I’m Bengali and am at a bit of a crossroads when filling out the race section of the common application. I usually choose “Asian” on forms like this. But when it asks you to specify what type of Asian you are, I’m unsure as to whether or not I should choose “Indian” or choose “Other” and specify that I’m Bengali. Seems like a small, minute detail of the common app but I feel as though being Asian makes it so that I should tread lightly. Or I’m just painfully paranoid.
Sidenote: Do you guys feel as though being Bengali, a very small demographic in comparison to Indians, would confer less of a disadvantage during college applications?
Bengali is classified as Asian, and will be treated as such in admissions. It would be like selecting “Other” and putting “German” instead of simply putting down “Caucasian”. You’re free to choose whichever option, but admissions officers are fully aware of any similarities.
Another perspective: they will note Bengali. There are other subsets of Asian underrepresented at some top colleges and getting some attention, for diversity.