Hello, all!
Looking at my college application, I have a hard time deciding whether I should click biracial or just black… My father is Dominican and my mother black. I do identify as black since I was raised with mostly my mother but I feel an obligation to not ignore my father genes as well. I really am confused on this issue. How does clicking just black or biracial and claiming Latino descent, help or hinder my admission chances?
I apologize for being ignorant to the subject in advance.
Whichever you choose will not affect your admissions choices. Pick however you identify.
You can indicate any number of race categories as well as Latino ethnicity.
Identify on your application the same that you would answer if a random person at school or on the street asked you. If you identify with the culture on your fathers side just as much as you identify with black culture, then do mixed, but if you really only identify with black culture I would press black. I wouldn’t go into the process trying to find what’s going to give you an edge but rather what are you comfortable saying.
I agree with the above responses, recommend you select multiple categories.
Agree with MurphyBrown. Let the college sort out how they see it. Identifying as black and Hispanic will only help your application. Nothing to worry about.
I have heard that there is a bigger admissions boost for being black - probably based on the fact that Hispanics have higher test scores on average.
Telling them that you’ve “heard” they’ll get a “bigger boost” if they’re African American and suggesting they use the additional information section to mention they’re (only) part Hispanic is not appropriate. You have no way of knowing what’s a boost and what’s not.
OP is fine checking both.
Lots of kids are mixed in some way. Adcoms will get it. You don’t have to be 100% anything.
No need to explain in Addl Info.
Thank you all for the comments! I checked both boxes.