<p>Dolphin, it sounds like everyone is agreeing that you are white. However, you sound like you have your heart set on marking Hispanic on the app, if only to get that URM status. It's up to you and not us to decide what you should do, but you asked, and most everyone has said you are NOT Hispanic.</p>
<p>As far as the U.S. Army is concerned, and probalby the other branches as well, because you're of Spanish decent you're hispanic. My blond haired and green eyed son could come to no other conclusion using the Army's criteria in their application forms for West Point. So the choice is completely yours.</p>
<p>{quote]wheres your proof that Spanish people are classified as white? And I guess it is up to me, but if I put myself down as multicultural and described that I have a Spanish ancestor, I feel as though it would be viewed as silly. Let's face it, ethnicity could be a deciding factor for many top colleges. I'm not sure I should just throw away something that could help me achieve that. Yes that sounds really selfish, but if all of you had some great oppurtunity to help you along, I'm sure most all of you would take it.
[/quote]
Fine if you don't feel comfortable enough within your own achievements or that your application is strong enough, put down that you are hispanic. It's people like you who make me despise affirmative action.
Put down two races if you feel your application is subpar enough to need the leg up. It's not that hard to check two boxes.</p>
<p>Hispanic isn't a race. Are you seriously stupid? Why doesn't anyone understand this? People please read this post and my previous post. White is race though. The OP is a member of the White race and if he'd like he's also a member of the Hispanic ethnicity.</p>
<p>Why is it so hard for some of you people to understand? I don't understand. It's like Italian, French, and German are national identities and ethnicities. Hispanic simply means that you are a member of a Spanish ethnicity anywhere on the globe. For example if one's ancestors had the national identity of a country founded by the Spanish, that person is Hispanic. Hispanic is not a biological identification.</p>
<p>Why do you people think that the option for White has 'Not of Hispanic Origin' in parenthesis? It's because people who are racially White and are members of the Hispanic ethnicity should bubble in Hispanic. God. Someone please respond to my previous post and this post. Someone acknolowledge this post and the one I posted previously.</p>
<p>It's up to you and not us to decide what you should do, but you asked, and most everyone has said you are NOT Hispanic.</p>
<p>And you can have many people tell you that the world is flat and one tell you that it is round. What's your point?</p>
<p>Spain of course is hispanic but also white.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Hispanic isn't a race. Are you seriously stupid? Why doesn't anyone understand this? People please read this post and my previous post. White is race though. The OP is a member of the White race and if he'd like he's also a member of the Hispanic ethnicity.</p>
<p>Why is it so hard for some of you people to understand? I don't understand. It's like Italian, French, and German are national identities and ethnicities. Hispanic simply means that you are a member of a Spanish ethnicity anywhere on the globe. For example if one's ancestors had the national identity of a country founded by the Spanish, that person is Hispanic. Hispanic is not a biological identification.</p>
<p>Why do you people think that the option for White has 'Not of Hispanic Origin' in parenthesis? It's because people who are racially White and are members of the Hispanic ethnicity should bubble in Hispanic. God. Someone please respond to my previous post and this post. Someone acknolowledge this post and the one I posted previously.</p>
<p>It's up to you and not us to decide what you should do, but you asked, and most everyone has said you are NOT Hispanic.</p>
<p>And you can have many people tell you that the world is flat and one tell you that it is round. What's your point?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>His·pan·ic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (h-spnk)
adj.</p>
<ol>
<li>Of or relating to Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America.</li>
<li>Of or relating to a Spanish-speaking people or culture.</li>
</ol>
<p>n.</p>
<ol>
<li>A Spanish-speaking person.</li>
<li>A U.S. citizen or resident of Latin-American or Spanish descent.</li>
</ol>
<p>La·ti·no ( P ) Pronunciation Key (l-tn, l-, lä-)
n. pl. La·ti·nos</p>
<ol>
<li>A Latin American.</li>
<li>A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States. See Usage Note at Hispanic.</li>
</ol>
<p>Cau·ca·sian ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kô-kzhn, -kzhn)
adj.</p>
<ol>
<li>Anthropology. Of or being a major human racial classification traditionally distinguished by physical characteristics such as very light to brown skin pigmentation and straight to wavy or curly hair, and including peoples indigenous to Europe, northern Africa, western Asia, and India. No longer in scientific use. See Usage Note at race1.</li>
<li>Of or relating to the Caucasus region or its peoples, languages, or cultures.</li>
<li>Of or relating to a group of three language families spoken in the region of the Caucasus mountains, including Chechen, Abkhaz, and the Kartvelian languages.</li>
</ol>
<p>n.</p>
<ol>
<li>Anthropology. A member of the Caucasian racial classification. Not in scientific use.</li>
<li>A native or inhabitant of the Caucasus.</li>
<li>The Caucasian language family.</li>
</ol>
<p>black ( P ) Pronunciation Key (blk)
adj. black·er, black·est</p>
<ol>
<li>Being of the color black, producing or reflecting comparatively little light and having no predominant hue.</li>
<li>Having little or no light: a black, moonless night.</li>
<li>often Black
1. Of or belonging to a racial group having brown to black skin, especially one of African origin: the Black population of South Africa.
