<p>I'm half mexican and half indian. Someone else on this forum said I can identify as full mexican if i want (by not mentioning the indian part).</p>
<p>Is that legal/true?</p>
<p>My mother (mexican) was never written down as legally mexican in transfer forms to the united states because she went to boarding school in Iran and that made the process super hard as it was. It's a long story but on paper I'm indian but that can be changed at the school level at least (HS). what should i do?</p>
<p>By Indian, do you mean east Asian Indian (from India) or native American?</p>
<p>In the Race FAQ thread, you should have come away with a several concepts:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Hispanic (including ancestors from Mexico) is an ethnicity, not a race.</p></li>
<li><p>Hispanics can be of any race(s).</p></li>
<li><p>Identifying ethnicity and/or race on college applications is optional.</p></li>
<li><p>Other than Native Americans (who must demonstrate tribal affiliation), ethnicity and race are based on the applicant identifying as part of a group. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>You should do whatever you feel comfortable doing within the definitions used by the college admissions process (US Census). The purpose of this forum is to give factual information about race and ethnicity within the admissions process, and then leave the choice up to the applicant.</p>
<p>I meant India. So if I report Mexican, it’s fine?</p>
<p>You should be able to check both. If you put one over the other it’s fine as well</p>
<p>Look at the CA there are TWO questions. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Are you Hispanic?</p></li>
<li><p>No matter what you answered in the first, what race(s) are you?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You can answer whichever part(s) you choose with whatever you honestly believe fits your ethnic/racial identity.</p>
<p>A lot of Sephardic Jews, Europeans with Spanish Ancestry, Asians with Filipino ancestry and all those from Central America ancestors will be claiming to be Hispanic. If you mother’s Mexican then your Hispanic. But considering the broad base of the population, you’re mistaken if you believe it will help.</p>
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<p>Please read the Definition sticky thread for an accurate definition of who is considered Hispanic for college admissions.</p>
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</p>
<p>Please read the Resources sticky thread, particularly the threads under ‘Hispanic ethnicity & college admissions’ for a better understanding of the factors adcoms look at within the Hispanic pool of candidates.</p>
<p>sosomenza,</p>
<p>I’m sure members of this forum would be interested to hear the experiences of you or your kids as Hispanic applicants. You have expressed very strong sentiments, so it would be helpful to know the admissions experiences behind them.</p>
<p>Hi Entomom: My opinion is that one should be of Central American origin to be considered Hispanic, but my opinion doesn’t count. It seems pretty clear from your post Hispanic/Latino defined - that the definition of Hispanic has been broadly expanded. Anyway under US census rules, it seems one can certainly be Hispanic/Asian although on the common application the choice would be (I think) Hispanic/white. If this is wrong, I will stand corrected and admit it in a post. Anyway, I think the real question is whether or not it will help on an application. For reasons stated I believe the Hispanic preference is a thing long gone.</p>
<p>
What do you have against South Americans? ;)</p>
<p>^Nothing! South America is in! I welcome everyone to world wide, Hispanicity.</p>
<p>sosomenza,</p>
<p>I’m honestly very confused by your statements.</p>
<p>You say that only people with backgrounds from CA should be considered Hispanic. Where does that put MA, PR, most South Americans, and even students who are descendants from Spain? I’m having a hard time comprehending why you don’t consider them as Hispanic? I understand there are questions about Brazilians, Portuguese and Filipinos, but not these other groups. Where do you get your definition of Hispanic? I ask because I have never heard of Hispanic defined as only people from CA.</p>
<p>As far as a couple of specific statements:</p>
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</p>
<p>MA and PR students are the most underrespresented in US colleges. While being of MA background doesn’t guarantee a huge boost in admissions, it is a factor that is considered favorably relative to other Hispanic countries.</p>
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<p>If the OP choses to answer both ethnicity and race questions fully, and if their mother is mestizo, then it would look like this: Hispanic: Yes. Race: Asian & White & NA/AN (as this includes “all original peoples of the Americas”). Will the designation of NA/AN have the same impact as being a NA/AN who has a US tribal affiliation? I highly doubt it, as the NA/AN group is intended to find applicants who are US tribal members. Is it an accurate description of part of the racial make up of a mestizo applicant? Yes, because the CA specifically states that this group includes all original peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Please understand that the purpose of this forum is to provide accurate, up-to-date information, as one member once said very well:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Hi Entomom: In my first post I recognized that many people as classified by the US census, could be considered Hispanic. In my second post, I gave you my belief. Out of brevity, I only named Central America. But certainly North America and South America should be included. In my third post I was just being silly. Of course as mentioned, what I believe does not matter. </p>
<p>BTW, the US census might consider Spaniards as Hispanic, but from my experience most consider themselves European and would be insulted by being called Hispanic. The dilution of the European blood line is the whole basis of the Hispanic Caste system, which Mestizo is a classification.</p>
<p>What I want is for members to post accurately based on primary sources (eg. US Census, CA) and personal experience. Opinions of what members think ‘should be’ belong on the Race FAQ thread on the Admissions forum.</p>
<p>I see that you have edited your post after I responded. You originally asked what I ‘wanted’, so that is what I replied to in #13.</p>
<p>As far as your ‘experience’, I’m sure there will always be members of any group who choose to order various nationalities, races, etc. within it. But again, that is not what we’re dealing with on this forum, that type of discussion is readily available on the 11 lengthly Race FAQ threads. Interesting that according to your ‘experience’, Spaniards don’t consider themselves Hispanic, but do choose to put themselves at the top of the ‘Hispanic Caste system’ as you call it.</p>
<p>For more on the mestizo classification, see this from the CIA, this is the type of primary source information, as opposed to opinion, that I was referring to above:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2075.html[/url]”>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2075.html</a></p>
<p>P.S. To the OP, sorry to have derailed your thread. If you need more clarification on how designation of demographics works for college admissions, please ask. Also, please look at the Resources sticky thread for information about about diversity fly-ins, scholarships, etc.</p>
<p>Nah, it’s all good. I’m learning a lot.</p>