<p>Hey everyone. According to the definition provided in the topic "Hispanic/Latino defined," I just barely qualify as Latino. One of my parents was born in a spanish-speaking Latin-American country while my grandparents were working there. They worked there for about 7 years, and later back to the US, so he was hardly born on a mere vacation.</p>
<p>My question is, rather, whether I should mark that I am Hispanic and or Latino. I'm experiencing doubts not only because I don't appear hispanic/latino at all, but also because our family isn't really hispanic in the cultural sense - we don't have any traditions, for example, that stem back to Latin America. Further, when filling out papers for my school, I marked "not hispanic or latino" so I'm unable to qualify for the hispanic version of the national merit scholarship. That may be a large flag, especially given that my scores are high enough that I will likely become a semifinalist.</p>
<p>Anyway, should I mark Hispanic/Latino on college applications, or would I just get laughed at? thanks!</p>
<p>What is the ethnicity of the grandparents who were working in Latin America when your parent was born? That is your parent’s, and therefore your, ethnicity.</p>
<p>If they are/were European-Americans, then living in Latin America did not change that and your parent’s place of birth did not change his/her ethnicity.</p>
<p>@DeskPotato</p>
<p>They were white - however, the thread “Hispanic/Latino defined” says:</p>
<p>“Origin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States.”</p>
<p>Based on this, I think I would qualify because my parent was born in Latin America before coming to the US.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Except, you really don’t think you qualify. In your first post, you said you’re having doubts. And you should have doubts, because you’re really not Hispanic.</p>
<p>hc,
I’m afraid I’m getting weary of answering this question (look at recent thread topics), so I’m going to let you do the work and answer the question yourself since it’s all about self-identification anyway.</p>
<p>Please read the first post on the sticky thread about the definition of Hispanic, some of the other recent threads asking similar questions and this thread about what factors adcoms look at within the Hispanic category (marking Hispanic box does not mean you automatically Pass Go & Collect $200):</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/931488-ivy-league-admissions-nhrps.html?highlight=ivy[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/931488-ivy-league-admissions-nhrps.html?highlight=ivy</a></p>
<p>After doing this, reflect on whether or not you consider yourself ethnically as Hispanic, you’ll have your answer.</p>
<p>If your grandparents were expatriate Americans at the time of your parent’s birth, your family had already “come to America.” </p>
<p>The intent of these ethnic identifications in the context of college admissions is to create a culturally diverse school community. You are an American, born to a family that had been American for generations. You have no Latin ethnicity. It would be false to claim that you did.</p>
<p>Focus on the other aspects of your application that speak to what you would bring to a diverse and interesting class. This is not it.</p>
<p>If you’ve never considered yourself Hispanic <em>ever in your life</em> until it was time to “gain some advantage” in college admissions, then don’t put it. </p>
<p>Leave it blank if you have never identified as anything ever in your life.</p>
<p>^ thank you 10char</p>
<p>Agreed with CPU. I was in a similar situation, my grandpa’s first language is even Spanish, but I do not in any way consider myself hispanic. 95% of my family is completely white and I know nothing about spanish or hispanic culture. I would be lying if I said I was bringing any hispanic factor to a college campus. I only checked “white” and I got into a perfectly fine college. If you deserve it, you will too.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Because this is the Hispanic students forum and I don’t think misconceptions should be ignored here, I will repeat this again in the hope that someday everyone will understand that: </p>
<p>White is a race, Hispanic is an ethnicity, the two are NOT mutually exclusive. Hispanics can be, and are, of any race(s).</p>
<p>Please go to the sticky Definition thread at the top of this forum for information on the US Census definition of Hispanic, which is the one used for college admissions.</p>