<p>Although I have seen on some forms that Hispanic designation is appropriate for only for certain Spanish ancestry, with the student being at least 1/8th Hispanic, I don't see anyone checking up on this. Have never seen such rules for African/American URM designation, and the African holds for famiies who come from the "islands" in this hemispere as well as the continent. The only URM designation that I have seen that has a "proof" component is the Native American category, where it is only appropriate to check that box if you have a number with a registry that keeps track of this ancestry. Colleges are eager to "up" URM numbers, and are not into having URM detectors any more than they have Asian or Jewish detectors. The information is self reported and unless something looks fishy in the URM claims, noone is going to be investigating this info. I have seen that many selective colleges' facebooks show a real discrepancy in the number of Asians that can be picked out if as opposed to the numbers reported by the colleges. I believe this is because many non URMs do not bother to fill out the ethnic background part of the application as it is optional. There is no advantage to the applicant to identify his ethnic background unless he is in the URM category, and there are suspicious abound as many posts show that there may be an anti-Asian bent in admission at college where Asians are plentiful. </p>
<p>I agree with Calmom. Most apps do not ask for religion. The only ones I have seen that do so are schools who have special scholarships for those who are of a certain religion, and some very religious Christian colleges, some of which only accept those who say they are Christians. I don't believe that they have govt subsidies, which means no Pell, govt loans, etc. Marite 's S's friend would be a URM if she indicates so on the apps. These days you have all kinds of combinations and mixes. Adopted Aasian kid with non Asian names, part Asian/part Hispanic kids, "Tiger Woods" ancestry kids. The section that asks about ethnicity says to check all that apply, but some kids will only check off the URM part of the ancestry if they can. THere is no advantage in doing anything else. In fact, we know a Hispanic/Chinese couple who are fretting about whether or not to check off the Asian box along with the Hispanic one. They joke about Chinese Mom having to skulk in the bushes while Hispanic Dad accompanies the daughter to the interviews. But there is some truth in their banter. </p>
<p>Also want to add that we know a Japanese couple who are Mexican citizens. Yes, they are Mexican with Japanese last names and Mexican first names, with their children being in the same situation. THe question comes up as to whether they are URM. Would Hispanic kids with a Japanese citizenship be Hispanic, if they were born and raised in Japan? Are Caucasian Africans African Americans? We know some South Africa/Rhodesian families in that situation. Also we know an Indian (ancestry from India) family who have been Kenyan citizens for a couple of generations. Does this make African American for those who come to the US? As globalization makes this world smaller, we start gettting some interesting circumstances in this area.</p>