<p>How do colleges find out the ethnicity of an applicant. Do they trust the applicant to tell them what their ethnicity is? im just curious</p>
<p>Of course. Your last name should also make it obvious. (Unless you're asian with a Spanish last name, then they have to rely on the box you checked.)</p>
<p>well my last name sounds korean but i am not korean.</p>
<p>Your last name does not matter. It's the box you check:
caucasian
african amer
native amer/alaska native
hispanic/latino
asian/pacific islands
other</p>
<p>I honestly wish that I could check more than one, as I identify completely with two ethnic groups. ( I often check "other" and write "multiracial".)</p>
<p>.. hmm. this is a good point. I have a hispanic last name, lived most of my life in latin america, yet both my parents and I are russian. My grandfather and his family is the only hispanic blood I have. could I still check hispanic?</p>
<p>Technically, you can check all the boxes that you feel apply to you.</p>
<p>I think they need to have a box for Middle Eastern/Arab. There are many people from that part of the world, and most are confused what to put. Some put asian..but if you were Egyptian, then technically you should put "African-American", cuz Egypt IS in Africa. My dad tells me to put "Other", but it's really not that uncommon to be Arab..plus I don't know what benefits you'd get if you put "other". Hmm.</p>
<p>Egyptians would check "African/African American", unless they were Arabs living in Egypt in which case they could check the "Asian - East Asian and Other" box.</p>
<p>well, my last name is Lee but i am German/French. I have no idea how i got that last name. Well, im just saying, my last name sounds asianish. Would they believe me when i put caucasion...seriously</p>
<p>They would probably raise an eyebrow and wonder if you're biracial, but they'll take your word. Besides, there are many ways to check: social security number, your parents' names, your country of residence. And often teachers will unsuspectingly reveal ethnicity in your application: "Xavier is the top Asian student in his class, and an outstanding pupil at our school."</p>
<p>I'm of Alsatian Jewish, French and African-American descent ( as well as some Native American ancestry somewhere.)
I don't check only "African-American", even though most people would if they saw me.
As I've said before, I refuse to classify myself under one "ethnic group". I identify with all of it.
My last name is Jones-Bloch, by the way.</p>
<p>If you check more than one box in this simplistic system, you could totally throw the college into a crisis and make their computers short-circuit. JK However it is possible that you will wind up as an official "other" if you check more than one box.</p>
<p>Is being an "official other" a bad thing?</p>
<p>The only time it makes a major difference which box you choose is if you are in the URM category. Other, Arab, Asian, caucasian makes no difference. The admissions treatment is different if your app goes the URM route, otherwise it takes the same road as everyone else's.</p>
<p>When I think about it... I could check down African-American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Native American, and Hispanic. </p>
<p>Wow... I'm multiracial! Woot!</p>
<p>Okay, I'll just check the African-American box on my transfer applications. That should simplify everything.</p>
<p>What is the difference between how applications from URM are processed vs. how those for everyone else are processed in a UC or CSU?</p>
<p>I am saying that i put down german in my application..but my last name..i tihnk they will not believe me and think i am some asian ethnicity. Im just a little worried because i have heard being asian can hurt ur chances</p>
<p>bumppppppp</p>
<p>colleges only favor you if you're a legacy, super super rich or famous, an intercollegiate athlete or BLACK, HISPANIC (any race) or American Indian/Hawaiian/Alaskan native.</p>