1/4 Hispanic - how do I indicate on app?

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medapplicantt

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one of my grandparents is Spanish; therefore I identify as 1/4 Spanish/Hispanic. I don't know what the ethnicity box on the AMCAS looks like, but for those who do, how would I indicate this?
 
medapplicantt said:
one of my grandparents is Spanish; therefore I identify as 1/4 Spanish/Hispanic. I don't know what the ethnicity box on the AMCAS looks like, but for those who do, how would I indicate this?
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You either check the "Hispanic" box, or you check another one. They don't allow for breakdowns of your ethnic make-up.
 
Can't you just check off both the white and hispanic option on your app?
 
medapplicantt said:
one of my grandparents is Spanish; therefore I identify as 1/4 Spanish/Hispanic. I don't know what the ethnicity box on the AMCAS looks like, but for those who do, how would I indicate this?
Click to expand...

I think it asks what ethnicity you most identify with. If you most identify as hispanic then put that. If you most identify as white then put that.
 
Obviously pick Hispanic. You want to get accepted, don't you?
 
medapplicantt said:
one of my grandparents is Spanish; therefore I identify as 1/4 Spanish/Hispanic. I don't know what the ethnicity box on the AMCAS looks like, but for those who do, how would I indicate this?
Click to expand...

wait ...if your grandparent is Spanish then you are not hispanic

Spanish = from spain = white
Hispanic = from latin or south america = hispanic

if your grandparent really is hispanic and you think that's the same thing as spanish then you probably don't actually identify as hispanic and you're just doing it to get a leg up
 
skinMD said:
wait ...if your grandparent is Spanish then you are not hispanic

Spanish = from spain = white
Hispanic = from latin or south america = hispanic

if your grandparent really is hispanic and you think that's the same thing as spanish then you probably don't actually identify as hispanic and you're just doing it to get a leg up
Click to expand...
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
 
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medapplicantt said:
one of my grandparents is Spanish; therefore I identify as 1/4 Spanish/Hispanic. I don't know what the ethnicity box on the AMCAS looks like, but for those who do, how would I indicate this?
Click to expand...

If you have a spanish last name and speak some spanish, check hispanic. If not, then check white.
 
Hispanic last name, and speaking spanish are a huge plus...

But I don't know, are you comfortable with being called out by adcoms?

"Um, looking over your application here. We feel that your hispanic-ness is lacking. Taco Bell burrito crunching does not qualify you for hispanic URM status."
 
Having read the URM page. I agree with the above poster.

A lot of people trash talk URMs and complain about affirmative action on top of it. But seriously, it's important to educate people that will serve these URM communities.

I for one have worked, hands on, up close and personal with one too many medical students who are disgusted at the thought of rural medicine outside of a big academic center like NYC or Chicago. These cities are over populated with professionals. Time to spread the love.😍
 
edit
 
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Bethany555 said:
No one is going to call you out ever. Put down Hispanic and be done with it. If you really are that concerned, join a Hispanic awareness group on campus and if anyone asks, say you most identify with your Hispanic heritage.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Hispanic is a huge boost and it gets especially important if your GPA/MCAT are below average - slightly above average. For example a 3.4-3.6 GPA/30-32 MCAT for hispanic has a 80.4% acceptance rate to medical school while the white counterpart has a 58.0% acceptance rate.

https://www.aamc.org/download/157948/data/table25-h-mcatgpa-grid-hisp-0810.pdf.pdf

https://www.aamc.org/download/157958/data/table25-w-mcatgpa-grid-white-0810.pdf.pdf
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What the... WOW I thought you were joking then I clicked the links. I really didn't know the admissions were that unfair......


OP definitely put down that you're Hispanic. It's not even a question.
 
Shizz said:
What the... WOW I thought you were joking then I clicked the links. I really didn't know the admissions were that unfair......


OP definitely put down that you're Hispanic. It's not even a question.
Click to expand...

thanks, but just under the hispanic graph says "* applicants who were U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents to self-identify as Hispanic or Latino alone or in combination with other race and ethnicity"

How do I indicate I'm biracial on the app?
 
TriagePreMed said:
Actually, this is a huge misconception. Spaniards ARE Hispanic. However, they are not Latino.

OP, you're not Hispanic and you know it. Stop trying to cheat the system. When they see you're just a white boy/girl, they will assume you're simply being dishonest and trying to cheat them, which you are.
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This.👍
 
I think the OP doesn't really look Hispanic because if he or she really does then putting down Hispanic is not even a question. Anyway if you put down Hispanic please be prepare with some explanations and verifiable info of how you identify as such.

