GAC1107

So do we have to mark another race?

entomom

You don't HAVE to mark anything, all demographic information is optional.

What I'm trying to say is that whatever you mark for race, it will not diminish your standing as Hispanic. Granted, if you are NA, AA or Pac Is, that MIGHT further enhance your application, but being Asian or White will not hurt it. I'm not a big fan of Wiki, but they show the 2000 Census data for Hispanics by race:

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The largest racial group for Hispanics is white (47.9%), "Some Other" is next at 42.2%. I'm assuming that "Some other" refers to native peoples of Mexico, CA and SA as the NA category looks like it includes only native peoples of AK and the continental US, but I don't know that for sure.

Phreez

They and both of their parents were born in the US?

Phreez

Yet say they had a Hispanic last name, and Hispanic grandparents

soccer_girl4life

I think that the limit is usually 1/4 hispanic or one parent of "hispanic descent"

entomom

^That is the NHRP definition. For college admissions, one self-identifies as Hispanic and there is no set percentage.

Phreez, as you will see reading this thread, last name and country of birth of you and your parents are not relevant. If all 4 of your grandparents are Hispanic, then your parents are 100% Hispanic wherever they were born, and you are also 100% Hispanic regardless of birthplace.

Phreez

All, and only all 4? What if it's less?

entomom

Phreez,
I was using the example the you gave with 4 Hispanic grandparents assuming that was your situation. No, not all grandparents have to be Hispanic for you to be considered Hispanic.

Please read the first page of this thread, I think it will clear up most of your questions. If you still have concerns, post them here, but please state your actual situation rather than a hypothetical one.

original501

I'm part Sephardi Jew too!(a Mexican national)
Hispanic/latino:
Originally from Hispanophone America, Equitorial Guinea, the Phillippines.
Spaniards do NOT count! It is unfair that Europeans that should be in the "white" category get to compete against real minority kids!

*Most Spaniards identify as "caucasian" when asked about their race, and some get offended when called Hispanic/Latino.

You can be of ANY race and be hispanic.

The more "hispanic" you are, the more weight you have.
Ex: I''m a Latin American immigrant, whose seen both sides of the border, I speak fluent Spanish, and know my country's history.
Basically, I KNOW what it means to be a Latino AND an American.

entomom

For admissions purposes, colleges recognize people from Spain as Hispanic (see post #1 on this thread).

Because they are. As are many other Hispanics, for instance the vast majority of Argentines are originally from either Spain or Italy and are racially Caucasian and ethnically Hispanic, there's not discrepancy in being both.

Agreed (see post #1 on this thead).

original501

^^Entomom

"I am 1/2 Castillian. My mother is full Castillian. We moved to the states when I was a young girl. I was always taught that I was white. My mother always stated herself as white, never chose 'hispanic' because she taught us we were spaniards, not hispanics. This was taught to me as fact not prejudice. Most people would never believe we were spanish because we are very fair and blue eyed. Spaniard/Spanish should not be confused with Hispanic. If I had 'ANY' South American, Mexican, etc. blood, I would then be considered hispanic, even if I had Spaniard as well. If you were to ask any Spaniard in the US, they would agree with what I am saying. "

-statement from a Spaniard:http://www.discriminations.us/2004/0..._hispanic.html

Are you a REAL Latino or Hispanic???
Were you born in Latin America???
Then you will know that us Hispanics consider Spaniards to be "European" and vice-versa.

Tell a Spaniard he's Hispanic and he'll give you a look, and not a good one!

entomom

original,
I'm very sorry if my comments have upset you, it was not my intent to deny your experience. Rather I was trying to state the way that college admissions views Spaniards now living in the US. They use the US Census definition of Hispanic (not the NY one cited in your link) which both includes Spaniards and states that Hispanics can be of any race:

Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000

The National Hispanic Recognition Program uses a similar definition:

National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP)

I'm not trying to make a statement about whether these definitions are good or bad, accurate or not, just that it they are the ones used by colleges.

I was neither born in Latin America nor am I'm a real or any other kind of Hispanic; nor have I ever claimed to be. My husband was born in Argentina and immigrated to the US, if one cares to go farther back, all of his grandparents were Catalonian.

fineartsmajormom

Thanks Entomom for keeping this discussion civil. The discussion should focus on the definitions used by colleges/universities and related institutions like the college board. CC is designed to help share information but discussions over what "should be" or "shouldn't be" hispanic are best directed to those institutions, not the CC community. The reality is that these categories affect admissions, scholarship eligibility, etc. and are used by institutions (including the government) to track diversity. You can choose to not participate (there is always the choice to not check a box) but you should read the definitions and requirements carefully should you choose to do so. You can also say that these categories are silly/unfair/racist/arbitrary/meaningless but the point of this forum is to explain how to interpret the criteria and determine how to answer them honestly (should you choose to do so). Entomom apparently has infinite patience in helping students and parents understand how the categorization works but you shouldn't harangue her about the stupidity/unfairness of racial/ethnic categorizatoin. Don't shoot the messenger.

silverturtle

Question about what I should put:

I am of Mexican heritage on my mother's side and Jewish heritage on my father's side. I don't want to merely select Hispanic and then White because it doesn't seem to accurately convey my mixed race.

What's the most effective way on the Common Application to convey my situation?

Thanks.

entomom

When you check the Hispanic box, a list of countries comes up, you check Mexico.

Race is completely separate question and you can pick whichever one(s) apply. Since Mexico is very mixed racially, it would be good to talk to your parents about how best to describe your background:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat.../geos/mx.html#