<p>I will be checking for all my apps "hispanic (spain) and caucasian".</p>
<p>does this make me a URM... or any leg up at all?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>Don't see how it would be helpful -- you are definitely not part of a group suffering from injustices.</p>
<p>From reading your previous posts, I would suggest you rethink marking Hispanic. I don't see how you can justify marking it when you have no connection to that culture and grew up as a white in a white world.</p>
<p>"my grandfather who was born in Spain"</p>
<p>Unless you view yourself as hispanic, your family thinks of themselves as hispanic and you have always marked "hispanic" down on forms and such when ask for ethnicity -- then you aren't. You are just trying to get a leg up on college admissions -- and it is usually quite obvious.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity -- when you school transcript is sent, will it say hispanic or caucasian?</p>
<p>Quick question, im Hispanic and middle eastern, and on all my documents it says im Hispanic (also an Immigrant), should i add middle eastern or will that not help so much because it is considered Asian?</p>
<p>I agree!! unless you can identify yourself with a certain ethnicity group then you shouldn't put it down. People, don't lie just to get into a particular college! what is everyone thinking??</p>
<p>Canes, you said you're only 10% hispanic because your grandfather was born there but his son (your father) was born in Greece. I posted this advice (a post from an actual admissions officer) to you earlier when you were trying to see if your Greek heritage could somehow be packaged as a URM tip for you. You seem to desire to ignore it. Regardless, I will post it again. Just ask yourself this: if this poster read YOUR application, how would he/she feel about you? But if you want someone to justify your actions --- don't hold your breath.</p>
<p>Posted on 1/26/07 on this thread:
Am i a minority?</p>
<p>"okay, what many of you are saying'suggesting on here is really quite disingenuous...</p>
<p>to the original poster...african-american is meant to describe americans who have black african descendents. i think most of you know that. if you don't, there's your clarification.</p>
<p>you, however, have a very interesting background. i would check "other" and describe yourself as you have - as having middle eastern descendents. and yes, that would make you a "minority" in the united states. however, do you identify with middle eastern culture? if you do, it's a good idea to include something in your application about that as it probably makes you unique is some ways and gives you a different perspective on things.</p>
<p>bomgeedad - your comment in post #26 is absolutely incorrect. if a student identifies as a member of a certain racial or ethnic group but has no real connection to it, we aren't going to think of that student as able to contribute anything special to our community, at least with respect to racial or cultural diversity. although this is only one facet of their application, they aren't going to have any kind of "advantage" in admissions if they identify as belonging to a specific racial group unless they show a connection to that community and evidence it has shaped their perspective on things and will be shared in college. and even then, this is just one consideration...</p>
<p>this post has made me think a lot about several students who have applied to my school this year. i just read one student who identified as "hispanic" because their grandmother was born in spain. she is applying from a high school that sends us about 30 applications a year (we usually admit 3-4). disingenuous. another student whose family immigrated to south america during world war two to escape the nazis - white austrian parents born in south america, the student and their siblings in the us. this student identified as "hispanic". disingenuous. yet another student has parents who are white but born in south africa. identified as african-american. disingenuous. and other student who has her "enrollment pending" for a native-american tribe - she indicated she is "native american" - not white and native american, not white and 1/8 native american, but just native american. interesting that there was absolutely nothing about her "heritage" in her application whatsoever; I looked at her siblings' applications (who both came to my school a few years ago and were far superior to her academically) and both indicated they are white only. disingenuous.</p>
<p>indicating something you are not on your college applications is wrong ethically; essentially, if you are identifying with a race or culture you have no connection to, you're lying to us. not cool, and not going to get you any supporters in the admissions office."</p>
<p>One more thing: if you notice irritation in my post to you, you are correct. You are basically hoping to push aside another student at a school which is looking to fulfill ethnic diversity. The schools that actively do this are also aware of ploys such as yours and will read your application with the knowledge of your ethical shortcomings. Don't expect too many thick envelopes. </p>
<p>You're risking quite a bit so be prepared to live w/the consequences.</p>
<p>theres a girl in my schools whos only from spain but says she's marking 'hispanic" </p>
<p>should i do something about it?</p>
<p>like T26E4 said -- college admissions officers are not stupid. they read tons of applications and it isn't hard to tell when the box marked "hispanic" is disingeneous.</p>
<p>the high school transcript reads caucasian, the recommendation letters make no mention of the student overcoming challenges related to their ethnic background, clubs and activites don't include hispanic oriented ones, the essays and short answers don't highlight anything that would be expected.</p>
<p>they will figure out quickly enough that she is trying to game the system -- and it will be a strike against her. It is up to you whether to tell you that or not.</p>
<p>I marked "Hispanic" last year, even though I am 1/4-1/2 Hispanic. My mother speaks spanish (although not with me). I did a lot of volunteer work during high school helping the Latino community in my area. I believed that indicating, "White, Non-Hispanic" is very much a lie.
Cornell accepted me and that is where I am.
Penn deferred me for ED and then rejected me. I got accepted everywhere else.</p>
<p>my kids transcripts don't have any race/ethnicity listed on it. JUST BE TRUTHFUL it will come back to you.</p>
<p>i think that if you are 1/4 or 1/8 or whatever hispanic you should mark hispanic and whatever else you are, but not just hispanic. Being honest is the right way to go... they would not tell you to check all that apply for nothing.</p>
<p>Does being a double URM (Black & Mexican mutt) increases my chances of being accepted?</p>
<p>Vandan -- yes, it does. both groups are underrepresented in college admissions, so for those schools with a goal of increasing diversity it can help you. You still need good solid stats and ECs, good teacher recs, etc -- but your URM status is a definite tip and can help you a lot. That is why at this time of the year you see so many kids who suddenly "discover" they are hispanic, when they have never been hispanic before.</p>
<p>Many of the apps lump ethnicity under race. So, Hispanic is listed under race (Caucasian, African-American, Asian, etc). Hispanic is an ETHNICITY and not a race. You can be of any race (even Asian) and still be Hispanic!
Many of the college apps are designed incorrectly.
College apps should have a box for ethnicity and a separate box for race!
French, Italian, Egyptian, German, Armenian, Russian, etc. are ALL ethnicities but for whatever reason, the colleges seem to care only about Hispanic ethnicity.
So, under ethnicity someone should be able to check Hispanic or Non-Hispanic. Then, under race someone should be able to check off any race/races that apply. That's the way the apps should be designed, but they aren't.</p>