<p>I'm half Irish, half Moroccan. On the Common App, I indicated that I was half white and half African American. It asked what I identify as and in all honesty, I do not feel "white" in that when I am with company that is primarily white, I don't identify with them on a cultural or racial basis. </p>
<p>According to the US Census, I am white. However, I was under the impression that the two are not entirely interchangeable. </p>
<p>I was wondering if this was incorrect and that I should just identify as white. Keep in mind, I am not doing this for the sake of affirmative action (I doubt being half AA would have even a minor influence in reality). I have no issue putting just white, it was just that my friends who had previously graduated from my high school who happened to be Moroccan or Algerian indicated African American on their college applications.</p>
<p>Doesn’t the Common App ask you for what race you IDENTIFY yourself as? So if you think you’re multiracial, then why don’t you put it? I don’t think it’s wrong.</p>
<p>“Keep in mind, I am not doing this for the sake of affirmative action (I doubt being half AA would have even a minor influence in reality).”</p>
<p>What planet do you live on? It is well known that being AA has a distinct advantage when it comes to college applications in order to promote a diverse campus. Don’t kid yourself.</p>
<p>@BrothersGrimmm - The majority of schools I’m applying to don’t list race/ethnicity as an important factor. Most list it as just “considered” in the same ranks as geographic location and first generation status. I’m applying to very diverse schools in major urban areas where whites only account for roughly 50% of the population which is why I said it would have minor influence. If I were applying to schools in rural Pennsylvania or Upstate New York where whites account for 85+% of the population there, then I’d see how URM status would be of greater benefit to me. </p>
<p>@EricMetubiev2 - They’re “Arab” and speak Arabic - I myself am Berber which is a genetically different group than Arabs and happens to be indigenous to Morocco.</p>
<p>@gouf78 - Me personally identifying as African American is incorrect? I understand that according to the Census it is, but I’m confused as to how I identify myself could be regarded as blatantly incorrect?</p>
<p>Most Moroccans are of mixed Arab-Berber, Arab, Berber and Niger-Congo ethnic background. Arabs and Berbers make up about 99.1% of the Moroccan population.</p>
<p>@BrothersGrimmm - I don’t think I’m of mixed Arab-Berber descent. As far as I am aware, I am only Berber. I understand that Berbers aren’t necessarily an entirely homogenous group but it is difficult to explain my family’s heritage in a way that coincides with something that you’d find in a Wikipedia article.</p>
<p>@Preamble- The Wiki info was a post for EricMetubiev2 and not you. The wiki info post above also lists Berber as a single ethnic group. It’s a quick demographic and not meant to be anecdotal.</p>