<p>I was born in Peru and lived in the United States since I was 8, but when I apply for college next year I know that hispanic i just an ethnicity not a race and there is another category you have to select.
I dont really know my family from my dad's side (he hasn't lived with me since I was 2) just my mom's and they all come from this town called Belen, which is one of the poorest neighborhoods in all of peru (located near the amazon rainforest) and most of its population is indigenous. However, I don't really identify as a native and I don't really look like one. This might be because my grandmother's ancestry is from Spain and I also hear we have a bit of a chinese ancestry. </p>
<p>I also have this other dilemma, I don't know if I qualify as a first generation student. See, my mother never went to college or anyone else from her side of the family, however I'm not sure about my dad. I will ask him. However, if he does, do I still qualify as one? I have never lived with him and he has not been a part of my life until a year ago.</p>
<p>1st generation college student only applies to parents, if neither of them finished (finished, attending and not finishing is still 1st gen). If he supports you financially (pays child support or anything like that) he counts for your 1st generation status. If he has never supported you, only your mother counts.
Race is something difficult to determine over a computer screen. Are your parents hispanic?</p>
<p>You can put “other” and if there’s a line to fill in, put Peruvian.
Also, You are the first to go to college, but only if your dad did not.
He’s a part of your life now, so if he did then you aren’t the first.</p>
<p>Yea my entire family is hispanic and I have always identified as hispanic, i just don’t know what to put on the race category. As for my dad, yes he is a part of my life now but he has never supported me financially. So if he did go to college would I still qualify as a first generation student?</p>
<p>You could if he never finished a degree, if he went to college and didn’t finish you meet the current definition of a 1st generation college student by the US department of education
Put hispanic or latino</p>
<p>I’m sorry. Please help me. You said “Yea my entire family is hispanic and I have always identified as hispanic, i just don’t know what to put on the race category”</p>
<p>Hunh? What else are you considering checking off?</p>
<p>It is a sad state of affairs in this country where people even have to put their race on their application.</p>
<p>I am not against affirmative action for truly disadvantaged persons, but merely being an hispanic does not make someone disadvantaged.</p>
<p>I know a girl who is from Mexico, but is jewish, and she got favorable treatment for being an hispanic, when she is virtually indistinguishable from a regular american jew.</p>
<p>I don’t think some people understand the OP’s question. On the Common App, there is one section where you respond yes or no to whether or not you identify yourself as Hispanic. Below it is another section where you to choose between Native American or Alaskan, White, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or Asian, regardless of whether or not you responded yes or no to the Hispanic question.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on how your ancestors got to Peru. If they came via Spain, then you are probably white. If they are descended from native Peruvians then you are probably Native American. You could also be multi-racial if you have a mixed ancestry. </p>
<p>You should post this in the Hispanic admissions discussion thread. Entomom will be able to help you.</p>
<p>Thanks soomoo :). Mia, please go to the Hispanic Students subforum (under Specialty Topics). Lots of good information there on this topic as well as scholarships, fly-ins, etc.</p>
<p>I think you have a handle on the difference between ethnicity and race, your problem is that you need to talk to your parents and determine exactly what your racial make-up is. On the Hispanic Students subforum, do a search for Native American, there are a few threads that discuss descent from indigenous people.</p>
<p>I won’t move this thread there since you also ask about first gen. BTW, there are different definitions of first gen, that’s why you are not asked “Are you first gen to college?”, but rather for the college histories of your parents, then each school can determine if you fit their definition. I’m not sure about your father, try e-mailing a few admissions offices of schools you’re interested in and see what they say.</p>