<p>Hi. So I am about to start the whole college application process and I am already actively looking for scholarships and grants. My question is, am I considered a minority? I am part Hawaiian, and Chinese, but mostly white. I would say I am about 75% white, but being Chinese, and (especially) Hawaiian, is a big part of my life, so I identify with those cultures more. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you!</p>
<p>Chinese does not give you minority status or anything special, but if you are pacific islander, not just resident of Hawaii, then you are an official URM. Is one of your grandparents PI? Then you are all set.</p>
<p>If he’s 75% white, and the rest (25%) is Chinese and PI, then he’s not 25% PI.</p>
<p>First, here is how to figure your percentage of a group. If one parent is of a different group, you are 50%. If one grandparent is of one group, you are 25%. Etc.
As for being Hawaiian, note that it can be considered a minority group, but most colleges continue to misclassify Pacific peoples within the Asian category, despite the fact that over a decade ago, the federal government issued a policy directive to create the racial category of “Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.”</p>
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Colleges are free to interpret ethnic classifications anyway they wish. It may not even be used in admissions.</p>
<p>Doesn’t mean it’s not a misclassification, though, as “Asian” is not necessarily the same as Pacific Islander. (Even “Asian” is a nebulous term, as there are millions of Asians who run the cultural gamut - some are underrepresented in American colleges and some are not).</p>
<p>Most scholarships will specify the groups they are looking for. If they say Asian and/or Pacific Islander, you can certainly apply, as there’s no blood quantum requirement or anything.</p>
<p>The answer is, it depends on the scholarship.</p>
<p>For instance, APIASF uses the US Census definition (which is also what college admissions uses):</p>
<p>[APIASF:</a> Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund. Today’s Minds, Tomorrow’s Future®](<a href=“http://www.apiasf.org/scholarship_apiasf.html]APIASF:”>APIA Scholarship - APIA Scholars : APIA Scholars)</p>
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<p>and also says:</p>
<p>[APIASF:</a> Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund. Today’s Minds, Tomorrow’s Future®](<a href=“http://www.apiasf.org/scholarship_faq.html#10]APIASF:”>http://www.apiasf.org/scholarship_faq.html#10)</p>
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<p>The census definition has to do with self-identification, not what percentage of your background is a specific ethnicity or race (see the first post of the Race FAQ sticky thread on the College Admissions forum for the US Census definition).</p>
<p>Check the requirements of each scholarship. I know that for Hispanic scholarships, some do require a student to be half or a quarter Hispanic.</p>
<p>As far as actual college admissions, Asians in general are not considered URMs. However, certain Asian groups (eg. SE Asians) are considered by some schools to be underrepresented, and some schools (particularly rural LACs) often include Asians in their minority weekends, and perhaps scholarships as well.</p>
<p>The take home message here is that you cannot generalize, you need do your homework, go to the source and read what their requirements and definitions are.</p>