Spanish and black confusion

[Imreallyconfusedsendhelp]

I'm pretty confused about all this URM talk. I was born in Puerto Rico, but I moved to the states when I was 3. I am half Puerto Rican and half black. Does this type of mix get the same "boost" that a black applicant would?

I'm not looking to get chewed out. I'm looking for a simple yes or no and what I should put down on my app.

Both mother and father had black fathers and Spanish mothers.

Would HBCU see this as black or as Hispanic?

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[RunawayGrape]

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[holdthemayo]

Self Identification
This information is optional.
If you select one of the main categories listed below, additional subcategories will be shown. You may choose as many or as few options as you would like.

Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African-American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Other


You could select either one, both, Other, or choose to forgo the self Identification section all together.

 

[libertyyne]

If your Spanish is good and you can show ties to Puerto Rico, they have a few schools where you could get in with comparatively low stats.

 

[JPSmyth]

If you want to go to a HBCU then check black. If you feel that you identify more with your Hispanic heritage, check Hispanic. I think either will 100% help your application, idk about one more than the other.

If there is an option to check both, definitely check both. Best of luck!

 

[y123]

Which group do you identify more with? Either one will give you a boost

 

[LizzyM]

You don't need to identify with one more than the other... check all that apply. In your case, it appears that both apply. If you speak Spanish at home, all the better. (that's also asked on the application.)

 

[benjamin94559]

BTW, the sociological literature on ethnic and race studies is replete with confusion on how to categorize black Hispanics. For purposes of AMCAS you can/should check both. Additionally from a narrative perspective, it seems interesting to mention that both your mother and father had black fathers and Spanish mothers. It might be worthwhile to build on that in a diversity essay

I'm told the literature for asian hispanics is also wonky