Show some commitment to the Latino community, show off your Spanish and the like. If you don't have such verifiable info on your apps then it is a toss up because people might think that you are doing this just to play the system. Nobody is going to care if you are 1/4 Hispanic and hasn't spoken a word of Spanish or helped out the Hispanic community in anyway.

Is there any statistic on the number of URM medical students that go to rural areas or help out their own community after graduated?
 
It can help you to list URM, while it really can't hurt to not (as if someone is going to call you out on the ethnicity you most strongly ID with?).

You're not in my app cycle, so list URM.
 
edit
 
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Bethany555 said:
3.0-3.2 / 30-32 MCAT Hispanic acceptance rate 56.7%, white 28.1%. The example I picked isn't even close to the most extreme ones of that chart.

Even if you don't speak any Spanish, don't looks Spanish, and have done nothing for the Spanish community, it'll definitely help you. However, if you want to do everything in your power to get into medical school, go join 1-2 Hispanic interest groups and you have a huge leg up.

Anyone who says they'll call you out is just mad that if you have equal stats on them, you'll easily get in over them
Click to expand...

Nobody is going to call OP out whatever that means but what would you think if an Asian guy like me who doesn't speak Spanish, has no Hispanic friends and never done anything for the Spanish community come in and say I am URM Hispanic?

Sure they won't ask directly why because it is rude but it is imaginable that they would gauge your interests in serving the Hispanic community or your tie with Hispanic community with their questions. The reason why they give URM a leg up in the first place because such candidates are supposedly more likely to serve those minority community and if you have demonstrated no such desire and don't even look Hispanic or speak Spanish to boot then why should they give you that benefit?
 
thanks for the responses, but I still don't understand: must I list ONLY what I "most identify with" or will I be able to check off white and hispanic-spain?

I guess this question is targeted at those who have seen the app's actual ethnicity box. a screenshot or something would be even better.

EDIT: I speak Spanish, definitely not fluent, but pretty decent.
 
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medapplicantt said:
thanks for the responses, but I still don't understand: must I list ONLY what I "most identify with" or will I be able to check off white and hispanic-spain?

I guess this question is targeted at those who have seen the app's actual ethnicity box. a screenshot or something would be even better.

EDIT: I speak Spanish, definitely not fluent, but pretty decent.
Click to expand...

AAMC said:
Since 2002, following U.S. federal guidelines, AMCAS has asked applicants who are U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents to self-identify using two separate questions: the first question ("Ethnicity") asks applicants whether they are "Spanish/Hispanic/Latino/Latina" or "Not Spanish/Hispanic/Latino/Latina"; the second question ("Race") asks applicants to self-identify using non-Hispanic or Latino race categories, and applicants are asked to "check all that apply." The ethnicity category and several race categories permit further self-identification by sub-categories. Prior to 2002, AMCAS applicants were not able to select more than one race; thus, data prior to 2002 are not directly comparable to later data.
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I still don't know why you would put Spanish. My grandmother was native american but since I have absolutely no ties to the native american community (she left to live on a farm with my grandpa) there is absolutely no reason why I would put that on any application.
 
Cinclus said:
You either check the "Hispanic" box, or you check another one. They don't allow for breakdowns of your ethnic make-up.
Click to expand...

medapplicantt said:
thanks for the responses, but I still don't understand: must I list ONLY what I "most identify with" or will I be able to check off white and hispanic-spain?

I guess this question is targeted at those who have seen the app's actual ethnicity box. a screenshot or something would be even better.

EDIT: I speak Spanish, definitely not fluent, but pretty decent.
Click to expand...

I already submitted my app, so I'm not allowed to make changes and can't provide a screenshot of checkbox options. However, based on the 1st reply you got from Cinclus, it seems like you can only check one. You'll have to use your own judgment to decide whether white or hispanic describes you better.
 
medapplicantt said:
thanks for the responses, but I still don't understand: must I list ONLY what I "most identify with" or will I be able to check off white and hispanic-spain?

I guess this question is targeted at those who have seen the app's actual ethnicity box. a screenshot or something would be even better.

EDIT: I speak Spanish, definitely not fluent, but pretty decent.
Click to expand...

I already submitted mine so I can't see that box the way it was at the beginning but you can always make an account at amcas now to see for yourself.
 
