Yes, every little thing to get an edge.

I know of a college student of Italian descent who claimed Latino/Hispanic on his applications and I'm positive that gave him an edge. He was a solid C student all through HS with ONE suspension for fighting and a few D grades thrown in who is now at UVA. His last name doesn't sound Italian at all, think Johnson, but he has his mother's Italian genes of darker skin and dark hair. He very easily passes the physical test of a Latino at a quick glance.

Why shouldn't someone with actual Latino genes get to declare it???

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your HS record shows Hispanic, there's nothing wrong with doing so. If HW record shows white, it will raise a lot of qs from Adcom folks.

This. Go to your HS counselor and change your ethnicity there first. My kid was always id as white, changed in 10th grade, then used it on college application. The school asked for the birth certificate, which we had issued from the Spanish country (the kid was born there, but both parents are non-hispanic). College board never asked any questions.

This is how this system works. It does gives more benefits to one race/ethnicity than another. Since the system is not fare, I don't expect anyone to play a fare game.

This Board reveals the ugly underbelly sometimes, doesn't it? I worry about kids who are being raised to get around rules that others comply with because they have personal integrity. Some people really do operate from an ethical or moral framework, not based upon what they can get away with. If you find yourself saying "everyone else is doing it," or "the system is corrupt"....you are just trying to justify your own corruption.

This country is pretty f**cked up. They have quotas for everything. They talk about equality and openly discriminate against Asians and to some extent whites.

So, yeah, if you can game the system go ahead. It's also teaching your children that society is unjust sometimes and it's OK to cut some corners. It's not like they won't learn it anyways.. Make sure all your records are consistent. Join a hispanic club. Learn some spanish, etc. Good luck.

If you are half-asian/half-white DON't show any of your asian-ness.. Works against you always.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, because if you get in as a Hispanic the schools then ask you for the documentation to back it up and 1/32nd isn't going to cut it.

How is a school going to ask for documentation?

That would be discrimanatory.

I know someone who was applying to a HYPSM school as Hispanic because her grandmother was from Spain - I don't think the gilr had previously identified as Hispanic. The school asked for documentation and she got her Gmother's birth certificate. Girl was rejected.

A white, native born American with one Spanish grandparent is not going to be considered a URM for admissions purposes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, because if you get in as a Hispanic the schools then ask you for the documentation to back it up and 1/32nd isn't going to cut it.

How is a school going to ask for documentation?

That would be discrimanatory.

I know someone who was applying to a HYPSM school as Hispanic because her grandmother was from Spain - I don't think the gilr had previously identified as Hispanic. The school asked for documentation and she got her Gmother's birth certificate. Girl was rejected.

Anonymous wrote:If the kid identifies as Hispanic and can demonstrate that (eg, member of Latino student group) then yes. But if not then it constitutes fraud and you’re teaching your kid a very bad lesson.

You don't have to be a member of the group to ID your ethnicity. You have to be interested in their culture, history, food, etc. You have to practice their traditions. I am Russian. I've never joined any groups in school or college. Does that disqualify me as Eastern European?

As to the lesson, I disagree. The kid should know how the system works and that other kids will be getting unfair gain at the start.

If the kid identifies as Hispanic and can demonstrate that (eg, member of Latino student group) then yes. But if not then it constitutes fraud and you’re teaching your kid a very bad lesson.

Anonymous wrote:If your HS record shows Hispanic, there's nothing wrong with doing so. If HW record shows white, it will raise a lot of qs from Adcom folks.

This. Go to your HS counselor and change your ethnicity there first. My kid was always id as white, changed in 10th grade, then used it on college application. The school asked for the birth certificate, which we had issued from the Spanish country (the kid was born there, but both parents are non-hispanic). College board never asked any questions.

This is how this system works. It does gives more benefits to one race/ethnicity than another. Since the system is not fare, I don't expect anyone to play a fare game.

Just make it is consistent with official papers. Don’t let them think you are gaming the system. Admission officers are not idiots.

Anonymous wrote:Do you identify as white otherwise? If so, you are a dick. Don't do it.

What? There are a lot of people who id white race and hispanic ethnicity.

Anonymous wrote:Do you identify as white otherwise? If so, you are a dick. Don't do it.

White is a race. Hispanic is ethnicity. Those are not mutually exclusive. If you identify as hispanic, even if you're 1/100, absolutely check it off. If you don't, don't. This isn't difficult people.

For what it's worth, the College Board standard for Hispanic is having one Hispanic grandparent. They have the rule for purposes of eligibility for the National Hispanic Scholar awards for PSAT scores. If you can't satisfy that, it seems super-iffy to be claiming Hispanic on applications.

If your HS record shows Hispanic, there's nothing wrong with doing so. If HW record shows white, it will raise a lot of qs from Adcom folks.

Anonymous wrote:Do you identify as white otherwise? If so, you are a dick. Don't do it.

No half Asian too but would not put that down.

Do you identify as white otherwise? If so, you are a dick. Don't do it.