2. Of or belonging to an American ethnic group descended from African peoples having dark skin; African-American.</li>
</ol>
<p>I consider him white. Hispanic is considered a race. If your skin is not very light or very dark to be considered black you are put under the hispanic card. SIMPLE. </p>
<p>That is what they do at most places. Depending on how light or dark your skin is they either mark you white, hispanic, or black. If you have med skin but Asian eyes you are automatically put under Asian. </p>
<p>These are the TRUE race categories whether you want to argue it or not this is how society works.</p>
<p>hispanic=med skin
white=light skin
black=dark skin
asian=med skin with stretched eyes</p>
<p>I am going by how the real word interprets race. I don't care what the real def is.</p>
<p>Take your pick that might benefit you the most. Go and mark hispanic but if nobody has ever thought you were of hispanic descent then you are lying your ass off in my opinion.</p>
<p>Posts like this are the best arguments against the current affirmative action system.</p>
<p>Glad to see all these armchair anthropologists getting a lot of practice in this thread. And I DO MEAN PRACTICE.</p>
<p>And, by gosh, I was always taught that Spanish is a language; folks from Spain are Spaniards. Similar to "scotch is a drink. A fellow from Scotland is a Scotsman."</p>
<p>tib, it's no use, I've stated the same thing twice before in this thread, yet people still keep arguing about Hispanic vs. white. They just don't understand the difference between racial and ethnic categories.</p>
<p>dolphin, I don't know why you started this thread. You have been given some (not all) good advice but still continue to argue with the people that are trying to help you. A this point the question is really an ethical one not a racial/ethnic one. It's your choice to make.</p>
<p>You will not contribute to the hispanic population the way universities want you to: You have had white privilege growing up, and you don't identify as hispanic or latino, so you won't be active in latino clubs, etc. You won't contribute to the racial diversity of the school.</p>
<p>This ultimately comes down to your values. If you care about racial and ethnic diversity, it would be best for you to check the "white" box so that you won't be falsely counted as part of the latino population.</p>
<p>But, if you don't care about diversity / disagree with affirmative action / aren't concerned about the latino population in higher ed -- you can check the "hispanic" box without technically lying. By definition, you are part hispanic, and while you seem to recognize that you aren't the kind of person it is meant to help, the system allows you to claim the advantage.</p>
<p>If someone from the college called you and asked you to explain your hispanic heritage, would you feel comfortable responding, "My grandfather is Spanish"? Or would you feel embarrassed? That's how you make the decision. There is no clear right or wrong -- it's up to you.</p>
<p>I have had this same problem, because according to my ancestors (adding my mom's and dad's fractions) I am about 1/2 American Indian, but I identify as white. I have always had an interest in Indian culture, but not enough to not be called white, and because I am not a member of a tribe I can't classify myself as "Native American" (a term I personally dislike but that's irrelevant) on applications. I think it has to go by what you live as.</p>
<p>is American Indian more appropriate than Native American?</p>
<p>my friend's gramma is a spanish mexican (white, blonde...upper class).... so, he's technically 1/4 hispanic... so.....he checked off hispanic, even though he self-identifed as white on school forms,etc... so, whatever floats your boat... although i personally believe such use is against the original intent of AA, but w/e...</p>
<p>MY gut response is that you already know who/what you are or you would not have had to ask. </p>
<p>People who have lived their lives as hispanics, blacks, native american, etc. do not need to ask others "what am I?" because they already know and won't need others to tell them.</p>
<p>I remember taking an ethics class in college and the professor saying that you should live your life as if everything you did would be reported on the front page of the paper or headline the evening news. </p>
<p>How would you feel telling your all of your friends/teachers that you applied as a hispanic applicant?</p>
<p>How would your friends respond once they found out? </p>
<p>Would they look at you as someone who was embrasing another part of your heritage or as some one who was looking for an hook?</p>
<p>How would you feel if your college in all their good intentions placed you in affinity housing?</p>
<p>What will you do when your name is given to the list serve at your school and you are on the mailings with all of the other hispanic students that the school wants to reach out to? </p>
<p>Will you attend their meetings? </p>
<p>Will you become an active memember of the hispanic community on campus?</p>
<p>When your school hosts its diversity/mulicultural events for prospective students and ask you if you would host or talk about your experience as a student of color on campus, will you? </p>
<p>What would you say?</p>
<p>Character is who you are when no one is watching and there is no right way to do something that you know is wrong. </p>
<p>So in the end, it is a decision that you have to make for yourself.</p>
<p>
[quote]
