I’m half Asian (Chinese) and half white (Canadian). I heard that some top tier universities “pool” students based on race, and Asians are in a more competitive “pool”.
For a greater chance of admissions, should I select both races on the Common App or just white?
Are you applying to US colleges? A bigger hurdle will be being an international student.
If your last name is chinese, and you check only the “white” box, it will be obvious that you’re hiding something. But if your father is white, it won’t be so obvious if you leave out the asian box. There is a separate place in the common app for your parents names and where they went to college. Some guidance counselors also mention the students racial background in their letters, as a way of explaining context.
This all is a way of saying that you shouldn’t lie by omission. There are multiple data points, and if they get the sense that you’re hiding something, it won’t make a good impression.
Your question is an interesting one. Parent of a bi-racial child here. I think the more we accurately identify our bi-racial backgrounds, the less we can mute one for the other. You are who you are, and that is what makes you unique. I don’t believe that school admissions should have an influence in how we identify ourselves. It’s best for you to land at a school that you can fully be yourself at.
@austinmshauri Yes, I’m applying to US colleges as a domestic student.
@sgopal2 My last name is white, and the programs of interest do not have interviews. Would you think they would be unimpressed if they saw I omitted such a detail that came up in a counsellor report?
@thealternative I agree with your perspective, but it’s just for admissions sake that I’m considering omitting some information. I don’t think what box I check will change who I am, but I want to give myself the best possible chance of admission - even it is just a little.
Then check the biracial/multiracial box, since it leaves your race ambiguous - I haven’t seen categories for the multiple ways that a person can be biracial. If they don’t have that box, then tick “other” and, if there is a space, write “biracial”, with no further explanation.
You can check whatever you want or nothing at all. My daughter is Chinese with a ‘white’ name (as you are all putting it). She was raised in a white culture and does not identify with being Chinese most of the time. She thought long and hard and decided to check the box as I told her it could help the college with statistics. She was not at a school that admits with a penalty or bonus for race.
There was absolutely nothing on her application that would have identify her race.
Often, there is no such option, but those who check multiple boxes get listed as “multiracial” or some such.
If you’re applying via the common app, there is an extensive section for your parents. It will ask for your parents full name, occupation and where they went to college. If your mom has a chinese sounding name, they will notice. Also if your mom went to school in China.
Agree with others – check the multiracial box.
just tell the truth…so much easier to be honest