<p>Hello all, (first post, been reading for a long time)</p>
<p>I just found out yesterday that my grandfather from my mom's side was full puerto rican.
My dad is italian/polish and i always thought my mom was the same since she doesn't look latino at all. This whole time i thought wrong. </p>
<p>Anyways, for 18 years ive been saying im white NON-hispanic
1) on the ACT
2) on the PSAT/SAT
3) on the AP tests
4) on any other thing ever</p>
<p>According to federal standards (from link above) i can identify as puerto rican. BUT I dont want colleges to think im lying. I have said NON-hispanic this whole time!!!
Wont my score reports say :white non-hispanic?? I can't change those reports!</p>
<p>Do admissions offices even double check? I want to say puerto rican on the common app because it may give me a boost. this isnt unethical, this is legally correct. I want to do this but if the adcoms think im lying, then nevermind.</p>
<p>So i just clicked “hispanic or latino” and “Puerto Rico” on the Common App.
will this even make a difference? i come from a middle class background.</p>
<p>The point of the US Census definition is that one is Hispanic if they self-identify as Hispanic. Before applying for college, did you ever think of yourself as Hispanic? Remember, while race is a biological concept, ethnicity is more of a social/cultural concept (identifying with Hispanic culture, history, community, etc.) This is something only you can decide, but it’s important that you fully understand the intent of the US Census definition.</p>
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<p>Read the threads linked to in the ‘Hispanic ethnicity and College Admissions’ section of the Resources sticky thread above.</p>
<p>I guess i’ve never really thought of myself as hispanic. but now that i reflect on my culture, i definitely agree that my background could bring diversity to a campus. what i mean by diversity is that my background includes sniplets of the puerto rican culture i never picked up on…</p>
<p>Originally Posted by Census Bureau:
Definition of Hispanic or Latino Origin Used in the 2010 Census
“Hispanic or Latino” refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.</p>
<p>refers to a person of puerto rican CULTURE. since i now identify with this culture, it’s not lying to say that im hispanic… or is it?</p>
<p>im more afraid that the admissions office will see irregularities in my reports… ACT&SAT&AP white non-hispanic vs common app white hispanic.</p>
<p>If your grandfather was full Puerto Rican, your mother was 50% Puerto Rican. It might be hard for a college to believe you were unaware of this. The Hispanic culture would have been prevalent in your family through your mom. Just saying…</p>
<p>The US Census Bureau can’t quantify or control intent. There’s going to be a lot people magically discovering Hispanic forefathers. Of course, in the end it will only hurt. Adcom will likely suspect that one is gaming the system and develop doubt about the application. Suspected doubt is enough to stop the consideration process. BTW top Hispanic candidates have the credentials to get into the best of the elite schools. The few that might gain entrance through the holistic process likely have a heartbreaking story that can’t easily be duplicated without the benefit of the right high school, street address and recommendations. Also consider that if entrance is gained though the holistic route that it comes at the cost of the like kind race.</p>
<p>If you do check Hispanic, which you are obviously doing for an advantage, you are misrepresenting your application, without a doubt. You’re not Hispanic. You’re White. Don’t take advantage of that fact that you are less than 10% Puerto Rican. That puts other Hispanic people at a disadvantage, and that’s simply not fair. And yes, on the SAT and ACT reports that you send to schools, they see your marked race.</p>
<p>sillyup, My comments are in general, not in reference to this specific OP:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If you want to tell people what they are or are not, please do so on the Race FAQ sticky thread on the Admissions forum. On this forum, current and accurate information is provided, it is then up to each individual to determine what to mark, if anything.</p></li>
<li><p>
</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You need to do some homework on race and ethnicity. Also, (again, not in reference to the OP), the vast majority of PRs are racially white:</p>
<p>Due to antiquated designation systems (eg. including Hispanic as a race and only letting a student pick one category) and un/misinformed HS GCs/parents/friends/students about the definition of Hispanic and the difference between ethnicity and race, many Hispanic students mistakenly do not report themselves as Hispanic on school records and standardized tests. This can be corrected when applying to college if the student has proper information to present.</p>
<p>Sosomenza, you are right on point. There are so many students and their families researching their backgrounds to try and find any hint of Hispanic blood possible. I know of a family through marriage attempting this right now. A great grandmother of German descent left Germany and traveled to Peru and had a child then moved to the US. The stay in Peru was very brief(couple of years). They are trying to claim Hispanic ethnicity because of the birth of that ancestor in Peru. Meanwhile the family has no traditions associated with the Hispanic culture. Their culture is purely German. </p>
<p>Meanwhile the wife of this family had the nerve to tell me many years ago I could not check off white when I filled out an employment application because I was Hispanic. Back in the day Hispanics were not considered White. Funny how things change.</p>