<p>Say Dad is John Smith WASP; </p>
<p>Mom is 100% Hispanic (born in Mexico and did not move to US until she was 11 years old)</p>
<p>What is Son (John Smith Jr.) considered?</p>
<p>Your choice. Personally, I'd play the game and mark myself Hispanic - hey, if it helps, it helps. It certainly can't hurt. But if your child or you are uncomfortable with that, it's up to you.</p>
<p>Half Mexican half White. Most colleges will put JSJr as a Hispanic to boost minority numbers. However, if JSJr speaks no Spanish, looks 100% white, and has no real affiliation with Mexican culture, then it is a little cheap to check off Hispanic (more my opinion), but still 100% legal.</p>
<p>Son (JSJr) understands all Spanish, speaks some (although not perfectly), and does have connection with Mexican culture because his grandparents and some cousins live in Mexico.</p>
<p>JSJr gets to check off the hispanic box regardless of what language he speaks or how caucasian he looks.</p>
<p>I have a friend who is 1/2 hispanic. He checked off hispanic on his apps and got into Princeton ED. He now regrets checking off the box (a little) because he feels that everyone thinks he got in only because he is Hispanic. If JSJr does not want people to think he got into his college because of his race, do not check anything, or check white only.</p>
<p>Who is going to know (aside from admissions) what he checked off ... or didn't check off ... on the application? One's ethnic group checkbox is not tattooed on one's forehead afterall.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If JSJr does not want people to think he got into his college because of his race, do not check anything, or check white only.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>But the checkbox is private (well, between you and the school) information, so what you actually mark doesn't matter.</p>
<p>Quote: "I have a friend who is 1/2 hispanic. He checked off hispanic on his apps and got into Princeton ED. He now regrets checking off the box (a little) because he feels that everyone thinks he got in only because he is Hispanic. If JSJr does not want people to think he got into his college because of his race, do not check anything, or check white only."</p>
<p>No one knows what he checked off. Maybe he feels bad because he wonders if he only got in because he is Hispanic. He shouldn't though because he didn't make the rules...</p>
<p>While it is true that noone knows what you check off, if you get into a very prestigeous college, people will think race played some role. People can think what they want, and my friend got over this pretty quickly. However, I would assume one would feel much better if he knew his success was a result of his merits, and had nothing to do with race. If I was in this situation, I would check off hispanic and not think twice.</p>
<p>It won't exactly be secret what he checks. The school gives your name to the organizations for your minority group who will begin mailings when you get in.</p>
<p>I know a young lady in a similar situation. Actually, I don't really know how similar it is. All I know is that her mother has a Hispanic sounding name. She is applying to some of the most selective schools. I wouldn't fault her in the least if she checked that box to gain an edge in admissions. If she is giving the schools what they want, so be it.</p>
<p>I myself am pretty similar to JS jr. My father's side of the family is spanish but my mother's side is all white. I have a Spanish last name and I speak and understand Spanish pretty well although it isnt used in our home very much (we only speak spanish when with other relatives). I checked the hispanic box and I applied to Dartmouth ED. We'll see if it helps at all.</p>
<p>My D is going to tell the truth: 1/2 Hispanic & 1/2 Asian, all of the applications I've seen have you mark all that apply or have a spot for mixed/other. My kids (like yours) have a connection with their Hispanic heritage, so I have no problem whatsoever with them checking the Hispanic box. While my oldest looks like she she is of mixed-race, my youngest looks 100% asian, that should be interesting when she is invited to URM or Hispanic programs!!! But that's the way it is, there's a lot of gray area, so just go with your gut.</p>
<p>If he wants to disclose race, he should feel comfortable telling colleges what he is by utlizing the box for mixed/other box where he can fill in his own answer. It sounds like the boy is very connected to his Hispanic origins, so if he feels comfortable he can definitely write Hispanic.</p>
<p>I think the kids know who they are most of the time. It's not like race is a nothing in our society. "Hispanic" is really something of a wild card, though, because there's no particular racial aspect to it. You can embody what Dan Jenkins called the "Nordic combined" and come from Argentina or Chile, or even Mexico, and be culturally Hispanic. Or not.</p>
<p>Three real life case studies of people I know well; none of the kids have applied to college yet, so I don't know how they will resolve the question:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Mother, American; father, 2nd generation Mexican Orthodox Jew of European descent, came to the U.S. for college, now a partner in a fancy law firm. Spanish was his first language, and he speaks English with a noticeable accent. Kids present as completely American, have slightly old-fashioned European first names and a German-Jewish last name, don't speak Spanish any better than their prep-school classmates. Strong Jewish identity.</p></li>
<li><p>Mother, American; Father, 1st generation Colombian child of Lebanese immigrants (just like Shakira), came to U.S. for medical school. Speaks with a strong Spanish accent. Father and mother actually look a lot alike, both slight olive complexion and angular features, and the kids look like them. Kids' first names are Hispanic. Father has strong Lebanese and Colombian identification, but children are being raised as (not very observant) Jews here. Kids (5-9) have a Spanish-speaking sitter; parents want them to be bilingual. They aren't really, but they try.</p></li>
<li><p>Lesbian couple, one mother from Iowa and the other from Argentina, which would not be apparent to anyone who didn't know her. Looks white, speaks unaccented English, has a last name that suggests Provence. She has been in the U.S. since she was 15; her only sibling lives here too. They have two children; each is the biological mother of one child. One child has red hair and red cheeks like the Irish-American mom; the other looks like a run-of-the-mill white American kid. Very "normal" first names. Members of a Quaker meeting.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Are any of these kids Hispanic? It's slightly embarassing to try to figure out. The second set of kids may well decide that they are, at least in part. I suspect none of the others will.</p>
<p>"Race" is something that we either apply to ourselves or allow others to apply to us. Genetically, it a stupid, meaningless concept. At the DNA level, we are all the same. </p>
<p>Using the strict definition of "Hispanic" as being of Spain, then, no, you don't check the box. On the other hand, "Hispanic" originally referred to the entire Iberian peninsula, so you should check the box. Using a strict definition of "Hispanic," by the way, someone from Uraguay is Hispanic, but someone from Haiti or Brazil is not. Just another example of how stupid the whole idea of "race" really is...</p>
<p>My daughter is biracial (black/white). She checked off African American on her application and her essay talked about being biracial.</p>
<p>I think we covered it.</p>
<p>I would definitely mark it Hispanic. My son is 1/2 Hispanic and he got lots of free-tuition offers because of marking 'Hispanic' on his PSAT and making National Hispanic Scholar. If you're past the PSAT phase, many schools do have scholarships for Hispanics.</p>
<p>Let your son make the decision. Advice him that he will get much better chance to get in with same stats for being a minority as if he declares himself hispanic. It is a fact and no one can deny that it will boost his chance greatly (how much no idea). But if he is uncomfortable, then let him choose.</p>
<p>However one thing if he checks as a hispanic, maybe as a token of appreciation for the opportunity, he would like to do some good volunteer work in the community which needs real help.</p>