I know a girl, who got in with 3.5 gpa with a downward trend and 26 MCAT by putting herself as either hispanic or Caribbean or perhaps even black. She got multiple Cs in orgo, physics and mostly Bs in upper bios.

She grew up in a middle high class white family. Her father is a lawyer and her mother is a school teacher. She was part of southern sorority during her freshman year and had her own house next to campus. But she decided to utilize her mother's genetic makeup and joined many minority premed clubs to make herself more URM. She got into two schools where working for the underserved is emphasized, and she picked a traditionally minority school because it was cheaper, and now she is going for orthopedics. I used to feel bitter about this, but now I cannot deny that she is a winner. 👍
 
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FattySlug said:
Nobody is going to call OP out whatever that means but what would you think if an Asian guy like me who doesn't speak Spanish, has no Hispanic friends and never done anything for the Spanish community come in and say I am URM Hispanic?

Sure they won't ask directly why because it is rude but it is imaginable that they would gauge your interests in serving the Hispanic community or your tie with Hispanic community with their questions. The reason why they give URM a leg up in the first place because such candidates are supposedly more likely to serve those minority community and if you have demonstrated no such desire and don't even look Hispanic or speak Spanish to boot then why should they give you that benefit?
Click to expand...

A white kid checking Hispanic on his app isn't going to be called out about it by adcoms? Do you think they are stupid or something?
 
If he gets to put hispanic, do i get to put black? I listen to rap music on occasion...
 
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medapplicantt said:
thanks for the responses, but I still don't understand: must I list ONLY what I "most identify with" or will I be able to check off white and hispanic-spain?

I guess this question is targeted at those who have seen the app's actual ethnicity box. a screenshot or something would be even better.

EDIT: I speak Spanish, definitely not fluent, but pretty decent.
Click to expand...
Some medical schools want to know information about your ethnicity and race. You may optionally enter this information on this page.

Ethnicity

Not Spanish/Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Spanish/Hispanic/Latino/Latina

Race

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African-American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White

Note: There are checkboxes next to each one. So go ahead and select both ethnicities and all 5 races if you wish, since surely your family history includes all of them at some point. Be prepared to be laughed at when you are interviewed if you don't identify with that race.

Note #2: This is from the 2011 version of the app, not 2012, since I've submitted 2012. It may have changed slightly. I don't remember, since I didn't try to game the system.
 
Etorphine said:
Agreed. You have to be very careful who you take advice from on here. Would you take advice that could jeopardize your entire future from a group of neurotic premeds?

To anyone that is thinking of cheating the system in this way, and thinking of clicking the box because grandpa joe was 1/8 hispanic, don't do it. These adcoms are not idiots, and there is a reason they interview people IN PERSON before handing out an acceptance. There is no way out of this.

Of course they're not going to call you out on the spot, but don't be surprised when you get rejected from every single school for being a liar. Honesty is a big part of the admission process, and blatantly lying about something that they can verify by looking at you is pretty damn stupid.

The entire app is designed to check your honesty at every level, from calling your contacts to verify your hours to even "verifying" your grades so that you are not lying and boosting your sGPA. As you know, getting an "institutional action" for cheating pretty much guarantees you will be blacklisted, just because you tried to cheat the system on a single instance. I guarantee they will be checking for people that falsely put down they are URM.

Even for people that do have a hispanic last name, it is still risky business, as then they'll start asking questions that would verify your involvement in the hispanic community.

I would just go about it the honest way, and get in SOMEWHERE than nowhere. Your average chance of acceptance for someone from SDN is probably around 60%, chance of acceptance if they think you're lying is 0% and you wouldn't be able to apply to that school in the future.
Click to expand...


True in a perfect world, but I unfortunately disagree. I think people lie all the time on their apps and sadly they get away with it.
 
skinMD said:
wait ...if your grandparent is Spanish then you are not hispanic

Spanish = from spain = white
Hispanic = from latin or south america = hispanic

if your grandparent really is hispanic and you think that's the same thing as spanish then you probably don't actually identify as hispanic and you're just doing it to get a leg up
Click to expand...

Are you serious?

No, hispanic = spanish heritage
 
If I were a betting man, I would say yalls been trolled hard
 
BushidoBrown said:
If I were a betting man, I would say yalls been trolled hard
Click to expand...


OP had a legit question. My great grandmother was native american, but I wouldn't dare pretend I identify with indians for app purposes. I'm sure others have similar situations.
 
rossbossss said:
True in a perfect world, but I unfortunately disagree. I think people lie all the time on their apps and sadly they get away with it.
Click to expand...

