I’m a 17-year-old who is half-Hispanic and half-Caucasian. I’m not disadvantaged, so is it unethical for me to list my race as Hispanic on college applications? —Anonymous, New York

Colleges ask about the racial and ethnic backgrounds of their applicants not only to compensate them for presumed disadvantages, but also to assemble a diverse group of students. You could always write half-Hispanic, half-Caucasian on the form. But if you’re limited to marking a single box, you may check ‘’Hispanic’’ with a clear conscience.

—Adapted from ‘Social Q’s’ in The New York Times