Question about stating Ethnicity/Minority Status

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I'm a junior. I am wondering whether to state "Hispanic" as my ethnicity on my applications next year when I apply to colleges. </p>

<p>This my situation: my last name (Espinosa) is Spanish and my father's family can trace the lineage back to a Basque town. I'm from a line of Ricardo Ortego Espinozas which Americanized into Richard Daniel Espinosas (I'm the third!) We have a coat of arms and other memorabilia in our family room, and my grandfather, before he died a years ago, was very, very Spanish (like, in touch with his culture) and would try to teach me words but I was little. (He actually taught at the University of Pennsylvania...) </p>

<p>But, the thing is, I don't feel any strong ties to my ethnicity, hell, I take French in school for chrissake. Furthermore, my mother is about a quarter Irish and three-quarters Italian, not Hispanic at all. </p>

<p>Would it be innapropriate for me to check the "Hispanic" box on my application? Should I do the "bi-racial/multiracial" option and put Spanish/Italian (Would this not make me a minority?)? To be frank, it is just that I think whatever would give me an "edge" I should use because we all know its so arbitrary and difficult to be accepted. I don't want to be exploiting my last name or misleading the admissions staff. I feel sort of uneasy about the whole situation. </p>

<p>I'd really appreciate your advice on the matter, thank you.</p>

<p>I'd say go for it and mark hispanic.</p>

<p>In A is for Admission, the author implies that schools don't really care about your ties to your ethnicity, but just whether not they can claim you as a URM for their statistics.</p>

<p>I think it's really your call. I emailed Harvard about the matter a few years ago because I was curious and they said that it was up to the student.</p>

<p>Thank you everyone for responding!!! You're making me feel better, less manipulative, hah...</p>

<p>If you don't feel guilty go ahead, it's not like your stretching the truth too far like other students, I personally wouldn't feel comfortable doing that if I didn't feel like I had strong ties to my ethnicity, but I don't see any reason why you can't put hispanic.</p>

<p>Well, that's the thing, celebrian25, I sort of do feel a tad bit guilty. But I'm not sure if I should... (hah, so conflicted..)</p>

<p>But this is our dream school I'm talking about, you know?</p>

<p>In the end, no matter which way you go, it'll work out. I myself couldn't do that if I didn't feel like a part of the culture, but this is your decision. I know you'll do what is right for you and only you.</p>

<p>in A for admission it also says a native american with 900 on his sat can go to dartmouth. go figure</p>

<p>Why does everyone here have such strong morals? I mean, its good, don't get me wrong. But stretching the truth a little isn't so bad, even though he's not stretching the truth even a little (in my opinion). This process is a game. It's unfair, biased, and cruel. Do whatever you have to to stay in the game. I'm not trying to pressure you, but remember, that if you don't put "hispanic" down, and you don't get in...you'll always wonder "what if I put 'hispanic' down?" But in the end, it's totally your choice. :)</p>

<p>the term hispanic refers to someone from latin or south america. there is a difference between being spanish and hispanic. the word hispanic comes from the word hispanola which was an island in the carribean. if what you are saying is true then saying hispanic is a complete lie. its like saying that I am russian. it doesnt jibe. if your from spain then say you are spanish. its the truth. if you feel like your irish then say so. dont mark down hispanic if you dont have a shread of hispanic in you. thats not stretching the truth but rather an outright lie.</p>

<p>i am hispanic. i am appreciate of my culture and i enjoy it. what i think is terrible is when people say that they are certain cultures when they are not. plus adcoms will know you lie when you write down on your app that your relatives were born in the US or spain. </p>

<p>do whats right. its all about being honest with yourself and being ethical. what kind of a society will exist if we all had people lying about who they are?</p>

<p>Seven Nights makes a good point. If you're not AT ALL Hispanic, then it is an outright lie, not just stretching the truth.</p>

<p>my friend -- 100% spanish from spain -- manipulated this and said he was hispanic</p>

<p>if your from spain then say your spanish unless you have an association to another country.</p>

<p><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hispanic%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hispanic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>From Usage Note:</p>

