<p>Hello I have a question that has been bothering me for a while. I am applying to Marymount University and the application asks me what is my primary language followed by what other language are you fluent in. Thing is I have always considered my ādefaultā language to be English, I was born and I finished school in Puerto Rico, but I always spoke English with friends, listened to English music, watched English TV, I think in English, etc. I want to put my primary language as English and then Spanish as the other language Iām fluent in. But my family makes it seem like I am committing a HUGE crime by doing thatā¦If I do it I wonāt let them know, but, I am worried, does saying my primary language is English when I was born in a place where Spanish is the primary language affect my application somehow?</p>
<p>Another thing related to that, I want to leave the Race/Ethnicity thing blank, I always do, but again, my family insists on filling the ethnicity part, because āit will help me with grants and aidsā (I donāt like the label, but I could use some help, like grants etc.) is this true at all? I just donāt relate at all to the āHispanicā label, even, not to stereotype, but if you looked at me, youād never guess I was born in PR. I just see myself as an American citizen like anyone else, but label-less, universal you could say. Does any of this affect my getting accepted? Iām caught between what I have always felt like and what my family thinksā¦</p>
<p>I apologize if moving your thread here bothers you, but this is the place were there is the most knowledge of college admissions for (possibly) Hispanic applicants.</p>
<p>I must be getting senile because I can see where they ask if your first language was English, but not about fluency in other languages. Not that it necessarily matters for your questions.</p>
<p>I donāt think that writing down English as your first language will necessarily affect your application, however Hispanic ethnicity is a factor in college admissions, particularly for MA and PR candidates as these are the Hispanic backgrounds that are most underrepresented in US colleges.</p>
<p>Last name, physical features, language spokenānone of these things are relevant factors in being Hispanic. They may be relevant factors for how some people stereotype Hispanics, but they are not for the definition of Hispanic used by colleges. Hispanics donāt ālookā a certain way, they can be, and ARE, of any race(s). Think about it: AA Hispanics from the DR; Alberto Fujimori, ex-president of Peru; MA & Ecuadorians, many of whom are mestizo with Amerindian ancestory; even PRs & Argentines who are mostly white racially:</p>
<p>Iām trying to wrap my head around why you canāt be an āAmerican citizen like anyone elseā, and be of Hispanic heritage, whereās the disconnect? IMO itās because youāve bought into the stereotype that ignorant people have perpetuated.</p>
<p>Yes, Hispanic ethnicity can impact merit aid, there are some scholarships (see the Resources sticky thread) that are only for Hispanic applicants. </p>
<p>Please take the time to read some of the threads on this forum and become more familiar with the facts and reality of college admissions for Hispanic students if you chose to check the box.</p>
<p>What I meant is that I dislike being labeled, racially or culturally, and that I feel that I donāt belong to any label because I feel part of the world as a whole, but chose to identify as American since thatās my citizenship. I am sorry for bringing up stereotypes. I just dislike how minority groups chose to segregate themselves and behave true to the stereotypes. </p>
<p>Somehow I feel that by checking Hispanic I am putting myself among those people who segregate themselves, who treat their being Hispanic as being a different race and who are obsessed with being really cultural (and treat that culture like a sacred thing), when I am none of those. ā¦I guess you could say I am silly lol</p>
<p>Anyway, I will put English as my primary language because I feel it is that way, and because living in the US thatās the language I primarily use. However, even if I dislike labels, I guess will check the Hispanic ethnicity bubble since at the moment I really need any extra help I could get.</p>
<p>Nobody likes to be labeled, but it will always happen. Do you go through your life doing things based on what others think?</p>
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<p>Citizenship is another issue and not pertinent to the discussion.</p>
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<p>Again, are you going to be yourself or just react to what others think or do?</p>
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<p>Not silly at all, but you can be both Hispanic and whatever else you are in life. My kids are of mixed ethnicity and race, they identify as many things, but I hope mostly as the individuals that they are. While they have participated in some activities associated with the Hispanic community (eg. volunteering at a low income clinic, tutoring in an elementary school, etc.), but they generally donāt attend school functions for Hispanic students or socialize primarily with other Hispanic kids. I donāt think thatās a problem and I havenāt gotten any indication that the colleges do either. JMHO but I think Hispanics, like any other group, are more robust when there are a range of perspectives, not only a mainstream ideology.</p>
<p>Best of luck, just remember that the decision is YOURS, not anyone elseās.</p>
<p>I am sorry but I just canāt let your comment āhow minority groups chose to segregate themselves and behave true to the stereotypesā lie. As I believe Entomom correctly pointed out " Iām trying to wrap my head around why you canāt be an āAmerican citizen like anyone elseā, and be of Hispanic heritage, whereās the disconnect? IMO itās because youāve bought into the stereotype that ignorant people have perpetuated." You are of course entitled to our own opinion but as an adult let me give you one piece of advice as you enter the adult world and apply to colleges- do not make sweeping generalizations about Hispanics that we āsegregateā ourselves and behave true to stereotypes. You are short changing the many Hispanics in the U.S. with your very narrow view of us. I am a proud Mexican-American; I graduated from a top ten law school in the early 80ās; and have worked in giant law firms making $$$$. I am proud of my ethnicity and love when my family gets together to celebrate our heritage. I worked hard to make my children who are only 50% Hispanic proud of their heritage. Now they donāt wear a sombero to school but they know of Hispanic traditions just like many cultures in the United States. I am sure we all have friends of different cultures who identify with their culture (e.g. my Jewish friends who celebrate their childrenās bar mitzvahs) but that does not mean that any of them are less American than yourself. Moreover wouldnāt the world be very boring if we were all the same. </p>
<p>If you donāt feel comfortable checking the box āHispanicā then donāt do it. College want such information because colleges want a diverse population whether it be economic; geographic or ethnically. Please donāt take it the wrong way but frankly I feel bad for you that you have bought into the ignorant view of others. Being part of a culture and learning about different cultures is actually a good thing.</p>
I have a question that has been bothering me for a while. I am applying to Marymount University and the application asks me what is my primary language followed by what other language are you fluent in. Thing is I have always considered my ādefaultā language to be English, I was born and I finished school in Puerto Rico, but I always spoke English with friends, listened to English music, watched English TV, I think in English, etc. I want to put my primary language as English and then Spanish as the other language Iām fluent in. But my family makes it seem like I am committing a HUGE crime by doing thatā¦If I do it I wonāt let them know, but, I am worried, does saying my primary language is English when I was born in a place where Spanish is the primary language affect my application somehow?</p>