My parents both graduated from college in Egypt, does this give me a hook while applying to college (they both immigrated about 20 years ago)? Because both graduated in Egypt, the application process if very different and they have not been able to help me out or provide experience, and my school is huge and low-income, so my GC is not much help. Also, would I be considered a URM? I have always identified as one and have been identified as one, and my skin tone is brown, if that means anything. I called the college board a few years ago, who told me I should apply as African American, as most applications specify African after.
Thank you!
I think First Generation means none of your parents ever went to college, like they never pursued education after secondary school. My parents went to college in China so I don’t think I’m first generation.
I think Egyptian is not URM as it is in North Africa. I think African means kind of central Africa.
I found this out on a couple of yahoo answers posts so take my word with a grain of salt. I linked one of them below.
https://■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/question/index?qid=20100316145243AAW44yf
Thank you. My parents were born in southern Egypt, and have dark skin for that reason. I would think that this could be considered black. Anyone else?
If your parents graduated from college, regardless of the country, you are not first generation.
@doculove I mean you could try, but I don’t think having dark skin constitutes being African.
I know for Asian they ask for specific ethnicity, like Chinese Korean, Filipino etc.
I’m not sure if they ask that when you put African or African-American as your race. If not, then it really shouldn’t matter.
If you’re Arabic, then you put your are White for your race. This is according to the U.S. census.
It’s an interesting/controversial topic to me, as I have been to Egypt a few times and most natives don’t really consider a broader term, rather they just call themselves Egyptian.
Egypt is commonly considered part of the Arab world though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_world
Could you e-mail admissions offices where you are applying and ask? Do this anonymously if you want, although for the first generation question it could help your case that you are asking and gives you a way to get the point across that your parents can’t really help you even if you are technically not first generation. I would not do it openly for the race though. I think the African American designation would not apply to Egypt, and considering the US census considers North Africa as white. see http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_RHI505210.htm.
“White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as “White” or report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Arab, Moroccan, or Caucasian.”
Thank you. I asked the college board twice, though I’m sure admission offices could disagree depending on who I ask.
Though the common app does say African American and asks after to specify “African” and Egypt is in Africa, so I thought that would make sense.
When you fill out your application, they will ask who your parents are and their education level and you will answer. If they want to consider that college educated or not they will choose (not you.)
Now you will note from above that middle eastern is included in under white for these purposes, for whatever reason. Since Egypt is in the middle east, Egyptians usually check White. Also, you can decline to check any box. Skin color itself isn’t used. Also people from Spain check White, people from India check Asian. Not everyone likes where they are put so you can decline to put.
American American is commonly used to mean people with origins from black people of Africa. The majority of those people living in the US are descendents of people brought here as slaves from middle or sub Saharan Africa. I think most people understand that pretty well and understand what African American is, and if you call yourself Black then you self identify this way and that is fine to check. But I would advise you not to check African American just because you have middle eastern or north African origins because that is not what is meant here. I don’t think it will reflect well on you if you are seen as trying to say you are Black. The reason members of this group can get a boost in college admissions is that demographic in particular has not as many attending college as is represented in the population and some colleges consider it part of the mission to represent all significant portions of the population in the US.
Thank you for the info and opinions! I have identified as so for a while, but I will definitely talk to a few more people before I decide.
Your will neither count as URM nor first generation.