<p>"Hispanic, from the Latin word for “Spain,” has the broader reference, potentially encompassing all Spanish-speaking peoples in both hemispheres and emphasizing the common denominator of language among communities that sometimes have little else in common. Latino which in Spanish means "Latin" but which as an English word is probably a shortening of the Spanish word latinoamericano refers more exclusively to persons or communities of Latin American origin."</p>

<p>"...a native of Spain residing in the United States is a Hispanic, not a Latino"</p>

<p>but Merriam-Webster says:
Hispanic - of, relating to, or being a person of Latin American descent living in the U.S.; especially : one of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin</p>

<p>hell, i'd probably just put hispanic down for that URM boost</p>

<p>"hell, i'd probably just put hispanic down for that URM boost"</p>

<p>instead of using literal definitions ask people in the street what hispanic means. 99 out of 100 times you will hear them say that they are from latin or south america (even spanish speaking carribean nations). you will not hear people say that someone from spain is hispanic. its like saying someone from russia is european solely because russia could be considered eur-asia.</p>

<p>what your implicitly saying is that whoever is the subject of your reference isn't hispanic to begin with. instead of lying as to the truth of your ethnicity either 1) state the truth or 2) dont say anything at all. by the way even if you claim to have URM status adcoms can very easily know if you are or aren't a URM by extrapolating from various other areas. for example the countries your parents were born, your name, your birthplace, which languages you fluently speak and understand, your parents name, and etc. lying on your app is going to lose you credibility with an adcom. thats something you probably dont want. dont lie bc in the end the truth will kick you in the butt.</p>

<p>Uhhhh man, i don't think its much of an issue. Put Hispanic down. It's not like youre lying, your dad's clearly spanish, no one can doubt that. And it'll help you a bit!! Why not? You're not hurting anyone, or disgracing your people, and i wouldnt even feel guilty, its just a boost. I wish i had such an opportunity!</p>

<p>jarahul i just finished explaining why he should either put 1) hes spanish or 2) nothing at all. the fact is that he is lying if he is saying he is hispanic.</p>

<p>i could in fact care less. but if adcoms think your lying then your in for quite a surprise.</p>

<p>i dont know about you, but i dont remember putting where my parents were born on any of my apps. plus, it's perfectly normal for a hispanic and his parents to be born in the USA and for the applicant not to speak spanish fluently. do you really think they CARE that much? they want hispanics for the statistic on their website so they can brag about "diversity." i know where you're coming from. you don't want some europeans corrupting the hispanic applicant pool and making your chances ****tier. hey, that's life. he's just trying to get ahead.</p>

<p>"i could in fact care less. but if adcoms think your lying then your in for quite a surprise"</p>

<p>clearly you do care...
Considering the dictionary says that spanish are hispanic, I'd have no qualms in putting it down.</p>

<p>Wow, Seven Nights, I really didn't mean to offend you. But I do see where you're coming from. About checking "Hispanic," though, I believe you're a bit confused. There a Mexican-American/Chicano option, a Puerto Rican option, and then a Other Hispanic/Latino option, and a Spanish/Basque ethnicity would most certainly fall into the Other Hispanic/Latino option, no?</p>

<p>And are the admissions officers really that concerned with determining the authenticity of someone's nationality that they would actively go through the rest of the application to make that call? I doubt that. Besides, even someone's parents were born in the United States and they did not speak their particular language, they could still feel a strong tie to their nationality (I'm not saying I do, really...)</p>

<p>Everyone else in my family, well, except my mother, they all speak fluent Spanish and have been to Spain. I just made the call when I was in fifth grade to pursue French since I had already had some experience with it through a program I was enrolled in. But, if anyone knows this particularly, isn't the Basque region around the Pyrenees(sp?) and on the border of France? </p>

<p>Anyway, when it comes down to it, I think I will have to push aside my uncomfortable feelings about checking the box and do it. I do believe I would have a decent chance of getting in as a Caucasian Richard Espinosa, but I think it would give me even more of a chance if they saw me as a Hispanic/Spanish/Whatever Richard Espinosa.</p>