<p>So I'm half Hispanic. Lived only with my Hispanic mother since I was 10. My dad was white, I have an English surname and I don't speak Spanish. Is it okay to check only the Hispanic box and not the white box? Or would that look bad?</p>
<p>If you identify as Hispanic, say you’re Hispanic.</p>
<p>@skieurope Sorry, I should have been more clear. I’m definitely checking the Hispanic box, but I’m unsure whether I should check the white box as well? Wouldn’t it look better not to? Or would it look deceptive given my surname?</p>
<p>I live in an affluent primarily white town and though I have had problems they have not been the result of my being half Hispanic. My mom though has encountered discrimination in my town for her being Hispanic; the other (all white) parents on my block don’t really even talk to her.</p>
<p>Tick one, both, or none. Just don’t tick an ethnicity u are definitely not.</p>
<p>^Agreed.</p>
<p>HISPANIC FOR SURE. Gives you a HUGE HUGE advantage. </p>
<p>@longhorndreamer not true that it gives you a huge advantage. It gives none to minimal help at most schools.</p>
<p>Thanks everybody. The question isn’t about the Hispanic part, it’s about the white part though. My mom thinks it would be unethical to just put Hispanic and not white, given that I don’t speak Spanish, look 100% white, have an English surname, and have lived a privileged life unencumbered by discrimination. Would colleges think so too?</p>
<p>AKA with that in mind would it be better to list both (and be seen as more honest potentially) or just Hispanic? From a reliable source I’ve heard some colleges don’t even count you as Hispanic if you also list “white”. </p>
<p>guineagirl96 I dont think you actually understand what you are saying. Diversity is a huge boost to many minorities- other than the unlucky asians:( - and colleges want to have a student ethnicity ratio that is representative of the national population, so your statement is completely false and uninformed. </p>
<p>
Says the person who has been involved here for less than 2 weeks and presents no data for backup. I’m of the same opinion as @guineagirl96 on this one.</p>
<p>@anxxghost I do know what I am saying. I’ve been here a while and have been through the application process. What you are supporting is a myth. It may be true for a handful of schools, but for the vast majority race does not really play into admissions.</p>
<p>at a school where there is 1% asians, they are going to be more likely to accept asians who apply. for schools with a hispanic minority (which is MANY) then you are defintely considered.</p>
<p>saying that being a hispanic is NOT an advantage is like saying that being native american is not an advantage. there are articles and stats everywhere - even when you take the PSAT or SAT there is literally a box that says “please check this box if you are hispanic” or something along the lines of that.</p>
<p>one of my friends is 1/4 hispanic and got her parents to talk to her guidance counselor to make sure she is put down as full hispanic on her papers. unfair, indeed because she is only 1/4. but she did that because it gives her a great advantage.</p>
<p>trust me, i would put down hispanic on your college application. </p>
<p>(sorry the sass in the post wasn’t directed at you at all @slights32 , i just get really fired up when people say being hispanic or black does not help you because it does and you are lucky to take advantage of that fact! good luck in your application process 
)</p>
<p>@longhorndreamer nobody is saying that OP shouldn’t put down hispanic on their application.
What we are saying that OP should make their choice as to what to put and feel confident in that decision.</p>
<p>Ethnicity is not as big of a boost as people say. The there are two people with equal stats and equal subjectives (we are talking almost identical here), perhaps the one that is the URM will have a better chance, but being a URM will not get you in to a school that you are not otherwise qualified to attend.</p>
<p>If you self identify, mark it down. </p>
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<p>No they won’t. In fact they would be thrilled to have a candidate with 1) Hispanic ethnicity hence helping with diversity statistics and 2) high odds of doing well in college given the privileged upbringing. </p>
<p>This is precisely the kind of URM colleges love. Therefore I suggest you check Hispanic and Hispanic only. Why would you give up a completely legal boost that is provided to you?</p>
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Hispanic is an ethnicity, not a race. One can be White Hispanic, Asian Hispanic, etc. But one cannot be only Hispanic. That said, I concur with post #3.</p>
<p>Im just saying… If i was hispanic I would jump on that check the box in a heartbeat (im asian so thats why I feel this way) </p>
<p>Hispanic does not help. Whoever says it does is greatly misinformed and should not be listened to. Check it or don’t check it, it will not affect the outcome</p>
<p>Check whatever you feel you can ethically check, whether it means Hispanic, white, or both. I’ve seen on some surveys where you can choose between Hispanic white and non-Hispanic white. Because of this, I wouldn’t judge you for putting just Hispanic. It’s really about what you feel comfortable with.</p>
<p>However, your speaking Spanish or not and having faced hardship or not shouldn’t factor into your decision about ethnic identification. I have a cousin adopted from a Latin American country as an infant, and she has grown up in affluence, and only speaks a little Spanish because she took it in high school. Ethnicity refers to your heritage and physical appearance, not your socioeconomic status.</p>