<p>You know what box I'm talking about. The box that has the boards aflame with debates. The race/ethnicity box. If you DO in fact check the box,(not for special recognition, that's what I've always done just because I'm proud of who I am) and you happen to be a URM, does it show the message that "Hey I'm using my race as an excuse, that's why checked the very optional box. Accept me now because I know you need diversity," I don't want that. So I should just leave it blank? I never had to "hide" who I was before... why should I do it now?</p>
<p>BTW, I heard over the intercom at my job how "active" it was in Affirmative Action. I mean, I have the skills and the experience, but I felt...wrong for some reason, like they needed more "Diversity" that's why they hired me... sorry I had to let that out...</p>
<p>I say check it, why not? I check it and I'm white...Even if you don't agree with the system, I say take advantage of any possible opportunities that you can.</p>
<p>And if you have sort of a famous name (at least famous in certain social circles and geographical areas); how does the adcom know you are 'one of the them'? Or, do they even care?</p>
<p>I'm checking it. Not to have advantages as a black person, but because I'm proud of who I am, and that's that. And I think the vast majority of people check it. If you're black, like me, there's a good chance no one could tell simply by your last name.</p>
<p>wait... middle easteren is considered caucasian? I suppose you mean like generally just the israeli area right? That's one huge group of diverse people to lump together. I don't understand how an application can ask for one's ethnicity and then list the possible ethnicities which include specific countries of origin for people who basically aren't "white," then just a blanket "Caucasian" I mean if we're going for fair here, don't you think we should split it up, maybe Scottish, or Russian, one of those HAS to be underrepresented right? I suppose it's all in the name of equality right? </p>
<p>All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. </p>
<p>Sorry for the tangent... It's just I have a friend who happens to be an URM. He often brags of how the low percentage rates of African Americans at the schools he's applying to helps him out, and how he even has gotten fee waivers for colleges just because he's black. Funny I've never gotten one fee waiver in the mail, and his family pulls in over 10 times as much as mine!</p>
<p>I check the Hispanic/Non-White section because of my South American mother.
Then I check the White section because of my Boston father.</p>
<p>It's odd to check non-white and white in the same 15 seconds. I think the race question is a fair one, but when they restrict you to only one box, that's when I disagree.</p>
<p>Yeah thats why the process should be entirely socio-economic. That way, mostly blacks and hispanics would end up benefitting anyways, but the policy wouldn't be inherently racist, and poor whites wouldn't get absolutely screwed over</p>