Checking Asian Box

<p>When it comes to the physical college admissions form, if you are Asian, do you HAVE to check the Asian box?</p>

<p>No, but do you have an Asian last name?</p>

<p>It’s Islamic based. So Arab, but I am Southeast Asian.</p>

<p>Then leave it blank if you like.</p>

<p>Here’s the thing though, it’s unusual for readers not to get a good sense of who you are in reviewing the application. Many kids have activities that are stereotypical for their enthnicity. A counselor may mention your contribution to the Asian club. You mention Chinese school or volunteering in China…</p>

<p>See the FAQ: </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1228264-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-9-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1228264-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-9-a.html&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>Any applicant can leave the sections of college applications related to race or ethnicity blank, for any reason or no reason at all. That is your right. A lot of colleges (including Harvard, for example) report more than 10 percent of their enrolled students as “race/ethnicity unknown” to the federal government and Common Data Set consumers. </p>

<p>[U-CAN:&lt;/a&gt; Harvard University](<a href=“http://members.ucan-network.org/harvard]U-CAN:”>http://members.ucan-network.org/harvard)</p>

<p>Was just reading this article on yahoo: [Some</a> Asians’ college strategy: Don’t check ‘Asian’ - Yahoo! News](<a href=“http://news.yahoo.com/asians-college-strategy-dont-check-asian-174442977.html]Some”>http://news.yahoo.com/asians-college-strategy-dont-check-asian-174442977.html) Speaks EXACTLY to this issue</p>