Identity Crisis: Will being Pacific Islander improve my chances?

Applying to College
1

<p>Being Filipino, I have talked to many people regarding my race and how I should classify myself. My college counselor says I can put myself as pacific islander, but traditionally Filipinos associate themselves as Asians. Other people I have talked to say it is acceptable to put either one.</p>

<p>I know for a fact that colleges are more strict on Asians since they account about 25% of the student population in top univeristies. As far as I know they are not minorities anymore when it comes to applying for college. Pacific Islanders on the other hand are still a minority accounting for less than 5%.</p>

<p>Are Filipinos Asians or Pacific Islanders?
Do you think if I put myself as pacific islander, it will improve my chances?</p>

2

<p>Pacific Islander</p>

<p>And...i don't know.</p>

3

<p>I would ask the colleges themselves, so that you are being completely honest.</p>

4

<p>I think so.</p>

5

<p>Just don't answer the question on race. If you have a name like "Joseph Estrada" (the former president of the Philippines), admissions counselors might think you're Hispanic. I doubt Pacific Islanders would have much advantage.</p>

6

<p>Filipinos are Asian... if Filipinos are Pacific Islanders, then the Japanese would be considered that as well.</p>

7

<p>They DO get affirmative action.
I have never heard of someone who is Asian get into a prestigious university [Stanford] with ~1950 SAT scores... and yet, this one person did [this person was filipino]. Absolutely no hook except for that.</p>

8

<p>If your not sure, check other and write in "Filipino".</p>

9

<p>i think being filipino has an advantage.</p>

<p>from my school, 4 filipinos including myself, applied to stanford.</p>

<p>3 acceptances, 1 waitlist.</p>

<p>none of us had any really crazy ec's or anything. but we all had pretty good sat scores and gpas.</p>

10

<p>Actually it is interesting to note that in the Stanford application, their is a special box just for Filipinos. It worries me that Filipinos were grouped with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (who also had a special box that you could check off). And everybody knows how smart those other groups are.</p>

<p>Does this mean Filipinos are treated the same way in Stanford as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean? This could be bad news for me.</p>

11

<p>... We just said that they ARE treated specially. If Stanford has a special box for Filipinos, that means that you are NOT grouped with Asians.</p>