<p>Now, I'd never do this but it came up in class last year....</p>
<p>For an elite university, such as P'ton, I know that when you apply you have more of an advantage if you state that you're a minority. </p>
<p>What would happen if someone who just looked like they are hispanic (for example) but weren't really hispanic, and stated they were on the application??
How would the university find out that they lied about how they look, and if they found out, would they revoke your acceptance (or would that be racist???)? In Canada, you can declare yourself (legally) from any ethnic background...</p>
<p>I think there's a place on college apps that asks you to confirm that everything you put on the application is true to the best of your knowledge. The thing is, places like Harvard (only one that I saw) have policies against lying on credentials (not that ethnicity is a credential, I don't know how schools would respond to that kind of lie) would revoke your acceptance if they find out, if you obtained a degree, they'd revoke that, etc. Lying on apps just isn't worth it.</p>
<p>Imagine if you lied and got in - and spent four years with that nagging feeling that you only got in by pretending to be someone else. It wouldn't be pleasant. It's quite a risk, and it's not worth it, so I just wouldn't try.</p>
<p>When you sign the application forms, you're saying that ALL information provided is accurate. Lying about ANYTHING is enough reason for the university to revoke its acceptance/degree.</p>
<p>And Princeton in particular is HUGE on its honor code.</p>
<p>Actually, the question on common app is "If you wish to be identified with a particular ethnic group, please check all that apply." So if you WISH to be identified as hispanic, you're certainly not lying. And if your interviewer thinks you look hispanic too, how WILL you be "caught"? Is information about your parents' ethnicities available in any way?
I guess if your guts and integrity are such as to make the action possible, you could do that.</p>
<p>Oh I definitely agree. If the app says "if you wish to be identified with a particular ethnic group" then there's nothing stopping you. I personally believe that race is a sketchy social construct in and of itself anyway.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Actually, the question on common app is "If you wish to be identified with a particular ethnic group, please check all that apply." So if you WISH to be identified as hispanic, you're certainly not lying. And if your interviewer thinks you look hispanic too, how WILL you be "caught"? Is information about your parents' ethnicities available in any way?
I guess if your guts and integrity are such as to make the action possible, you could do that.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You see? 2Chickens has the pulse of a court - he will make a formidable lawyer !!! ;)</p>
<p>I honestly don't know why this question would be asked on the Princeton forum - of all schools! Princeton takes great pride in its honor code and expects much more of its students than most institutions (with unproctored examinations and such). I hope this faking and cheating doesn't hold with real Princeton students. I would have to wonder what else they were dishonest about before getting into Princeton.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to attack the OP or anything. I just don't see how this could possibly be defended, especially on this board in particular. That is, unless if you guys are just joking or you're not going to Princeton.</p>
<p>i really want to go, but i just don't understand why the whole ethnicity thing is so important for princeton. who cares if the university is full of minorites... its the students that count not the skin colour. </p>
<p>it also could be argued that if you were to put that you were a different skin colour, you'd be taking advantage of a system meant to take advantage of you. not that two wrongs make a right. </p>
<p>thanks for the responses... it cleared up a few things. i just can't be that sneaky :).</p>
<p>also, i forgot to add that I am sorry for starting this sort of thread in the princeton forum. i should have known better, considering princetons rep.
this whole thing about ethncity has been bothering me, and i actually found your answers interesting. i would never lie, because as someone else said, it would hang over me for years.
hope you all have a great day</p>
<p>Yeah, I love the Princeton honor code ... and I'm glad you believe in that kind of honesty too. I just wanted to point out that as odd as the concept of purposefully enhancing diversity of ethnicity may seem, there are valid reasons. There are more qualified students than the university can admit, so by attempting to represent minorities rather than just taking a random sampling of the qualified students, the school exposes ALL students at the university to different lifestyles, cultures, and perspectives. Ethnicity is not everything, but it often helps shape a person's viewpoint and way of living, and a rich variety can enrich everyone there. Of course, ethnicity should not be MORE important than scholarship, and no unworthy student should be admitted based on race. Just a thought about the value of diversity.</p>