MY gut response is that you already know who/what you are or you would not have had to ask.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Sigh... I was in third grade when I realized I was Hispanic-ish... (I didn't even know there was a name, I just thought I spoke Spanish, and although I knew not everybody did, I thought my parents were just like the other immigrants that came to this country that just happened to speak another language, and didnt know that this group was so special that it had a specific name. For all intents and purposes, I thought I was white, everybody on univision was white, being blonde & blue-eyed, as were the Cubans that l encountered.)Anyways, this kid from Colombia (who ironically was also blonde and green-eyed) came to my class... and I was the only kid that spoke Spanish (courtesy of my baby-sitter, 'cause English is the official home language)... and I was like WOAH!! Im a * Hispanic * ?</p>
<p>
[quote]
When your school hosts its diversity/multicultural events for prospective
students and ask you if you would host or talk about your experience as a
student of color on campus, will you?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>LOL... I'm Hispanic, but I'm not really sure I've had an "experience as a student of color"... I'm not white per se (there's some native in me, but I'm overwhelmingly European), but I'm pretty light skinned... so I've never been discriminated against... and often get confused for just plain white (sometimes for a Spaniard)... just with a slight tan, although that can be due to the Florida sun I mean were the sunshine state! Ive seen regular white people with darker tans than me!0</p>
<p>I took AP Spanish Language last year... and was the only US-born Latino, and everyone was like "wait, you're Hispanic?"... I constantly get that "really?" look.... LOL... when you're 6'3" and aren't Indian (or Native Central American, lol, whatever's PC) looking people don't really look at you and know that you have Honduran ancestry... </p>
<p>I've only visited Honduras twice... and once doesnt even count 'cause I was one, got sick, and had to come back... and I live in Suburbia, so I don't really "self-identify" with the Hispanic culture... After all, speak 90% English at home (10% Spanish between parents, or phone calls, or random family visits)... </p>
<p>Sure I "lived my life as Hispanic" but sorta-kinda only nominally... But I'm still Hispanic, and very few Hispanics are found on the upper end of the academia spectrum (unless you count the 1/8,1/4,1/2 peeps that usually reap the benefits of Affirmative Action)</p>
<p>Point is... wait, I'm sure I had a point... just wondering if anyone else had/has a similar anecdote... :)</p>
<p>(Specifically to being Hispanic and not knowing, although Ive heard several stories of those who are mulattoes or biracial, whatever is PC)</p>
<p>
[quote]
You will not contribute to the hispanic population the way universities want you to:
[/quote]
The schools mainly want to ADVERTISE that they have a certain proportion minorities. The low income proportion is a different statistic. The first generation college proportion is yet a third statistic. Make good use of the good breaks you get and minimize the bad breaks.</p>
<p>Ok, seems like I've got a lot of good/bad/iffy advice. It seems like there is no clear consensus, but a lot of people have pointed out that I might be obligated to "represent" the Hispanic population of the college I choose to go to simply if I check that I am Hispanic. Thank you for your moral guilt trip sybbie, but I really think it is unfair to expect ANY Hispanic student to do all of those things or even be expected to. First of all, Hispanic people come from tons of different backgrounds, and Spanish Hispanics are much different then Latino Hispanics. Spaniards are very much European and maybe even white but they still classify as Hispanics as a dictionary defnitiion. Is this a ethical good or evil question? How can it be, it's not like I'm lieing, and with the college knowing me financial and academic history I think they will see that I am not a "hardcore" Hispanic who is obsessed with an ethical identity, just a person who happens to be ethnically Hispanic. In fact, wouldn't it be lieing to not mention I was part Hispanic? And a lot of you have made assumptions that being part Spanish has not influenced me. I take pride in having an immigrant mother (from Africa) and even though she is only half Spanish, I think her family history has had an effect on me. So I'm really not sure this is a question of moral integrity, in truth when I posted the original message, I was just wondering if colleges would allow this, if I could even be classified as Hispanic, and how it would be viewed by colleges.</p>
<p>Yes, Spaniards are racially White and ethnically Hispanic.</p>
<p>Yes you would be lying if you checked White (Not of Hispanic Origin) because then you'd be stating that you don't have any Hispanic ancestry.</p>
<p>You know what dolphins222? You are completely right. You would not have to be too representative of what the mainstream considers Hispanic culture. Just imagine if someone checked off that they were African-American/Black and the campus kicked them out because they did not listen to rap music or because they would not wear Sean John clothing or whatever. See where I'm getting at people? Although African-American/Black is a racial category unlike Hispanic which is an ethnic category.</p>
<p>Hi, I have a question about the race thing... as I fill out the common app it's the one section I always leave blank. My dad is white, but my mom is from Brazil and hers is pretty much the only culture I identify with. </p>
<p>Is Brazilian "Latino"? Or should I put it under "other" along with being half caucasian?</p>
<p>Well Brazilian is a national identity. If Latino is an option on an application then pick it. But don't pick Hispanic as Brazilian culture is a Portuguese one, not a Spanish one. Only Spanish cultures are Hispanic.</p>
<p>Caucasian isn't a culture. It's supposed to be a genetic identity. But if Latino isn't in the ethnic section of the application pick White.</p>
<p>In Europe where people refer to their national identities as their ethnicities instead of referring to White as their ethnicity, Italians, Spaniards, and the French are Latinos.</p>