Introduction
During the application process the colleges does not get a chance to meet the vast majority of their applicants, and they need to capture as much as possible information so that they can make an informed decision on behalf of the individual applicant. Also, knowing an applicant’s ethnicity is essential in building a balanced educational community as well as determining applicants background. When hispanic and non hispanic data is collected separately, the number of these groups who are applying must be identifiable and the data must be known to be reported in that category. Why do colleges ask if you are Hispanic or non-Hispanic. The following reasons are:
- Data purposes: To create statistical data of each ethnic groups in the college which gives the college credit for diversity, as educational community should not discriminate in any way in compliance with anti discrimination law. The census Bureau also collects these data for management and budget on race and ethnicity. This office requires the use of a minimum of two ethnicities. For instance the science and engineering workforce data of the government can be used for data analysis to determine the percentage of Hispanic and non Hispanic in this sector.
- Planning and funding: In funding a course or project detailed data are needed by the authorities incharge of each programme in local, state, tribal and federal programs that provides advantages such as funds, scholarships, health care services (Hispanics are known with diabetes and obesity) for special groups (people subjected to discrimination or historically excluded groups). Data base such as the number of registered Hispanic learners available to access the available funding opportunities
- Government evaluation : The government carry out assessment on its programmes and policies this is to ensure that all government provision fairly and equitably serve the need of the targeted population and this also applies to Hispanic and non Hispanic populace
- Financial purposes: Universities can get financial aid from the number of minorities accepted that is serving the underserved populations, most especially the Hispanic serving institutions are open to programs such as the developing Hispanic-serving institution (DHIS) which provide the following advantages; grants for expansion and quality education in areas such as: scientific equipments, laboratory apparatus for teaching and learning process, construction or renovation of facilities, purchase of educational materials, counseling programs, funds management, administrative managementoint, faculty development, distance learning academic instructional materials, teacher education, and other student support services. This also allows the colleges to use court mandated affirmative action.
- Other advantages: Hispanic serving institutions provide resources for Hispanic learners : in the aspects of wellness services, financial support, programs and communication and so on. All these educational advantages like, financial and economic literacy of students and their families, helps Hispanics to attain higher education, customised courses that helps Hispanic students to be retained in college, counseling services, students support programmes that can transfer a student from a two-year course to a four-year course and lots more. Scholarships available for Hispanic students are; The federal pell grant, The Gates scholarship, Mc Donald’s HACER National scholarship, Latinos in Technology scholarship, The Hispanic health professional students scholarship, Minorities in government finance scholarship, spectrum scholarship program, AICPA scholarship award for minority accounting student, Jose Marti scholarship challenge grant fund, Kansas ethnic minority scholarship, write her future scholarship, dream corps TECH scholarship fund, be the change minority nursing scholarship and so on. All the above listed scholarship have their individual requirements
Who is classified as Hispanic
Hispanic are people who speak Spanish or those who come from Spanish-speaking countries. The following are Spanish speaking countries: Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Cuba, Venezuela, Panama, Uruguay, Bolivia, Honduras, Paraguay Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Puerto Rico.
Human rights sectors available for Hispanics
Civil rights and racial equity, education, health, housing and financial empowerment, immigration, voting and political empowerment, workforce development.
Hispanic serving institutions
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined as a college or university that has an enrollment of full-time undergraduate students of at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the admission process.
Enrollment data of some Hispanic serving institution: Fall 2020 and 2019-20
- Florida international University with 38,408 Hispanic students of the total 58,836 students
- Broward college Florida with 13,003 Hispanic students of the total 33,243 students
- American University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon with 294 Hispanic students of the he total 294 students
- Atlantic University college with 1,584 Hispanic students of the total 1,584 students
- College of lake county Illinois with 5,106 Hispanic students of the total 11,705 students
- College of southern Nevada, Nevada with 11,452 Hispanic students of the total 29,965 students
- Austin community college district, Texas with 15,420 Hispanic students of the total 39,896 students
- Central New Mexico community college, New Mexico with 12,070 Hispanic students of the total 21,398 students
- Bunker Hill community college, Massachusetts with 11,452 of the total 29,965 students
Frequently asked questions
How much fund can Hispanic have access to?
Student aid report (SAR) is usually used to evaluate your eligibility for grants, student loans and other forms of student opportunities. For instance Pell Grants are given those who are financially disadvantaged students that need assistance. If you meet the following four criteria:
- Financial need that is more than Family capacity
- Application as a full-time or part-time student
- High cost of your college or university fee
- Eligible year of enrollment as a student
The maximum Pell Grant gives student is around $5000 per academic year.
Is my data save?
The college or even the census Bureau is legally bound to strict confidentiality requirements, individual records are not shared with anyone, including federal agencies and law enforcement entities by law, we cannot share respondents answers with anyonenot the IRS, FBI, CIA or any other government agency.
What is court mandated affirmative action in USA?
This is the active effort to improve employment, educational and other opportunities for members of groups that have been subjected to discrimination or historically excluded groups.
What are the criteria for court mandated affirmative action?
They include race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin and age.
Conclusion
Imagine yourself as a student being required to provide your college identity card to have access to an extra bag that contain all you need to achieve your aim and objective, if you refuse to provide your identity card you will not be given the extra advantage. Would you provide the requirements that makes life easy for you on campus or you would prefer to go through the stress of the hard journey of two to four years? The question if you are Hispanic or non Hispanic is of advantage to the applicant most especially in Hispanic serving institutions than the school, this is because the target of ninety percent of the scholarship or funding opportunities are for the students even though we do not rule out the fact that its advantageous to the college as well. Education is for all and as an Hispanic or non Hispanic applicant you need all the help you can get.
