<p>The purpose of this forum is to clarify for students how Hispanics are defined in the college admissions process, ie. using the US Census definition. According to this definition, Hispanic is considered an ethnicity and Hispanics can be of any race(s). </p>
<p>Race is a biological concept:</p>
<p>[Race</a> - definition from Biology-Online.org](<a href=“http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Race]Race”>Race - Definition and Examples - Biology Online Dictionary)</p>
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<p>The ‘racial’ profiling of Hispanics derives from perceived heritable racial characteristics. Because the vast majority of Hispanics in the US have backgrounds from Mexico, mestizo physical features/complexion/etc. are thought by many here as ‘Hispanic’ racial characteristics. While racial profiling is always simplistic, it is particularly so for Hispanics. Hispanics cover the range of races and racial characteristics from Asian (eg. ex-President of Peru, Alberto Fujimura), to white (eg. Spaniards, the majority of Argentines who are descendants of immigrants from Italy), to AA (eg. Dominican Republic) to OP (eg. a substantial part of the populations of Peru & Ecuador). </p>
<p>Each student and family determines how they choose to define their own personal racial and ethnic identity and experience. The definitions cited on CC are not personal ones, but rather standardized ones used by the CA and college admissions.</p>