So I’m aware that on the Common App, you’re supposed to identify the specific background you identify with - in my case, Sri Lankan. However, I’m curious - and not attempting to challenge race in admissions - as to whether that aspect is looked at, or whether adcoms only look at my being Asian.
Thanks! Really not attempting to challenge the legitimacy of affirmative action, I’m just genuinely curious. I’m planning on applying this year to some of the most selective universities, if the above tends to vary (as I’m sure it does).
Perhaps if you are international student, otherwise how would they even know.
Of course they do, otherwise they would not have asked which kind of Asian you are.
@billcsho if you open up a common app you will know what OP means. For Asians the common app (by extension adcoms) want to know your ethnicity too. I cannot imagine this question being posed to other racial groups without being politically incorrect—if you are white do you identify yourself being Italian, German, Jewish, Irish…
So would the implied higher expectations for east Asians in admissions also apply to myself? I’m definitely putting my mixed background (white/asian), and don’t want my race to help/hurt my admissions, but am intrigued. Are Asians at large considered over-represented?
Even if I’m multiracial? Well - hope the rest of my application is enough. 
If you are multiracial, you will likely officially be counted in this group, but if your last name is Asian sounding, you will subliminally be thought of as overrepresented.
If there is any doubt there are glaring insensitivity and prejudice toward Asian Americans among adcoms and “enlightened” education establishment this example in common app should put that to rest. As any Asian American can tell you the typical experience they have had hundreds times in their lives—when someone asks “where are you from?” and being told “I was born here in Georgia”, nine out of ten times the person would follow up with “I mean where you are ‘really’ from, Japan, China or Korea?” It just shows deep seated prejudice that somehow Asian American are simply un-American. I know it breaks many kids heart to read this question in common app. And this kind of offensive question is not free political speech, its ignorance and prejudice on a grand scale. Just think what would happen if we ask African American kids on common app which African country that they had never seen they must identify with: Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe or others… Or for that matter, if you are white, which ethnicity best describes you: German, Italian, Irish, Jewish or others… I bet there would be political uproar, and the loudest would be on college campuses.
If you don’t want to put your race/ethnicity, I believe you don’t have to. The questions are optional.
Besides the fact that some question in itself is insensitive and offensive, the app questions are not really optional. Every applicant knows that adcoms hope to get as many detailed answers as possible. Just like when the President says “I hope” how many people would take it as “optional”?
That’s silly. The demographic questions explicitly say that you are not required to complete them. They’re not even “recommended.” Just optional.
Don’t give misinformation just to push your agenda.
Also, choosing “Black or African American” brings up a choice of US, Africa, the Caribbean, or Other. American Indian brings up a choice of tribes. White lets you choose between Europe and the Middle East.
Here are the exact words on common app: “The questions in this section, while helpful to colleges, are entirely optional, and you’re welcome to move on without answering them.” But imagine: if you are interviewing for a job and you are asked “where was your family from” and told that “while the answer would be helpful to our company, the question is entirely optional, and you’re welcome to move on without answering it”, do you think many people would decline to answer the question?
Regarding the options in “Black or African American”, @bodangles your presentation is not correct. Here are the exact four choices in common app:
US/African American
Africa
Caribbean
Other
So, a black person born in Georgia would choose US/African American while an American born in Georgia to a third gen Korean American parents would have to identify him/herself as Asian, Korea.
You should select Asian and White, and then give detail on the country or region of origin. However give you said you’d identify with being Sri Lankan and assuming that comes out, you’ll be held to the higher standard for Asians.
I feel that adcoms make distinctions among different Asian groups. Given large pools of Chinese and Indian American applicants, you being a Sri Lankan should mitigate the disadvantage a little bit.
…Those are exactly what I wrote, except I didn’t bother typing out the redundant one that includes a synonym. What a thing to whine about.
If it mitigates it a little bit, it will be a very little bit, IMO.
“I cannot imagine this question being posed to other racial groups without being politically incorrect”
“. Just think what would happen if we ask African American kids on common app which African country that they had never seen they must identify with: Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe or others”
As @bodangles states, other groups are asked this question. Latinos/hispanics are asked to note their country of ancestry.
It’s all to help with context, along with other info from one’s application, to help avoid folks from different ethnic groups from being lumped together.
I believe its pretty well established and well known that if you’re Asian, you are considered over-represented. Sri Lanken or otherwise, the buckets aren’t that granular…African American, Latino/a, Asian, White. Other.
I can’t help but both laugh and be appalled when my adopted Chinese American children are commonly mistaken for other Asian children in our community and school. My daughter was hailed by a coach as being the MVP at a particular relay race, when she wasn’t even in the race, and again when another was admitted to a choral group she hadn’t even tried out for, when the other Asian student with same name had. Do we all look alike? Are we (Asian-Americans) all interchangeable? With college admissions (and other things) you would think yes.