<p>I need help with which ethnicity to choose on my college applications as well as scholarships such as the Gates Millenium and stuff. I don't really know what I am. I lived in Saudi Arabia for 10 years. My mother is from Egypt, but she has the Sudanese citizenship and passport. my dad is sudanese and he has the sudanese passport as well. before getting the us citizenship, i had the sudanese passport. so technically, since Sudan is not part of North
Africa, does that make me African-American? If you look at my brother or my faher, you would immediately think that they are "black"cuz they have darker skin. however, i got my mom's really light skin, almost caucasian, geness since she is egyptian. On some applications, i checked african-american and then under the "other" category when it asks for specifics, i wrote "sudanese american." so can i check black/african american and am i qualified for the gates milenium scholarship? I really wish i could because i have a 1400 SAT (math and reading), 31 ACT, 4.25 gpa, and 9 AP classes THANKS!!!</p>
<p>This is why I think the phrase African-American is problematic. I'm assuming that you could check the African-American box.</p>
<p>yeah, remember the tale of the White person who checked African American because they were born in Africa (from white parents) and moved to America? So, yeah...technically...I think u can do it :-)</p>
<p>I've always wondered about that. Like what would a white South African check. I mean technically they are from Africa.</p>
<p>in my opinion, if youre from AFRICA, check african-american. if the schools really want to know if youre black or not (which in all truth they probably to), they should just be blunt and put black. you are an african american regardless of your skin color if youre from africa and now live in america. check it</p>
<p>I've never actually thought about that before...very interesting idea though. I would check it since your reasoning it perfectly logical.</p>
<p>Technically Egypt is in Africa too. Both your parents are from African countries, so I'd say you're African-American.</p>
<p>definately african american.... my friend is white from south africa and he is considered african american</p>
<p>it depends. the category is usually african american (non hispanic)/black. I know at least the common app made a point of that. in that case, its clear that they intend the category to be for blacks, not whites who are geographically african. in your case though, I would say your african american in both meanings of the term.</p>
<p>lucky bastard</p>
<p>Yes, you are African American. Just because you inherited your mother's skin color as opposed to your father's doesn't change your ethnic inheritance. Many people considered "black" in this society have one completely white parent - I know Derek Jeter does, and I read that Halle Barry does too (not sure on that one though).
I have a friend who is 100 per cent Arabic (both parents born in the Middle East) and he does not look Arabic at all, but he IS! So since your family is from Africa, go for it.</p>
<p>Actually, I go to a school where the whole lot of us have the same problem as you. My friend is from Algeria (north africa) and I'm technically from Asia, but we put Caucasian, because caucasian includes middle eastern (there was even some application or something that said that) ... Technically, you could, but if you're middle eastern, they say you're caucasian.</p>
<p>well i don't consider my self middle-eastern although i am Muslim... the only reason my dad lives in Saudi Arabia is for work....my dad is actually considered a foreigner there although hes lived the for 25+ years.... thanks for the replies guys...i don't have a guilty conscious anymore for checking african-american :) haha.... i am not a COMPLETE lucky bastard YourMaster as our salutatorian was african-american last year with a 1460 SAT and still rejected from Harvard lol</p>
<p>Issues such as these make a mockery out of the race question. It should not be asked.</p>
<p>Well some Apps make it better by asking if you are of African Decent Jamcan Decent or if you have parent who were born in Africa (I think its the MIT APP)</p>
<p>On another note-I put African-American and im Half/Half myself (Italian/African American)</p>
<p>Remember that colleges are becoming more savvy and are starting to ask the second level question. Especially if on is is a permanent resident schools are starting to ask your original country of citizenship (amherst and a few other schools have already started asking the question).</p>
<p>Because there has also been much talk about more black URMs being the children of recent carribean and african immigrants vs, being the children of decendants of african americans with roots in the in the U.S. (because these really are the URMs in the college process). So checking the box may get you over the hurdle but it is also going to be looked at in context of everything else you bring to the table.</p>
<p>Michelle Hernandez, addresses the topic this way;</p>
<p>
[quote]
you should get some URM help, but not as much as you might if you came from the ghetto etc.. In effect, as I mention in the book, the conversation comes up, "how red is your tag" or "how black." In other words, how culturally black are you or how culturally Native american are you? Given two native american students, one who lives on a reservation and has many cultural ties and one who went to prep school who claims a 1/4 or 1/8 tie but has no activities related to being native american, the first student wins! Of course if it's a low year for minority admissions, they may reach out to more, but my feeling is you'll get some break, but not a huge one.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So if you are checking the box you need to be prepared to show "how black" you are.</p>
<p>go for it. learn about your culture a bit though!</p>
<p>To the topic creator</p>
<p>If you were born as a black man in asia and since immigrated to america. Wouldn't you consider yourself an african american instead of an asian american.</p>
<p>Now that I think of it, I think you shouldn't put African-American. By African-American, I think they are referring to race. So Caucasian would be the right choice.</p>
<p>the question does refer to race</p>