<p>*And I’m always mystified as to why people try to apply their own personal philosophy to whether they should check one of the URM boxes or not. *</p>
<p>The question becomes interesting in cases where the individual doesn’t actually self-identify as a member of that group. Then it comes down to a matter of personal ethics and character. One man might go for the additional edge without thought, while another might consider it to be an unacceptable compromise of his own integrity. People are different; you can see it on this thread.</p>
<p>Well, you would check a legacy box regardless of whether your parent loved or hated the school. So I don’t know why you wouldn’t check a Hispanic box if you legitimately qualified for it, even if you didn’t walk around celebrating Hispanic culture all day long or whether you felt close to that Hispanic grandparent or not.</p>
<p>Also, if something is going to be an advantage in admissions, it should be verifiable in principle. </p>
<p>Frankly, I think a sticky thread with the definition of each URM according to an official admissions representative from each of the top schools would be useful. I assume most schools wouldn’t have a problem with defining what they mean exactly by URM (AA, latino, or Native American.)</p>
<p>^No, assuming that the points of view come from one’s experiences. Those experiences may have been colored by one’s skin color or cultural heritage - or not as the case may be. I think most blacks in America, even today, still have experiences that are negatively affected by their skin color and many Hispanics as well. My white boy certainly finds that the police treat him very differently depending on which friends he hangs out with.</p>
<p>The Hispanic thing gets tricky because many Hispanics are of European descent and look and speak no differently than your average white kid. The fact that this kid type of hispanic gets to “check the box” can be very frustrating to your average parent, especially if the student is affluent to boot.</p>
<p>I think what people are missing here is that schools CAN tell the difference between Hispanics that have had no disadvantages and those that have. I believe the former are held to much higher standards (especially at top schools where they get tons of qualified Hispanic applicants).</p>
<p>I say check the box if you meet the definition and let the schools decide what to do with your information. After all, they do see the whole application…not just the one box.</p>
<p>I think soomoo makes a good point–we tend to assume that checking the box as a URM generates the same advantage to everybody who checks it, and that may not be the case at all, both between URM groups and even within a single URM group.</p>
<p>^Yeah, but there is also something called socioeconomic affirmative action, which colleges also practice. So checking the URM box should still give the same advantage to everybody, but those who also have socioeconomically depressed get an added boost.</p>
<p>Yes, this has been discussed at length on the Hispanic Students forum. Other factors such as country of origin, SES, overcoming adversity, commitment to the Hispanic community, etc. are factors within the pool of Hispanic candidates that are taken into consideration in the evaluation process.</p>
<p>I suggest that the Hispanic Students forum is an excellent source for anyone who really wants to know how college admissions works for Hispanic students. See you there!</p>
<p>Not to steal the OP’s thread but I have an interesting wrinkle–my sister’s husband is 100% Mexican. They have adopted a child of European ethnicity. Is he “hispanic” by these definitions because his father is hispanic, he is being raised in a hispanic household and in a hispanic community? His non-adopted sister obviously is.</p>
<p>According to the government definition, I would say yes: – Hispanic or Latino. A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. The term, “Spanish origin,” can be used in addition to “Hispanic or Latino.”</p>
<p>“No, assuming that the points of view come from one’s experiences.”</p>
<p>I can certainly see why colleges would want a campus filled with students of different experiences and points of view, but one should not assume that all persons who share the same ethnicity, share the same points of view or experiences.</p>
<p>Aff action doesn’t assume that all people who share the same ethnicity share the same points of view / experiences. It’s quite possible that the adcom feels the campus might be enriched by the experience of a promising first-gen black student from a disadvantaged background (that only a curmudgeon would begrudge helping), AND by the experience of a promising professional-class, private-school educated black student who still might have faced unique situations because of his racial heritage that his white classmates don’t have. Those needn’t be identical points of view.</p>
<p>A student at my HS checked Hispanic- he’s visibly white and only a quarter Hispanic- but the college never demanded proof or anything. It stated what do YOU consider yourself to be?</p>
<p>I don’t know the cons, but stating to be a minority helps colleges fill up diversity requirements and gives opprotunities for scholarships/financial aid.</p>
<p>OK, all of you experts, what should this student do, for checking boxes? —</p>
<p>Born out of wedlock to a teen of Choctaw & PA Dutch descent (Mom looking more like the PA D side, but Grandma id’g her former partner as Choctaw) and father was Puerto Rican. Grandma & Grandpa did not marry so no one of last 2 generations is enrolled. Last saw PR Dad at age 2 and does not remember him. Removed from Mom by State at age 7 and raised by foster parents who were of Irish & German heritage (whose own ancestors came to NY several generations ago). Was raised as much as possible with awareness of & pride in her three ancestries (history, foods, arts, music, holidays, etc).</p>
<p>Appearance–whatever the local brown ethnic group is! When in NJ/NY, taken for PR–when in RI/MA, taken for Cape Verdean—when in MS, taken for Choctaw – when in Kansas, assumed to be NA by everyone. Probably would be assumed to be Mexican in Texas, or possibly the local NA group. </p>
<p>Howcome there is an underline appearing below the Postal Service’s designation for Puerto Rico but not for MS, NJ, NY, PA, or RI, in my post? It is not a slur to use the official postal abbreviation for the place!</p>
<p>JRZMom, is this a real person? If so, I think I would check Hispanic, because this person is, at least, of Puerto Rican “origin” as defined by the government. I would not put Native American, unless this person can enroll. If the Choctaws wouldn’t accept her as being a Choctaw, then she probably shouldn’t claim to be one.</p>
<p>My view is that you look at the definitions and apply the one that fits, and let the colleges figure out the details.</p>
<p>She considers herself Choctaw (even though she can never enroll unless her birth grandfather is found & I doubt he is even alive now), because she does not know her father nor does she feel much connection to his family. There were “situations” between the 2 families back in the day. </p>
<p>When we went to MS to visit the Choctaw homeland and attend their fair, the people we met accepted her as one of theirs at first glance. I know that is not the same as being allowed to be enrolled, but considering her history, this acceptance meant a great deal to her. </p>
<p>I don’t tell her what to check off; I figure that place that says “what do you consider yourself?” has it about right. She has her reasons for identifying most strongly with whichever she chooses, and I have to honor those.</p>