<p>I'm an incoming senior in hs, I am 1/4 El Salvadoran which apparently constitutes a "hispanic" ethnicity. However, my last name is Adams (not exactly your typical Latino lol) I consider myself white because I'm 3/4 white but my parents insist that I list myself as hispanic on all forms, tests, etc. I have a 4.45 weighted GPA (3.85 Unweighted) and I scored a 2000 on my SAT, hoping to score 2120 or higher on my October SAT. I have been on varsity track and XCountry since Freshman year and am in Mock trial, CSF, NSHSS and am going to be secretary/founding member of Key Club at my school. I believe I can write a stellar essay. I'm aware that my GPA is just average and that my SAT scores are perhaps a bit low for Stanford but I'm wondering how being listed as Hispanic affects my chances if at all for this University. I hate taking advantage of the system like that if it bolsters my chances (which are slim, I know), but I want to know if race will affect my admission.</p>
<p>It will help your chances. You are what we call a URM, or under-represented minority, which means that colleges are more likely to admit you because you are academically qualified and add racial diversity. Yes, it seems racist, and it is, but it’s the truth.</p>
<p>Well, it’s not something you can lean on for your whole application. You still have to be as qualified as everyone else who’s applying for Stanford. Your ethnicity will simply be a hook.</p>
<p>Colleges want a heterogenous campus; there should be many kinds of people at each school. If you’re a URM and you have decent stats you’ll likely get in over an Asian genius regardless of qualifications.</p>
<p>CollegeBoard is the most up-to-date source available (not saying it’s completely up to date though). Other websites that I have used haven’t been updated since 2008 or 2009.</p>
<p>Don’t think it would hurt to check the box. Did you do well on the PSAT and are you a National Hispanic Scholar? That could help also. Note that Stanford is a high reach school and be sure you have other schools in mind. My S is hispanic and we live in Northern Calif and he was rejected at Stanford and at Yale. He had pretty good stats. His first choice was UPenn and he did get accepted there. I’ve seen so many students post on CC that Stanford rejected them and they had REALLY GOOD stats…so it’s not always the grades/scores. Good luck!</p>
<p>Welcome to CC and the Hispanic Students forum!</p>
<p>Please read the first post of the sticky thread about the definition of Hispanic, it will address misconceptions that many people have about who is Hispanic. Hispanic is an ethnicity, not a race. Hispanics can be, and are of any race(s). You will see that on the CA, ethnicity and race are addressed in two separate questions and someone identifying as Hispanic is able to mark down any race(s) that apply to them.</p>
<p>Next, read this thread to give you some idea of the factors WITHIN the Hispanic designation that will affect how you are viewed by adcoms:</p>
<p>These factors, the individual college, and what’s on the rest of your application are all important in your standing as a Hispanic applicant.</p>
<p>x-posted w/CLM, I agree with CLM, there are many highly qualified Hispanic applicants to the most selective schools, they’re still reaches for anyone.</p>
<p>Be honest. Apply as multiracial because that’s what you are. If you deserve to get in after applying honestly, than you most likely will. Do you really want to rely on dishonesty and cheating the system to get into college? Is it worth it to you personally to compromise your veracity and convictions of what is right?</p>
<p>You’re right, but I didn’t read your post. Sorry about that mix-up. Regardless of this detail, OP claims to consider himself/herself white, not Hispanic. Therefore, OP’s applying as Hispanic would be a perfect example of cheating the system. He/she does not consider himself/herself Hispanic; he/she is only considering applying as Hispanic for the the benefits in college application that it entails. This is precisely why I asked “Is it worth it to you personally to compromise your veracity and convictions of what is right” because that is essentially what he/she would be doing by cheating the system.</p>
<p>If you reread the OPs statement and yours, you will see the misconception that I have already stated twice in this thread about the difference between race and ethnicity. Being/thinking of yourself as white (or any other race) does NOT preclude you from being Hispanic, these are two different concepts that are NOT mutually exclusive.</p>
<p>You conclude that because he states that he thinks himself white, he cannot also consider himself Hispanic, that is not NECESSARILY so. For instance, my kids consider themselves white and Asian, because they are–racially. They ALSO consider themselves Hispanic, because they are–ethnically, culturally, etc. There is no conflict between these two statements.</p>
<p>As I have stated ad nauseam, it is the purpose of this forum to provide the facts about what is considered Hispanic for college admissions. We are not the gatekeepers for determining the motivation of an applicant. That discussion takes place by adcoms of colleges (as it does for any non-verified part of the application) and continually on the College Admissions Race thread.</p>
<p>I am El Salvadorian too. My last name is O’Connell and I am half-El Salvadorian but only a sophmore in high school. I got straight As at fairfield prep and I feel like the CC users are overly cautious about sounding racist. I am Hispanic and have no problem admitting that, as URMs, we don’t do as well as Caucasian or Asians in the classroom. It’s a fact. I could only imagine that would engender a lower standard for us in the admissions office. It’s not racist. I’m not showing hatred or bigotry and if I was it would be masochist. Anyways, that’s my take. I hope for graduate with around a 3.95 unweighted and I’ll be taking the PSATs in October so wish me luck!</p>
<p>I do not feel your URM status, whether it is legit or not, will make up for your lower than average projected test scores and run of the mill (for Stanford) EC’s.</p>
<p>Hey did you get in? I’m a hispanic student with similar scores- better tests scores and a bit lower gpa- applying to columbia. It would be interesting to know if you got into Standford or not.</p>