Latinos putting "Native American" on college admission forms? MIT?

Dmantacos
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 19:38:19 +0000

Howdy, My name is Danté

I have been searching through different college application boards in preparation for the college application process that lies ahead of me (currently going into senior year). I am of Latino background. My mother is Caucasian but my father is Latino. While he wasn’t born in Mexico he grew up in a very self contained society of people of Mexican Descent in deep southern Texas. For my birthday when I was about 14 I asked for one of those “DNA test” things from 23andme so i could learn a bit more about my background (I’ve always been a curious one). I always knew I was about half Mexican but I was surprised to learn that I was actually roughly 30% Spanish and 20% Native American. My father’s lineage can be traced back to the first Mestizos. This would make me a bit Native American in terms of central American indigenous. I always assumed College apps asked for Native American in terms of U.S. area natives. Now I am conflicted on whether I should put just Hispanic/Latino or both Hispanic/Latino and Native American on college apps?

I mostly ask in the context of MIT admissions but a general answer would be much appreciated.

Please note I have no form of registration paperwork