<p>sorry if this thread has been started before. If so, I did not manage to find it.</p>
<p>I am a Chinese citizen but was born and raised in Germany. I could take on the German citizenship but do not want to. May I identify myself as white? My mother took on the German citizenship, my father did not ( they are both quite Asian tough.
I feel like I am Asian but not entirely, maybe others with parents who immigrated will understand what I mean. </p>
<p>I believe when colleges ask for your race, they are asking for your ethnicity/ race. So you must put Asian, because that is your race, regardless of nationality (your citizenship).</p>
<p>For example, I have a Swiss citizenship, but I am of Asian race.I must put Asian as my ethnic background, regardless of my nationality. I am not white. </p>
<p>I did put Asian.
It’s not about the citizenship. I just feel White AND Asian. I do not live the Asian culture and have western values, so I really don’t know. Thanks! </p>
<p>Yes, I know that there are many ethnicities in the world and ethnicity and race are different. I just wanted to stress that colleges do not mean ‘nationality’ when they ask whether you are white, black, asian, etc to the opening poster.</p>
<p>and book05
It does not matter how you feel. You cannot feel “white” or not “Asian”
But I understand your question! </p>
<p>I so understand it’s not about nationality, just wanted to provide some basic information. Still appreciate your advice and I am relieved to hear my feelings are understandable. </p>
<p>I did not leave it blank because it was part of my essay and well if my citizenship is Chinese, it’s quite obvious where I am from haha. And I am proud to be Asian. </p>
<p>I have been thinking about being Asian for quite a while, not just because of college admissions. I have read so many threads (being Asian -> unhook? Asian cliches, whatsoever) but for me it is a very personal issue that was brought up again as I worked on my application. </p>
<p>@OHMomof2 It was about kind of being both and neither at the same time. I agree, I should probably stop worrying. Now that I am almost done with college applications, there is so much time to worry. Thank you! @Hawkace I am quite sure you are also Asian. I don’t know, it’s just such a big part of my personality. I really dislike being categorized into an ethnicity. </p>
<p>@Hawkace Great to hear I am not the only one. I just dislike ethnicities in general because I neither fit in with Germans nor with Asians. So I decided to just not fit in and hopefully study in the US. </p>
<p>@T26E4 Relax. I was just sympathsizing with book05. I know that I’m Asian. I was merely stating that I was born in the USA. You should really know the context of a comment before expressing your opinion. </p>
<p>He actually said he was born in Germany but was a Chinese citizen. China does not recognize dual citizenship so if he’s become a German citizen, then his Chinese citizenship has been revoked.</p>
<p>Hawkace, you are first generation American, not first generation immigrant.</p>
<p>This comment from a college about the Common App: The race/ethnicity question is now asked in two parts. Individuals are first asked whether they are Hispanic (yes/no). Regardless of their answer to this question, all ethnicities may also select one or more of five races (Asian, Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, White, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native).</p>
<p>@book05: You’re applying to US colleges, right? Without US citizenship or permanent resident status, whatever you list for ethnicity is irrelevant. (by the way, your correct ethnicity for the common app is Asian, not white). It’s irrelevant because the ethnicity identification is useful only for US or US Perm Resident applicants.</p>
<p>You’ll be evaluated as an “international” applicant.</p>
<p>Ethnicity is your culture, customs, can be religion. It is the type of lifestyle you identify with, and often those from an ethnic group also share similar physical traits, but not always. OP can be Chinese (nationality), Chinese/Asian (race) and German (ethnicity or culture) if she ‘feels’ German. If the question is ‘race/ethnicity’, they are really asking for race. American colleges ask for race information because they are required to do so by the government for data collection. They really don’t care if you prefer October Fest to the Lantern Festival.</p>
<p>My daughter is American (nationality), Chinese (race) and 100% American (ethnic identity). She’s not white, will never be white because genetically she is Chinese, but she’s ethnically American - likes American clothes, customs, music. She also doesn’t want race or nationality to matter, but she doesn’t check ‘white’ on forms as that is not correct. She’ll check ‘American’ or ‘citizen’, but if asked her race she can leave it blank or check Asian.</p>
Still appreciate your advice and I am relieved to hear my feelings are understandable. </p>