<p>@T26E4 Yes, I am applying/applied to US colleges. I did not know it was irrelevant but thanks for the info! I have been following some threads that claim being Asian is an unhook (which I do not want to discuss here as it has been topic of many threads already) and wondered if I should/could have put something other than Asian. It’s good to know it doesn’t matter. I have worried about how being an international Chinese applicant would reduce my chances but I now realize I shouldn’t waste my time worrying. Either I am admitted or I am not, simply as that. </p>
<p>@twoinanddone Thank you! I think my ethnicity would be German and Chinese then. Your information has really cleared up my confusion (as have all comments). Glad I checked Asian on my Common App. </p>
<p>Just because you are immersed in the western culture, doesn’t make you “white” (nor should you feel white) because there are many different ethnicities, including myself who is black, who have been born and raised in the western culture. You could be Russian and be white and Russia isn’t exactly western, for example. Hope this makes sense. </p>
<p>As far as I know, white is a race (hope I am not confusing terms again)? And German, Italian, American, etc. are ethnicities that are not limited to white races. Please correct me if I got something wrong. Oh and yeah I learned that I cannot be considered white just because I feel like it. I am 100% Asian! </p>
<p>You are over-thinking this. Asian is not an un-hook, if you are properly qualified for the schools you apply to and do a bang up job with your app package. But remember that, depending on the colleges you apply to, you can be one of thousands and thousands applying, a huge back-up at the gate, so to say. So there are no guarantees. </p>
<p>I don’t like it when CC blanket tells kids to “write about it” in their essays. But if your immersion in German culture is interesting (make that: of interest to adcoms, who are pulling together a class for that college,) maybe it makes an interesting topic. But understand, the competitive colleges are looking to see how ready you are for their environment and academic challenges, what you will add to their community. None of that is as simple as, “I feel German.”</p>
<p>@lookingforward You are right, I am over-thinking this. I will just have to somehow occupy myself till admission decisions are released. I am fully aware that I might not be accepted and am bracing myself for rejections. At the moment it seems likely that I will attend college in Germany. </p>
<p>It felt right to write about my ethnicity because it defines who I am. It might not have been the best choice for a topic but it was definitely the right one. Whether I am accepted or rejected, I will not regret writing about it. It’s one of the best essays I have ever written. But again I agree, it should be about WHY my ethnicity makes me a good fit for a certain college. I hope I conveyed this in my essay. </p>
<p>Good luck. It’s so important that, when you hit the submit button, you do feel you made the right decisions for you. Glad you feel that way. The rest of admissions is complex, so out of your hands. Best wishes.</p>
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