<p>By the way, I agree, it is difficult determining who is Hispanic/Latino. But the issue at hand is not "some hypothetical person's" ethnicity, but DevilsRule's. Since his great grandparents are from Poland and he is not at least 1/4 URM, then legally he is Caucasian. </p>
<p>In my opinion, to do otherwise on an application may be be somewhat risky when you get to bar admissions and they do a fitness and character test.</p>
<p>This is why people have to disclose everything for applications, even minor traffic violations if schools ask for them. For the purpose of bar, I'd say it's risky to put "Latino" when you can trace your lineage to Poland 100% and you are not at least 1/4 ethnically URM. However maybe DevilsRule should ask the bar and law schools what he should put and how they would determine his ethnicity (I'm not joking either).</p>
<p>I really don't want to get into an AA debate, but Berkeleysenior, from where are you getting the idea that there's a threshold beyond which you are "legally" one race or ethnicity or the other?</p>
<p>There is a threshold or else practically anyone could mark URM. I said 1/4 because this is what I've heard. </p>
<p>Check out this thread for more information. URM</a> status
A very knowledgeable person mentioned that to mark "Native American" for example you must be at least 1/8; also news is you have to provide a tribal number. </p>
<p>The most important thing is checking with the bar panel though to clarify this situation. Although for the LSAC, ethnicity (yes ethnicity, not nationality) is self-identifying, if you mark URM and you are not I'm not sure how the bar will view this when they conduct a character and fitness test. </p>
<p>I would not randomly mark yourself as a URM if you are only a fraction URM.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity: Stacy, from your query, you seem to suggest that there is no legal demarcation for URM status. So hypothetically speaking if I am 1/16 Mexican, can I mark the URM box then as long as I discuss my Mexican heritage? (Purely hypothetical situation...)</p>
<p>I'm not a URM and so I never did any research on this when I applied to school. I do think that Native Americans are a special case, since the government tracks and records their genealogy in a way they don't track any other races or ethnicities. </p>
<p>My understanding has always been that for other races there is no threshold--that many student have a mixture of heritages in their family trees and that it's acceptable to check off as many or as few boxes as you feel are necessary to represent your origins. </p>
<p>"Question: What does the term Hispanic or Latino origin mean?
Answer: For the Census 2000 and the American Community Survey (ACS): People who identify with the terms "Hispanic" or "Latino" are those who classify themselves in one of the specific Hispanic or Latino categories listed on the Census 2000 or ACS questionnaire – "Mexican," "Puerto Rican," or "Cuban." It also includes people who indicate that they are "other Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino." Origin can be considered 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. People who identify their origin as "Spanish," "Hispanic," or "Latino" may be of ANY RACE."</p>
<p>Of course, it goes without saying that I'm not an admissions officer and rules likely vary among different law schools, anyway. The safest solution is always to contact the admissions office and ask them what their school requires.</p>
<p>They quote that minority status depends on "ethnicity" and "racial status." Hence:
"Law schools consider your ethnic or racial status to be whatever you indicate on your LSAT registration forms."</p>
<p>Although you make valid points that Hispanic/Latino can be a nationality and not an "ethnicity/race," the LSAC seems to state that in terms of checking the box, it is "ethnicity" and "race" that count.</p>
<p>I agree that this person should check with the law schools and bar to confirm. </p>
<p>I am not a URM either, but both my parents are immigrants. One from Europe, the other from Asia. Despite the fact that one of my parents is part Spanish (from Spain) I am marking "Caucasian" and "Asian." I don't know if I can legally mark "Hispanic" but I feel that this would be unwarranted considering my parent is from the continent of Europe.</p>
<p>I am also Argentinian from an Italian background...my family all grew up there, spanish is the primary language (and my first), we all have distinct south american culture, my family all consider themselves latinos, what else do you want???? Argentina is 95% European and 5% native indian population, every true argentinian is "white" (minus the recent immigrants coming from bolivia etc...) but we are hispanic, you better believe im putting "hispanic" down on my applications and I look forward to reaping the benefits, I consider myself hispanic regardless of my "lighter skin color"....and by the way ethnicity has nothing to do with skin color, there are black peoplel ighter than me and many more hispanics that are lighter in skin tone</p>
<p>Devilsrule- I know exactly what you mean, when people see us speaking spanish they look amazed, but Argentina is a unique place and I am proud that my heritage is from there...</p>
<p>Yeah, I think people look into it technically. I'm not looking for any loophole or booster at all. When people ask me what I am, I say I am Argentine and American. If they say I can only pick one, I say I probably more in tune with the Argentine side of me than the American side. Sure, I live here in America, but this only gives me more reason to try and keep alive the side of my heritage that is non-existant in this country. When I see a selection of ethnicity or racial choices, I pick what I most identify with. I don't care where my great-grandparants are from, I don't care what my skin color may look like, and I don't care what boost it gives me or disadvantage it puts me it. That is the culture I identify with and would put down out of gut instinct. If I had one greatgrandparent from a hispanic country and was 1/8 hispanic, I wouldn't consider putting down hispanic. I could not possibly identify with that culture. But when my father is from there and my whole large Argentine family moved to the same place where I was raised, I cannot see why I would not check off that box. People put to much thought into this. There should be no hesitation on this decision.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Spaniards are considered Hispanic. If that makes you at least 1/4, you should put it down.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I know this is not the point you were making, but I can't help notice that you also believe there is a 1/4 threshold to be considered Latino. </p>
<p>I think Stacy was debating the fact whether there was quantitative threshold in the first place but it seems that many people believe in the 1/4 rule. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, I think I'm less than 1/4 Spanish.</p>
<p>Here is a question I have, which is posted in my other thread. Sorry for necoring this thread, but I searched so as to not start a new thread :). My mother was born in Argentina as were her parents, my father was born in California but his parents were born in Argentina. Does this give the option of a URM on an application?</p>
<p>You would nto be conisdered a URM to the extent of someone who is Puerto Rician or mexican would be considered a URM. Write a diversity statement.</p>
<p>Mexican, Black and Puerto Rican! Those get the URM boost!!!
All other other L.American countries get consideration given their nationality/ethnicity, but that’s all.</p>
<p>URM status is such utter crap. It should be all economical. Why does a student of mexican decent, who lives in a nice house, with parents who make 100k a year, get a bigger bump than an asian who works 30 hours a week for his parents shop in a ****ty neighborhood?</p>