Malaysian or chinese?

Applying to College
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<p>My parents come from Malaysia and are immigrants now in the US.. so when the time comes during Senior year, I plan to apply through Quest Bridge, however if I were to apply through the Common app, etc., do I put my ethnicity as Malaysian or Chinese? (I'm not going to be stereotypical or anything, but the Chinese people are thought to be smarter than average when it comes to college admissions, but Malaysians otherwise.. hmm)</p>

<p>Would it make any difference If I put either one? Just curious</p>

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<p>If you are Malaysian, you are Malaysian. Do not lie about your ethnicity.</p>

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<p>@AnnieBeats‌ Uhm… well my parents come from Malaysia and can their first language was Malaysian… then chinese --> cantonese --> english</p>

<p>and they came to america, so I was born in florida and learned English --> chinese</p>

<p>so what should I put?</p>

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<p>You are Chinese. Although somewhere, you might explain that your family came via Malaysia.</p>

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<p>I think you’re in luck, because SE Asians are not terribly well-represented, so I think in terms of applications, the more obvious choice (Malaysian) is also the more beneficial one.</p>

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<p>Yeah take Malaysian.</p>

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<p>“Malaysian” is a nationality not an ethnicity. “Malaysia” is comprised of 3 major ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, Indian. You ethnicity is Chinese, not “Malay”. Your nationality is American, so that make you a Chinese-American w roots from Malaysia. </p>

<p>South Africa is another country w distinct groups among its citizenry. While White South Africans are of South African nationality, their race is White, not African.</p>

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Ethnic Chinese people come from all over the world. Plenty of ethnic Chinese don’t speak English as their first language. I have a Chinese-Thai colleague who speaks no Chinese at all. Lots of Chinese-American kids speak no Chinese, but that doesn’t make them not ethnically Chinese. </p>

<p>My jaw dropped the first time I encountered an ethnic Chinese waiter in France, speak to me in French-- it betrayed my own stereotypes…</p>

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<p>@GMTplus7‌ Great coverage of everything :)</p>

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<p>I don’t see how the language your parents speak dictates your ethnicity or nationality. Were your parents Chinese living in Malaysia? Being from Malaysia and then learning English doesnt make you Chinese. Am I missing something lol? </p>

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<p>Does the Common App actually let you pick Malaysian or Chinese? I thought the form had it all lumped under Asian?</p>

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<p>@AnnieBeats‌ They were born in Malaysia… what do you not understand</p>

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<p>Right. So they were born in Malaysia. So why would you consider putting “Chinese” anywhere on your application if you are not Chinese? You wouldn’t put your ethnicity as Chinese if you arent Chinese. Just how you wouldnt put your ethnicity as French if you arent French. </p>

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<p>@AnnieBeats,

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<p>Yes, you are missing a lot. Crack open a history or anthropology book, now and then.</p>

<p>Ethnic Indian & Chinese people arrived in Malaysia in the 19th century to work the British-owned tin mines. Their descendents have been living in Malaysia for generations and are Malaysian citizens-- just like the Chinese who migrated in the 19th century the the US to build the transcontinental railway, or to Canada to build the Canadian Pacific Railway have descendents who are American citizens & Canadian citizens. These diaspora are ethnically Chinese, despite their emigration from China centuries ago. </p>

<p>“Malay” is not synonymous w “Malaysian.” “Malaysian” a nationality, not an ethnicity, unless you want to count the small group of indigenous “Orang Asli” or the “Iban” who live in the forests. “Malay” is a distinct ethnicity. They are the largest racial/ethic group in Malaysia & Indonesia, and are mostly Muslim. Anthropomorphically, Malays look more like Filipinos, rather than like northern Asians.</p>

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<p>When applying, I believe it would benefit you most <em>not</em> to neglect that you are Southeast Asian/Malaysian, in the interest of affirmative action. You can express both.</p>

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<p>What’s on the Common App:

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<p>This muddled questionnaire asks you “how you identify yourself”, not “what is your ethnicity”. </p>

<p>I fear you are right to be concerned about being ding’d for being an ethnic Chinese. So if I were you, I would write in “Malaysian”, which truthfully responds to the vague app instructions. </p>

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<p>@GMTplus7‌ </p>

<p>First, calm down. Hold the attitude.</p>

<p>Second, the OP doesn’t seem very much concerned with making sure a college knows her family history. It seems more like a ploy (for lack of a better term) to make it easier to get in or to make herself look better. </p>

<p><a href=“I’m%20not%20going%20to%20be%20stereotypical%20or%20anything,%20but%20the%20Chinese%20people%20are%20thought%20to%20be%20smarter%20than%20average%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20college%20admissions,%20but%20Malaysians%20otherwise…%20hmm”>quote</a>

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<p>Which is why I told the OP not to lie about her ethnicity. If Malaysian (or Malay) or SE Asian is an option, that is what should be chosen. An African American with parents from the Caribbean will not put that they are African. An Asian American with parents from Malaysia shouldn’t not put that she is Chinese if the option for SE Asian or Malaysian is there.</p>

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<p>It’s not a ploy to make herself look better. It’s a ploy to prevent herself from being treated unfairly worse than white kids.</p>

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<p>@GMTplus7‌ Hi, you have been very helpful and I thank you for that! :)</p>

<p>Do you have a link to the common app form? Also, do I just write Malaysian under 'Asian (including Indian subcontinent and Phillipines)</p>

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<p>@GMTplus7‌ **EDIT
I would check Southeast Asia right?</p>

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<p>When you select Asian, you’ll be given a checklist to check of what you “specify” your Asian background as. Since you can check more than one, you can even check both “China” and “SE Asia.” </p>