<p>Do college applications ask for your ethnicity or your race?</p>
<p>I'm caucasian racially, but my family hails from South Africa.
So technically, if it asks my ethnicity, I should be able to put "African-American".
In fact, I'm more "african" than most racially black people in the U.S.</p>
<p>If they find that I'm white, will my position at that school be compromised?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>THis is the third thread asking the same thing. When colleges ask if you’re african american, they mean are you descendant of African slaves or are you an immigrant descendant of black Africans.</p>
<p>The fact that you even say “If they find that I’m white…” shows you know you’re being duplicitous. Don’t do it.</p>
<p>Read post #7</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1041456-still-stuck-anyone-else-here-south-african-american-not-sure-what-do.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1041456-still-stuck-anyone-else-here-south-african-american-not-sure-what-do.html</a></p>
<p>I’ve seen several threads about this today. The general consensus is that it’s a pretty shady thing to do and that picking it over “White”, if you’re only allowed a single choice, is not recommended.</p>
<p>Sorry for the post, I should have lurked more.</p>
<p>if you’re family hailed from China, would you put down Chinese? You’re still white, so don’t lie. So technically, figuratively, and actually, you are white.</p>
<p>A system that picks URM’s simply because of their ethnicity, not their merits, is much more morally questionable than identifying myself as African when I am.
Just saying.</p>
<p>If they want to make a college decision based on it, I have no problem saying I am.</p>
<p>I’m not asking if it’s “shady”, I just want to know if I will get in trouble for it.</p>
<p>^They aren’t going to say, " oh this kid is african american, of course we’ll take him!" They look at what obstacles you’ve faced ( are you disadvantaged? because a rich/middle class person of ANY race is viewed differently than a disadvantaged one)</p>
<p>I’m no fortune teller so I can’t predict the future, but this sure is a good indicator of just how strong (or weak) your moral/ethical compass is…</p>
<p>^^ Agreed. I hope the doctors and nurses who will treat your spouse, kids and parents will have had more ethics than you seem to be willing to display here.</p>
<p>Since you know it’s shady then you should also know that you could well be rejected since, as you see, you’re not the only Afrikaans person who toys with this idea and colleges are fully within their right to turn you away, even if otherwise, they would have admitted you.</p>
<p>I honestly see no problem with this. If you are SOUTH AFRICAN then you should put your ethnicity down as white & African American. So far, I have not seen a definition that restricts the parameters of “african american” to JUST “descendants from African slaves.” Do not do it to get a leg…do it because it is who you are!</p>
<p>There is an express distinction between ethnicity and nationality. Putting something other than white would be a lie and a brazen display of ignorance, neither of which would endear you to university admissions officers.</p>
<p>Again…I will repeat, there was a supreme court ruling that people with your background (whom are white and hail from SA) are african american.</p>
<p>Can you cite the case and year plz? I know there was stuff in the 20s (shortly after Plessy).</p>
<p>… how these three threads are going, I guess there’s going to be a dearth of Afrikaans kids in top schools this year.</p>
<p>^ but ethnicity doesnt matter if you’re middle/upper class, only if you are lower class</p>
<p>I disagree with most of these posters. It’s what you identify as. If you identify as African and celebrate your South African culture, then go for it!</p>
<p>Thank you to those who responded to my question, rather than my percieved morality.
Much appreciated.</p>