissions?</p>
<p>Well, we are an underrepresented minority. It is what they call a hook to your application. It will help, but I don’t think it helps all that much and it certainly won’t make up for subpar academics.</p>
<p>Yeah, it’s a hook, it helps. Average test scores are lower for hispanics than for whites. Not sure about the gpa trend, probably the same.</p>
<p>Based on USAToday, using the Class of 2009’s scores…</p>
<p>1623: Average for Asian students
1581: Average for white students
1364: Average for Latino students </p>
<p>So yeah, it’ll definitely help, but I wouldn’t let it get to your head. As I said before, it won’t really make up for subpar academics, and I don’t know if it’s so helpful if you go to a more prestigious public/private school.</p>
<p>Alright, thanks(:</p>
<p>I’m a senior right now and I’ve never liked the idea behind being identified solely based on race. I’m proud of being Central American, but I never liked it when my white friends would shove it in my face that my ethnicity would get me into college. It still bugs me. I’ve worked really hard and I do believe that my gpa, courses, ECs, etc helped me get into the colleges I’ve been accepted to so far. I obviously put I was Hispanic on my college apps. Whether or not my ethnicity helped me, Idk. It maybe did, but my advice to you is definitely not to rely only on being Hispanic. You’ve got to prove not only to colleges but many people around you that you’re not stereotypically only being accepted because of race and therefore lower stats. That being said, I have to agree with lolToasty.</p>
<p>Thanks @february94, yes I will be and have been definitely putting in the effort. It’s just any extra help is always welcomed(:</p>
<p>While being Hispanic can help in college admissions, the amount it helps varies within the Hispanics cohort. See my post here for some discussion of the factors that affect how you will be viewed by admissions:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/1229462-does-being-hispanic-have-any-impact-all.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/1229462-does-being-hispanic-have-any-impact-all.html</a></p>
<p>I think it helped both of my sons. They both had great stats, test scores, rec letters and such but were nothing out of the ordinary for top schools. Oldest got into every school he applied to (18 I think) and is currently at Stanford. Some of his other choices included CalTech and Cornell. Youngest is waiting to hear from some schoold but has likely letters from Rice, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell and an acceptance from MIT. Both parents are college educated… they would be third generation. We are middle class I’m assuming with a family income in the $120s. </p>
<p>While both had good stats, they were on average and lower than some students rejected from MIT this year and CalTech, Stanford, and Cornell last year. I read the acceptance threads. I don’t say this to put my own kids down but rather so that readers can have a realistic view of other hispanic students and their own chances at great schools. Hope this helps and good luck.</p>
<p>^^^Here’s my comment about non-disadvantaged Hispanic applicants in the link given in the thread I gave above:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/931488-ivy-league-admissions-nhrps.html?highlight=ivy[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/931488-ivy-league-admissions-nhrps.html?highlight=ivy</a></p>
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<p>My mom is from Spain so I am half Hispanic, our income is very low, and I would be a first generation student at college. My hopes are for MIT (as you can see), the ivy leagues, cal tech, and Stanford. I haven’t officially chosen a list of colleges though because I am only a freshman in high school. Will these statistics help me get in to my dream schools, or will being from Spain and being white ruin my chances?</p>
<p>Also, I have a VERY stron interest in math/science, I have excellent grades, and participate in extracurricular activities as well as clubs.</p>
<p>Whoops *strong</p>
<p>I’m not sure I understand your rational. </p>
<p>There are no guarantees for anything or anybody. If your academics and ECs are strong and you may get some help for being Hispanic, how would that ‘ruin’ your college admissions?</p>
<p>I understand that nothing guarantees you a spot in a college. However, I was just wondering which “hook” is stronger: being Hispanic from Mexico, central or south America or being Hispanic from Spain. Ruin was a poor choice of words on my behalf; sorry for the confusion.</p>
<p>As I discussed in the linked threads, MA and PR heritage is the most sought after because they are the most underserved in US colleges. </p>
<p>After that, I’d say it depends on other qualities such as SES, overcoming adversity, association with the Hispanic community, etc. However, understand that this is an assumption based on personal experience what I’ve seen here on CC, I have no inside information. </p>
<p>One could take a more cynical approach and assume that adcoms see all Hispanics as a check in the box and count them accordingly.</p>
<p>My advice is always to make yourself the best candidate possible and any amount of bump you get is a plus :).</p>
<p>Thank you for your insight. I rarely associate with my Spanish community, but I may be taking a trip to Spain in the summer to probably do some community service. Spain has a very flamboyant culture, so perhaps in an essay I could write about that. Do you know of any Hispanics that have been rejected from very selective schools such as the ivy leagues?</p>
<p>Yes, absolutely, every year. </p>
<p>Particularly for non-disadvantaged Hispanics, the competition at the highly selective colleges is very strong. I think it’s increased in the 4 years between when my kids applied for college.</p>
<p>Just one example, last year, D2 was accepted at Y, Pomona & Carleton, WL at Brown & Amherst and denied at Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Hm that’s a bummer… I was hoping for SOME kind of hook, but I guess I’m just going to have to see what happens! By the way, what were your daughter’s scores, activities, sports, etc?</p>
<p>Sorry, but better to know now so that you can develop a practical and realistic list of schools. That’s the key to a successful college application process. </p>
<p>The main advice I can give to you is to forget the dream school. I know it’s hard, and it’s impossible for you to understand right now, but there are many colleges, at varying levels of selectivity, that can serve you well and give you all you need in an UG education.</p>
<p>I don’t give out details due to privacy issues, but she was a competitive, albeit not exceptional applicant.</p>