<p>I'm Asian, and I was wondering if it is advantageous to leave the race box blank since it is optional. Being an ORM can only hurt you, so would it be worth to at least eliminate that distinction by leaving the box blank.</p>
<p>I don't think that it'll help you that much...if you're like me...your chinese/asian sounding last name will give it away anyway...so it really doesnt matter if you check the box...</p>
<p>If you're applying to UCs/CalStates, it doesn't matter.</p>
<p>What if you're caucasian and leave it blank?</p>
<p>I'm guessing probably more minorities leave the race field blank than caucasians in general, (even though it's probably a benefit to fill it in in those cases). </p>
<p>How does a college see the blank field? Just as equal to a caucasian, or a slight advantage over a caucasian?</p>
<p>Whats ORM...?</p>
<p>Over Represented Minority</p>
<p>Ok. Thanks</p>
<p>Your last name will give it away anyhow...so no use in trying.</p>
<p>If you're ashamed, don't put it. If you aren't, put it.</p>
<p>Hmm... just wondering...</p>
<p>is "Zhuson" a dead giveaway for a last name?</p>
<p>Just wondering because a short while ago my mother was considering changing my last name :P</p>
<p>I think if you leave it blank they will assume that you are an ORM or caucasian. Most but not all Native, African and Hispanic/Latino's would check the box. However, more and more students every year or opting to leave the race box blank. There is an article on this issue, but unfortuanately I can't remember where I read this information.</p>
<p>leaving it blank can be a personal statement, a refusal to cooperate with racial profiling.</p>
<p>One of my good friends is African-American, and he says he's leaving the race box blank because he wants to be judged on his abilities and not his race. He's also a double legacy at Harvard... and refuses to apply, even though he has the stats for it, because it's not at all what he wants from college.</p>
<p>Personally, I have a really Scandinavian-sounding name, so there's no point in even trying to be inconspicuous.</p>
<p>My last name is Smith (I'm white). Should I leave it blank?</p>
<p>Orr, should I check off African-American, since my Dad was born in South Africa? =P</p>
<p>zhuson sounds like it could be white OR chinese...both are ORMs, so don't worry about it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think if you leave it blank they will assume that you are an ORM or caucasian. Most but not all Native, African and Hispanic/Latino's would check the box. However, more and more students every year or opting to leave the race box blank.
[/quote]
Hmm, i'm not so sure.. a lot of people are very sensitive about the race issue. Some might actually opt to leave it blank fearing some sort of prejudice, even though the opposite is true. A good portion probably aren't aware of the benefits being a minority can be in college admissions though.</p>
<p>If you leave the race field blank, but you have an Asian-sounding last name (along the lines of Chen and Wong), wouldn't admissions officers have to be extremely prejudiced to assume that you're Asian? I mean, they'd be going by just your name, and there's no guarantee that someone with an Asian last name isn't adopted or happens to be an over-obsessive Sinophile.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm giving them too much credit.</p>
<p>leaving the box blank does nothing-it does not help you, and it does not hurt you if you are applying to a school that is already overrepresentated. However, there are schools where asians are underrepresented and those schools are actively looking to recruit asians where in this case, leaving the box blank could be a missed opportunity.</p>
<p>In addition to the Asian/Chinese-sounding last name, if you list the fact that you speak something like "Mandarin Chinese" at home, it's a dead giveaway.</p>
<p>That's why I'm checking the Asian box. Might as well be upfront about it...</p>