Yea but that's the way it is. They don't have the man power to call every reference you have on your app. Students list on average 10 activities and 100 accepted students is 1000 people that have to be called. Not to mention many people use all 15 slots and multiple contacts for each slot. I think they would only call the important ones like your research lab if you are applying for MD/PhD.
 
FattySlug said:
Yea but that's the way it is. They don't have the man power to call every reference you have on your app. Students list on average 10 activities and 100 accepted students is 1000 people that have to be called. Not to mention many people use all 15 slots and multiple contacts for each slot. I think they would only call the important ones like your research lab if you are applying for MD/PhD.
Click to expand...

Has anyone actually heard of them verifying activities, from personal experience? I know they didn't when it came to college admissions..
 
Soulstice said:
Has anyone actually heard of them verifying activities, from personal experience? I know they didn't when it came to college admissions..
Click to expand...

From the sticky thread that I read it seems that up until last year they don't actually call to verify or do so very rarely. This year with the required contact info things might change but I doubt it. Not like suddenly they will hire more people to do that. There is also the issue where people are out of school for a few years and contact was lost, new person in charge or they won't remember the applicant.
 
While it's true that some people get away with it, this is not always the case and you do not want to be the one student they decide to make an example of. I knew a classmate who I knew well do this, he was white as white could be and checked off Hispanic on his AMCAS. His first Interview was at Einstein, his interviewer called him out on it. He started to talk to him in Spanish. When he couldn't reply, the interviewer asked him, if he had ever lived in a Hispanic community or lived outside the US. He said no and the interviewer went on to say "how can you relate to a culture you cannot communicate with or know nothing about the struggles of. You have no idea what it means to be Hispanic" and was offended by the students actions. The interviewer WAS Hispanic.

This guy did Not get into Einstein or did he get any other interviews after that (his stats were 3.6 and a 30s). He also received a letter in the mail from AMCAS regarding the situation and an explanation on why AMCAS has changed his Application to White, Non-Hispanic. Not sure more to the story than that, but it should be enough to know that you shouldn't lie about something like this. Do not take away from the struggles of another culture just for your gain. Just because your grandparents were from a different country does not mean that you inherit their beliefs, struggles or views. Be honest about who it is you identify with and make sure it is for the right reasons. If you infact identify with Hispanics then put it, but if you have to think about it, chances are you are really don't.

A similar situation happened to someone from a student whose parents were from Egypt. He tried claiming to be African American. It didn't go well for him either. Many times it's not so much about being from a specific country, it's about relating to a culture.

My point is that while some people may get away with it, it is not worth it in case you get caught. Be truthful, the AMCAS states that if a medical school finds out at any point in your medical school years that you lied on your application it may be grounds for dismissal. Bethany555 is a complete idiot for giving you advice to lie; people like that don't belong in medical school.
 
^^If anything take this story to heart and be honest. If you have little interaction with the latino community it might behoove you to put white
 
stranger1 said:
Appearance is no way to determine if someone is hispanic or latino.
Although there are people who cheat the system, there are people like me who look white but are of latino heritage. Its not even distant. My mother immigrated when she was 20 from Brazil. I look like any white kid. I am ok in Portuguese and I am currently working on improving my Spanish. I plan on indicating that I am both of white and latino descent.
Click to expand...
Funny thing is US census does not include brazillians as latinos

They define hispanic or latino as "'Spanish culture or origin' Brazilian Americans appear as a separate ancestry group"
 
stranger1 said:
Appearance is no way to determine if someone is hispanic or latino.
Although there are people who cheat the system, there are people like me who look white but are of latino heritage. Its not even distant. My mother immigrated when she was 20 from Brazil. I look like any white kid. I am ok in Portuguese and I am currently working on improving my Spanish. I plan on indicating that I am both of white and latino descent.
Click to expand...

Yeah, another great point. There are people who are straight from Mexico/Latin American/South American countries who are white as a ghost. It all depends on what region you're from and your background. The identifier Hispanic isn't there for fun...many people in Central and South America have SPANISH background because of the intermarrying of Spanish colonizers and native Central and South Americans.
 
stranger1 said:
I am a dual citizen of Brazil and US. I am visiting the Dominican Republic to immerse myself in Spanish so I will be almost fluent. But honestly people should know that many people who live in latino or hispanic countries look white.
Click to expand...

Response want direct at you mate, sorry for the confusion. It was about eh anecdote with the Einstien guy. Good for you though, not many people do that.
 
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