How should I present my ethnicity on my college application?

So my dad is Native American and my mom is Southern Asian from India. On the college app, there is an option to check American Indians. Should I say I am mixed with Half Asian and Half Native? My name is Muhammad if that makes a difference because I know that isn’t really a Native American name. I also don’t have a tribal ID. I want to check the Native American box because I know the Pocahontas factor will give me a better chance of being admitted because the school I want to go to has only 4 Natives currently enrolled. To add on, I don’t have a really impressive GPA, a 4.1 weighted, but I have perfect SAT and ACT scores and my desired school places heavy emphasis on that. For those wondering, I want to apply to WashU

Also, I forgot to add that I am more culturally swined to my Indian culture, and not too much with Native culture. Although, I remember a little bit of my dad taking me to a reservation but that is about it

The Pocahontas factor? Oh boy.

You should be truthful. That’s it.

My advice is to just be straightforward. Emphasize that you are half-Native American, and highlight any cultural connection that you do have to your Native American ancestry. There is no reason to emphasize your Indian (South Asian) roots, unless you feel that it is an important part of your heritage to present.

Technically, people from the subcontinent and the Middle East are usually considered Caucasian under most definitions I’ve seen, and unlike in Europe people from India are not usually considered “Asian” in the United States. I would probably check the Native American and white boxes.

Yes, your Native heritage will be a plus factor when your application is considered holistically at WashU. Best of luck.

Pocahontas factor? Eww

It doesn’t appear as if you identify with your dads culture much, if at all, based on your post. Be honest.

“It doesn’t appear as if you identify with your dads culture much, if at all, based on your post.”

Honest question - does OP really have to identify with Native American culture in order to get a Native American URM boost? If OP’s father was African American and his mother was white, he wouldn’t have to demonstrate that he identified with African American culture to get a boost. Is it different when it comes to Native Americans? If so, why?

Honest answer - Personally, I find it ethically wrong to pick and choose when you want to claim a specific culture while having no community bond or experience living with that cultures hardships, whatever they may be. Wanting a boost is not a sufficient reason, but thats my opinion.

OP is free to check a box for the “Pocahontas factor”. But the college requirements for identifying as Native American might include more than vaguely recalling visiting a reservation once.

I do not understand what “culture” has to do with URM preference at selective universities. The colleges do not ask you which “culture” you identify with. They simply ask you to check certain boxes based on your demographic status.

If a person has Native American heritage, check the box. I myself would apply a rule of reason - if I was less than 12.5% Native American I personally would not check the box, but I have no view on what the right percentage is for someone else.

Let the schools decide how much it is worth in their holistic assessment of the applicant. I am not advocating lying, but if your dad is Native American, he’s Native American. Check the box. It might not help, but it cannot hurt, that is for sure.

??

“But the college requirements for identifying as Native American might include more than vaguely recalling visiting a reservation once.”

I get what you are saying, my question is, why is this so for Native Americans? Why do they have to establish both a racial connection and a cultural connection when a racial connection alone is sufficient for African Americans and Latinos?

Don’t stress over it, seriously. Federal law forbids racial discrimination, which means you aren’t even required to answer the question if you don’t want to. If an unfavorable decision is made because of your race, the university would be violating the law. Just answer whatever you feel you race is and move on.