Fastest-Growing Ethnic Category at Great Colleges: "Race Unknown"

Applying to College
781

<p>
[quote]
Picking a country at random, Norway doesn't have as much racial mixing

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Vossron gives me the chance to tell a family story that is perhaps funny in this context. It happens that my paternal grandmother was entirely of Norwegian ancestry, born in the United States to parents who were, I'm pretty sure, born to parents who had just arrived from Norway. In the town where my dad's ancestors grew up, the Norwegian people didn't mix much with the English-descended or Irish-descended people, and I'm told it was a family scandal when my grandfather (Irish, English, etc. ancestry) eloped with my grandmother, because my great-grandfather did NOT want a Norwegian in the family. This sounds hilarious to me as a long-ago story because great-grandpa had himself married a woman of entirely Irish ancestry, something that must also have seemed disreputable not so many years before. People can marry better and enjoy better community life if they get over silly prejudices.</p>

782

<p>
[quote]
I have a question out of curiosity that's not really pertinent. If white/Asian child is adopted by an African-American or Hispanic couple, can the child choose to be African-American/Hispanic? I guess it comes to whether or not he/she has always identified him/herself as this or that, right?

[/quote]

I'm thinking they probably couldn't "choose" AA or Hispanic ancestry, seeing as their ancestors more than likely aren't from African or Latin countries... but what do I know? :/</p>

783

<p>This link has been posted before in this thread. </p>

<p>Persons</a> of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 </p>

<p>It is the official definition of "Hispanics or Latinos" in United States government ethnic reporting. </p>

<p>


</p>

<p>This definition and the other category definitions are all about self-identification. One college admission officer gave an interesting example, which she has encountered on more than one occasion, of a family that has lived in east Africa for several generations, the ancestors having come from British-ruled India, who all have citizenship in one or another African country and no other country and who speak three or four languages commonly spoken in Africa but none mainly spoken in India.</p>

784

<p>I know of 2 kids in my daughter's graduating class who lied/ exaggerated their race on college admissions applications. (By the way, I only know this because the kids themselves have said it.) </p>

<p>One was born in South Africa, may be <em>part</em> Sth African, is a US citizen and was raised in the US. She and her parents are 100% white. She checked "African-American" and is going to an ivy. </p>

<p>Another has an Asian parent and a Hispanic parent. Her Hispanic parent is from the Caribbean and is brown-skinned. (He is not black Hispanic but is, I'm sure, some part black as are many Dominicans/ Cubans, etc.) She checked "African-American," was a Natl Achievement Scholarship winner or finalist and was accepted at an ivy. The thing that really, really bothers me about this one is that her mother told me years ago that she made a big deal of making sure her daughter was listed as "white" because she didn't want her daughter grouped with the black kids but that changed when she realized it would be to her daughter's advantage. </p>

<p>Last year, a Brazilian girl checked "Hispanic" and was admitted to an ivy. This is probably the most marginal. </p>

<p>I've got to admit this bothers me through and through. I'm sure these girls were all well-qualified. Perhaps they would have been admitted had they checked another race-- I don't know. But it bothers me to no end that they lied. They've all been in schools with my daughter for years and I don't think there was any moment over the years that any of them would have traded places with my black daughter-- until they had to check a box. </p>

<p>Has anyone else seen this?</p>

785

<p>Wow that got my attention. South Africa is Africa, so that one is a go. </p>

<p>I really wouldn't worry about it. African-American is pretty broad. I have family that you would swear don't have a drop of "black blood", when in fact you go 1 generation back and you find someone the color of the most magnificent ebony you have ever seen.</p>

<p>I chuckle at the thought of my cousin's daughter attending an HBCU. Her father is white and her mother is quite fair, and daugher looks white. Should she not have checked African-American on the forms?</p>

786

<p>I had a friend in law school who was on a full "minority" scholarship (back when that was permitted.) I finally had to ask her, "What minority ARE you?" Turns out she was one quarter Filipino...that was worth a lot of $$$$ to her!</p>

787

<p>Actually, I don't think South Africa is a go. This has been discussed frequently on CC. Somewhere there's a post that lists definitions of ethnicities/races by U.S. Census standards, I think. African American is considered black, by U.S. definitions.</p>

<p>To answer the OP, I'm sure it happens, but I haven't seen in personally and my kids haven't mentioned it. When I was in high school I do remember some people wondering out loud how they could be considered minorities.</p>

