I noticed that the demographics section on the Common App is optional. Do you recommend that I fill it out (I am Jewish and middle-eastern/white). Will it hurt my chances? Or will leaving it blank be worse?
Middle Eastern is like White, it doesn’t make a difference one way or another, so you may as well fill it. It you are using the fact that you are a Mizrahi Jew as part of your essay or elsewhere, it may help to have it on your demographics.
Yup - fill it in. Will not hurt you in any way.