<p>When I sent my application to the University of California, I put down my ethnicity. Was that a bad move? I'm asking because I have a 3.55, 1240 SAT, such and such, which isn't that great. My ethnicity is asian and white, but I'm afraid that they'll look at that and think "he's asian, he should be doing better" or something. (I was able to pick both asian and white.) </p>
<p>Should I have left that blank?</p>
<p>I don't think that really matters. They will probably accept you because of how high your GPA is and everything else.</p>
<p>"but I'm afraid that they'll look at that and think "he's asian, he should be doing better" or something"</p>
<p>That's like them saying that "he's black, he should have a criminal record."</p>
<p>Colleges don't play off of racial stereotypes. They look for diversity, and in that case, I would think that being Asian would help you.</p>
<p>Mavin, you can't be from California</p>
<p>not really, despite the fact that we don't want to believe it, being a certain race will help or hurt a person. certain colleges over others, esp. in the UCs, which have large numbers of asians in attendance. in the UCs, it would hurt him a LOT more.</p>
<p>Logically, it shouldn't make a difference because that is optional information. Yet if they see that you are asian and also notice that you aren't living up to the strict standards they will certainly understand because you are partly white, thus creating some sort of balance.</p>
<p>not to discourage you but one of my friends who was chinese moved to LA in 10th grade and he couldnt get into ucla and berkely despite having a 3.9 and a 1390 sat.... but he did get into all of the other uc's he applied to, tho.</p>
<p>I didn't apply to Berkeley or UCLA. As my stats show, i probably have no chance. I applied to UCSD for the hell of it</p>