788

<p>This kind of hits close to home as my son was denied Hamilton (which was fine with me) but a classmate who was not close to my son in grades, SAT's, EC's, class rank and everything else was admitted to Hamilton because she had a Hispanic surname even though she is very white. I find it incredible in this day and age that kids can manipulate the system for this gain. I know, life is not fair. I just think that sometimes, life should be fair, especially when we are talking education. It does not really matter because my son got into his first choice, but this thread just interested me and let me vent.</p>

789

<p>I know of a couple of people who did it successfully during my daughter's application cycle and I guess that technically they had a legitimate claim by the current standard - my complaint has always been that ethnicity or any part of an applicant's back round should not come into play unless it truly has in the past or currently affects the life of the student. That's just my humble opinion and, of course, the colleges view it differently.</p>

790

<p>jollymon, how could you possibly know that the girl "was admitted to Hamilton because she had a Hispanic surname"? Were you in the room with the admissions officers? Did you see her entire application, essays and recommendations included? It's extremely narrowminded to assume that there were no other possible factors that would have contributed to her admission apart from race.</p>

791

<p>I have encountered this exaggeration in stating minority status for exams and college apps. I am not bothered by cases like my SIL, who is Jamaican but has always considered herself Black. Her family has always lived in Black neighborhoods, most of her friends are AfAm and she primarily dated Black men.</p>

<p>There is a girl at D’s school whose mother is Asian and dad is ¼ Spanish. She changed her race from Asian to Hispanic junior year of hs. I consider this wrong.</p>

792

<p>It starts younger than college - I know of a public school gifted program that has "seats" for so many african american girls, african american boys, lation girls, latino boys, white girls etc etc. (I personally find it ridiculous, possibly illegal. Anyway.) My niece was thrilled to get one of the white girls spots. The money for the program is tied to some money for disadvantaged youth, I don't know the exact details. The class is supposed to be 80% URM.</p>

<p>The class photo shows a whole class of kids that look white to me. It's hard to see how any of this helps anyone.</p>

<p>Race is all about self-reporting. Otherwise we'll have to carry identity cards issued by the government. Schools could try to achieve economic diversity which is easier to document.</p>

793

<p>Tututaxi- Is your SIL black? I'm not sure what you mean by considers herself black. Most jamaicans are black, having origins in parts of Africa, just like American blacks. Of course, there are Jamaicans of other races.</p>

794

<p>: )</p>

<p>Sent me on research trip!.. African American is a broad term, unless is it specified on the application as to what it means. I looked up the term and saw what it usually meant, but <em>usually</em> leaves a gray area. Unless there is a massive information campaign, the general public can and will leave it up to their own interpretation, as indicated by OP. </p>

<p>Even the use of sub-saharan in the definition, includes South Africa..
However since I missed the origianl debate and a conclusion was reached, I'll defer.</p>

<p>The PSAT on the other hand makes no bones..the checkbox asks if the student is Black-American. No room for error there.</p>

795

<p>I wish colleges would worry more about socioeconomic diversity.</p>

796

<p>African American is not only a race, but it is a culture term.. I'm multiracial. Arab, european, native american, african american. My family considers themselves african american because we have identified in so many ways. Marriage, churches, cultural, neigborhoods. We certainly have been treated by some as african american, not anything else. So being AA is also who you feel identified with socially and culturally.</p>

797

<p>prefect – Sorry for the confusion. I consider American Blacks to be AfAm descendents of former slaves. My SIL is Jamaican. Her father was a dark skinned Jamaican, while her mother is a fair skinned Jamaican and usually mistaken for White. My SIL looks like her mother. I don’t want you to think being AfAm is based on skin color…. It is not. It is a mind-set, how we view America and our place in it. AfAms and Jamaicans have a different mind-set (similar but different).</p>

798

<p>tututaxi, hate to say it but skin color has everything to do with it.</p>

799

<p>" ... my complaint has always been that ethnicity or any part of an applicant's back round should not come into play unless it truly has in the past or currently affects the life of the student."</p>

<p>What does that mean? How would you "prove" that? My children are half Hispanic and half Arab. How do I show that their ethnicities "affect" their lives??? Do you mean on a college app we'd somehow have to show discrimination based on their backgrounds? Or prove that we had pinatas at their birthday parties or grow and roll our own grape leaves?</p>

<p>Sorry, if I sound snotty. That just rubbed me the wrong way.</p>

800

<p>Wow. This is an eye-opening thread. In fact, CC overal has been very enlightening. I had no idea getting into college was such ...um...a racket. </p>

<p>My kids are 1/64 Cherokee. That would probably get them something. But, I would never dream of using it to manipulate their odds because 1) it's not who they really <em>are</em>, and 2) it might cause a "purer" NA to miss out. It just wouldn't be right.</p>