<p>I'm currently a junior and have recently heard about affirmative action. I have a solid resume that should be considered for ivy league acceptance. The problem is that I've always selected Asian for my race on standardized tests and I'm listed as only Asian for my school; I'm actually 1/4 hispanic (Cuban) through lineage (I have the paperwork and will notify my school). I thought you have to select your dominant race for the tests & I moved here from Asia when I was 5 so my parents just selected Asian. Should I select hispanic on the common app when I apply due to the heightened likelihood of getting accepted to a prestigious college or leave the ethnicity section blank as there may be questioning on the validity of my ethnicity or other issues? If there are other issues, what can they be?</p>
<p>Please read post #1 on the Hispanic definition sticky thread at the top of this forum. Then go to the Resources sticky thread and read the threads listed under Hispanic ethnicity and College Admissions.</p>
<p>These will help you to understand:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>How Hispanic is defined for college admissions (spoiler: do you self-identify in part as Hispanic?)</p></li>
<li><p>How college admissions is affected by designating Hispanic (spoiler: all Hispanics are not created equal).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Ok, I understand that I am hispanic due to lineage but the question still is that because I’ve waited so long to let my school know my ethnicity, filled out tests with only asian as my race/ethnicity, and have a Chinese last name, would colleges harass me because they think I’m trying to cheat the system? I just don’t want any trouble.</p>
<p>I think 1/4 is the minimum lineage required, so I think it’s legal to identify as Hispanic. But for all other purposes, you’re not Cuban unless you are immersed in Cuban culture (language, food, music, history). You do realize that it would be ignorant for the admission officers to assume you’re lying based on your last name, right? Cuba does have an Asian community (people born or originating in Cuba with Asian ancestry, not people in your situation), so do a lot of other Latin American countries (Brazil, Peru, Panama, Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica, etc.</p>
<p>P.S. Cuban, or Hispanic, is not a race.</p>
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<p>This is the threshold to qualify for NHRP; there is no % standard used for general college admissions.</p>
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<p>College admissions uses the US Census definition which is that a person self-identifies as Hispanic. While this obviously requires some degree of identification with Hispanic culture, ‘immersion’ is a subjective term. Each student must determine the answer to this question themselves; it’s the purpose of this forum to present the terminology and process, not to make this judgement.</p>
<p>If the OP read the material provided, they would find the answers to their questions as they have been asked many times in various forms. As with most things in life, if you are honest, then you will not have any problems.</p>
<p>Well if they truly identified as Cuban, or Hispanic, then they wouldn’t need to ask…but that’s not the point. On paper he is Hispanic (or part).</p>
<p>OK, I officially give up, this was my last response to a ‘Am I Hispanic?’ question in any way, shape or form.</p>
<p>The information is all in the stickies for anyone (that includes the person asking and whoever answers) with the inclination to find out the facts rather than merely spouting preconceived notions.</p>