<p>^That is the NHRP definition. For college admissions, one self-identifies as Hispanic and there is no set percentage.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>All, and only all 4? What if it’s less?</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>*Most Spaniards identify as “caucasian” when asked about their race, and some get offended when called Hispanic/Latino.</p>
<p>You can be of ANY race and be hispanic.</p>
<p>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.</p>
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</p>
<p>For admissions purposes, colleges recognize people from Spain as Hispanic (see post #1 on this thread).</p>
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</p>
<p>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.</p>
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</p>
<p>Agreed (see post #1 on this thead).</p>
<p>^^Entomom</p>
<p>"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. " </p>
<p>-statement from a Spaniard:<a href=“http://www.discriminations.us/2004/06/is_spain_hispanic.html[/url]”>http://www.discriminations.us/2004/06/is_spain_hispanic.html</a></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Tell a Spaniard he’s Hispanic and he’ll give you a look, and not a good one!</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>[Persons</a> of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000](<a href=“http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_68188.htm]Persons”>http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_68188.htm)</p>
<p>The National Hispanic Recognition Program uses a similar definition:</p>
<p>[National</a> Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP)](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Scholarships and Recognition with PSAT/NMSQT - SAT Suite)</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Question about what I should put:</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>What’s the most effective way on the Common Application to convey my situation?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>When you check the Hispanic box, a list of countries comes up, you check Mexico.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html#[/url]”>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html#</a></p>
<p>“For admissions purposes, colleges recognize people from Spain as Hispanic (see post #1 on this thread).”
Strange how Portuguese and people from Brazil are not considered Hispanic.</p>
<p>Brazilians are considered Hispanic by NHRP.</p>
<p>The purpose of this thread, as stated so eloquently by fineartsmom in post #28:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
These categories are silly/unfair/racist/arbitrary/meaningless. But this thread is somewhat helpful.</p>
<p>Oooh the first time I have been quoted. As the admissions system comes to a close I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about self-identification as “hispanic” and “race” also. On the one hand, I think it would be a great thing if the system was used to encourage pride in our cultural and racial heritage. However, after returning from a diversity weekend and speaking to other parents of hispanic and black kids, we all have mixed feelings about the way colleges support “diversity”. It is appropriate that they want a class of students made up of all backgrounds and experiences. It is great that the school recognizes that some of these kids are challenging stereotypes and overcoming educational barriers so they take this into consideration during admissions. But this in itself presents a challenge for students of color. A lot of the kids will always wonder if they got in because of their color/ethnicity and whether they are really qualified…other kids question their presence too. The result is that black and hispanic boys, in particular, seem to respond to any academic or social troubles at college with trying to tough it out on their own or with a quiet resignation to failure ("I knew I shouldn’t be here).The latter is the saddest because even the school admits that the students of color–particularly boys–don’t seek help when they need it. White kids are much more likely to seek help when they have academic or social issues. So…perhaps we need a new thread… how to keep our students feeling positive and motivated once they are in college…</p>
<p>I really liked that last post because I feel I can relate to it as a Hispanic male. Already accepted EA to Georgetown and having received a likely from Dartmouth and waiting on a couple more top 25 schools I always have that thought in the back of my head “was I only accepted to fill a quota?” Not only that but then you hear your fears being confirmed by your white/asian peers, it creates a sad feeling. I think I’d rather know the truth than have this sense of doubt that will likely haunt me and that will only be confirmed if I struggle in college. I’ll take the acceptance because of these schools generous FA and the joy they bring the family and community. Hopefully after I decide on a school I will simply put these thoughts behind me and make the best of what I have been offered</p>
<p>I remember an old TV program called The Paper Chase, about students in law school. There was one episode about affirmative action and in the end the sage old professor said something like, “it’s OK to come in the back door, just make sure you leave by the front.” I always remember that because although I’m an ORM for college admissions purposes, I got my job through AA since I’m a double URM for my particular field. </p>
<p>One more thing, most of the very selective colleges have such an over abundance of highly qualified students, URM or not, that they really only accept students that they believe will succeed and thrive at their institution.</p>
<p>Enjoy, you’ve earned it!</p>
<p>Thanks entomom, loved the anecdote</p>
<p>I loved the paperchase…wonder if it is on dvd somewhere..note to self to check netflix…excellent quote and will remind S of this frequently. Don’t second guess yourself or why you are at a particular school…just make sure that you take advantage of this opportunity and give back when you can.</p>
<p>Wait, since you can be any race and still be “hispanic/latino”, you can have a chinese kid with a chinese name, him and the parents being born in china, and still be categorized as hispanic if one of his great grandparents was hispanic???</p>
<p>If that person self-identifies as Hispanic, then colleges will accept that. However, as stated previously, the amount of weight a college puts in that designation is up to them an can be based on many factors, including, but not limited to: SES, country of origin, HS attended, demonstrated identification with Hispanic culture, etc.</p>
<p>For the NHRP, this person would NOT be considered Hispanic, because their definition is that you have to be at least 1/4 Hispanic, so at least one grandparent must have been Hispanic to qualify.</p>
<p>You can take it even one step further, how about for instance the Japanese that relocated to Peru several generations ago, should they be considered Hispanic? Alberto Fujimori was the President of Peru, I’m guessing he’s ethnically more Hispanic than Japanese even though he is racially 100% Asian.</p>