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

<p>im really just curious, i appreciate your replies people</p>

<p>I know some guy who wrote his college essays about being black and he got into some good universities.</p>

<p>You can get away with it. They can't really judge your ethnicity based on the color of your skin or eyes. Just look at Michael Jackson...</p>

<p>But that doesn't make it right...</p>

<p>Hehe. But if they find out, then you're screwed :D I think it's a BAD idea.</p>

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<p>Well...hopefully he WAS black. Otherwise, he would have been in for a big surprise once he enrolled.</p>

<p>you can claim any ethnicity you want. it is even illegal for them to ask for proof.</p>

<p>Ive heard multiple times from people that ur "Ethnicity" is whatever you want it to be</p>

<p>does simply bubbling in your race make you a candidate for affirmative action?</p>

<p>This thread is bothering me. The implication here is that folks can simply choose their ethic "bubble" and it will be so. What about being HONEST? That is what should go on your applications. You are under no obligation to put choose an ethnicity. You can put always put that you prefer not to give this information. However, to blatantly lie about it is not something anyone should do. Droooz...why are you asking this? Surely you (and anyone else applying for anything) knows their ethnicity and can indicate it correctly on a form.</p>

<p>and in a system with fairness and balance that response would be sensible, however that's not the case...you gotta do what you gotta do</p>

<p>A lot of people have a misconception of what "Hispanic" is. </p>

<p>Hispanic is an ethnicity, not a race, meaning that being Hispanic is being influenced by Spanish culture and language, regardless of race. Sure, there are certain implications based on race (for instance, Mexican mestizos, or people of mixed European and native decent, are more susceptible to racism than, say, full European Hispanic white people with fair skin and blue eyes here in the US). But Hispanic people can range from the palest to the darkest skin. It makes me laugh sometimes when people's eyes widen when they see a person who otherwise looks African American speaking Spanish. </p>

<p>So to answer your question, no you shouldn't pretend to be Hispanic, because unless you grew up speaking Spanish and/or grew up in a family environment that was influenced by Hispanic customs, etc. you are not Hispanic and I doubt that you could fake it unless you studied up on Hispanic culture. It's kind of abominable what you're thinking about doing, actually, because it demeans the whole reason why there are certain incentives for people that are truly Hispanic.</p>

<p>And I don't mean for this response to start a debate, just speaking my mind. Ok. That is all lol.</p>

<p>Immoral yes. I believe that strange things can happen when you do stuff like this. Like getting named grand marshall at a parade or invited, family and all to a large reception to collect the check. THat would fix your wagon.</p>

<p>whatever it takes. use the system</p>

<p>There are some folks on this thread who are suggesting that folks answer the ethnic question to benefit themselves...whether honest or not.</p>

<p>I'm sorry but I do not believe anyone should be advocating dishonesty regardless of what the benefit would be for the applicant. Dishonesty is dishonesty.</p>

<p>My free advice...tell the truth.</p>

<p>NOCCA - "it demeans the whole reason why there are incentives for people that are truly hispanic"</p>

<p>incentives? there are incentives is because of affirmative action, and to fill racial quotas. students need to be looked upon fairly, why should one get it easier than another because of skin color?</p>

<p>No one is getting it "easier" than another just because of skin color. The descendants of freed slaves are obviously going to have it more difficult than people who have been free and making a life for themselves centuries before. Look at the statistics, and look at how many minorities can afford/have access to education versus that of the majority. And delve the reasons why. I'm not saying that there are white people that don't have the same problem, but numbers wise, it's definitely more of a minority problem. In addition, there's need-based financial aid for EVERYONE, including white people. Don't try to "beat the system" by pretending to be something that you're not, because in the end you're making a mockery out of something designed to help those who have not had as good of a history as, say, your ancestors have. The system is not always fair (take for instance, my Hurricane Katrina experience and getting basically f-ed over by the government), but life goes on, and I do what I can even in the face of a system that sometimes discriminates against me. You should do the same.</p>

<p>o one is getting it "easier" than another just because of skin color. The descendants of freed slaves are obviously going to have it more difficult than people who have been free and making a life for themselves centuries before.</p>

<p>hispanics owned slaves, oppressed, killed, conquered, etc. maybe you need to up your history?</p>

<p>"Don't try to "beat the system" by pretending to be something that you're not, because in the end you're making a mockery out of something designed to help those who have not had as good of a history as, say, your ancestors have"</p>

<p>it takes centuries of ancestry for someone to receive decent education? no...not at all. anyone in america can get a decent education, being poor is one thing, which is why we have financial aid. no reason to bring race into the situation</p>

<p>here's an intelligent quote from wikipedia</p>

<p>Some opponents claim that affirmative action is not necessary when looking at how past groups that suffered from extensive oppression like Asian, Jewish, Arab, Irish, Eastern European and Southern European Americans, all of whom are groups of people that were also discriminated against within society in the past and never received any benefits from an affirmative action system and have (they claim) done perfectly fine if not better than average in American society today.</p>

<p>Droooz,
Why do you have Hispanic sounding name? Have you traced your roots?</p>

<p>droooz....you are the one who started this thread. You are the one who brought race or ethnicity into the discussion. You are the one who asked "pretending to be hispanic...lol can i get away with it?" </p>

<p>To be honest, I hope this thread ends soon. It borders on asking for someone to tell you that it is fine for you to lie on your applications. I've tried to be tactful in my responses to you, but you keep coming back with statements about the financial aid system and the fairness of it all. That has nothing whatsoever to do with "pretending to be hispanic" for financial aid gain..which is what your original post implied.</p>

<p>If I'm wrong, please tell me so...but that is what I've been reading here. Please...again I say...EVERYONE here knows their ethnicity and KNOWs which box to check on the forms. If you are trying to pretend to be something you are not, you are being dishonest. The only correct thing to do on any application for anything (college or anything else) is to be honest.</p>