I am latino and my husband is caucasian. He has a traditional American last name, whereas I have a very latin last name. His last name is currently just his father’s last name. I have a close friend who suggested I add my last name to his to increase his changes of getting into a good university since he could say he is latino in apps. Or does the last name not matter at all? If he simply says he is latino in the app, will they assume he is even though he has an American last name? My lawyer can do the whole change for about $1,000 which is worth it to me if it increases his chances.
Checking the box for Latino when he is Caucasian is wrong.
Being Latin@ has nothing to do with the name, it’s how one self-identifies. It’s entirely possible to be Latin@ and named Smith, or Caucasian and named Martinez.
@Madison85, he is half latino so it’s not a false statement…
@dfbdfb, so basically checking that box is just an honor code system and anyone can state whichever race? Is it something they would every verify down the line?
Yes, at some level checking the box is an honor code system, because it’s based on self-identification. (It has to be—there are no more enforceable “one drop” laws on the books, and race and ethnicity are social, not biological, constructs anyway.) That said, if someone checked a box they were socially not eligible to check (e.g., if my pale-skinned self checked African-American because I had one black great-great-grandparent along with my 15 white ones), there would presumably be social repercussions down the line.
You do not have to have his name changed it will not make a difference. He can check the box. Also on the application is asks mother’s name and father’s name so if you use your latino name they will see it. He can also list it as your name as Maria Hernandez Smith instead of just Maria Smith. Yes race and ethnicity is self reported/self identified. For NHRP or other scholarships there is a requirement of 1/4 to qualify so that may be checked. fyi I have relatives with this situation and a student I am helping now. Caucasian father central american mother.
He does not have to change his name if he really is half Latino.
I have an Irish O’Irish name but my mother is from Spain. I check Hispanic (sometimes) and white. (Not Latina, obviously).
If he’s Latino, check Latino. It’s not uncommon for people to have a different name than their full ethnic origin, let alone half (or less).
Save your money. He can check the box for hispanic ethnicity if he considers himself to be hispanic. That is good enough. He doesn’t have to have an “hispanic” name or “look hispanic”. This is self-identified.
Very few places care about a student’s ethnicity. They just keep these records because the US Dept of Education requires them to.
My apologies - I think I misunderstood your post. I thought you were a young married woman and that you were referring to your Caucasian husband who is a college student and who wanted to hyphenate his last name with yours to appear not to be Caucasian.
In your 3rd sentence when you say ‘His last name…’ you are actually referring to your son and not your husband?
I too thought this was someone asking about her husband going to college. Your son is Hispanic no matter what his last name is.
My daughter is Chinese with an Irish name. She still checks ‘Chinese’ for race, non-Hispanic for ethnicity, and just waits for stunned looks when her name is called.
An odder question was my relatives wondering what to do about the “African-American box” because Egypt is in Africa so they’re African-American but not African-American. (They didn’t check it.)
I would change the name if your son is early enough in the process so there will not be confusion with HS transcripts or any type of standardized testing. Not sure what Momof1 is referring to. Most schools will care about your child’s ethnicity and proudly report the % of each in their incoming freshman classes.
Yes, I am referring to my son. So since there is no true verification process, I should put that he is latino versus caucasian because there is no advantage to being caucasian on a college app. I will keep his name the same then.
And just to clarify, he is indeed half latino.