<p>As noted in this</a> post at the Parents Forum, please share your reason(s) for self-identifying as 'Other' when asked for your race/ethnicity on your college application. </p>
<p>For a backgounder on what prompted the question, you may want to review the complete thread at The</a> Fastest-Growing Ethnic Category at Great Colleges: "Race Unknown".</p>
<p>I'm surprised more people haven't responded to this. I replied "other" because I am multiracial. I checked all the ethnicities I identify with (there are 4) and then checked "Other" and wrote in "multiracial."</p>
<p>Why? I'm white and don't want to be at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if that question existed in quite that form when I applied to college, but how I fill out forms today when I see ethnic identification questions is to check "other" and write in "human." I do that to emphasize my commonality with my fellow human beings. </p>
<p>I let my kids decide how to fill out forms like that for their own applications. Suffice it to say that they could check various boxes on the forms.</p>
<p>The Common</a> Application specifically asks the question with regard to ethnic group the following way:</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you wish to be identified with a particular ethnic group, please check all that apply:
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This gives the applicant an option to not identify with a particular ethnic group.</p>
<p>If you've declined to select an option(s) or designated 'Other' without specifying, please share why.</p>
<p>My parents told me to. </p>
<p>Same reason as clockwork (I'm white). I think this is the case for most.</p>