@gearmom Tall, blonde, nobody would ever guess I’m remotely Asian. Everyone thinks i’m white and when I say AN, they don’t really know what to look for so they nod and agree, haha! I personally feel more Alaska Native than anything, even though I’m mostly Asian by blood. Haha, I appreciate that 
Very true. I definitely need to think about incorporating my involvement into my applications.
I say we watch out for hearsay. As it is, OP is trying to wade through that, make a good decision.
@BizDevJared Well if that is the case you might get side eye if you put Asian. A bit of a let down when they try to recruit you for clubs. I think it’s Okay to put AN if you don’t look as expected. A lot of blending in many cases. In NE, you would never question because of that. It would be rude.
Really jealous you got height in addition to brains for Stanford.
You don’t get “side eye” from adcoms for not “looking” Asian. Sheesh. They’ve been around.
OP, your GC can also back you up.
@lookingforward I wasn’t talking about adcoms. If was talking about other students when she’s joining or being recruited for Asian clubs looking like a Viking chick.
Why do you think she needs to check Asian if she does not identify or is perceived as Asian?
(Lol, you mean stereotypical Viking?)
Because the question is for the Common App, not what local folks think or whether Stanford or Ivy student peers will be simplistic about this. It’s all about adcoms. And he/she is part Asian. No one is dictating there is some one correct answer for any individual. But OP’s reality, as he/she stated it, is a triple identity. That’s got so much potential to make for an interesting presentation and for an interesting perspective he brings to campus.
Plus, I still think OP is thinking Asian is a risk. The broader view is how the triple identity could work.
And you do not need to be a justice warrior.
@lookingforward Yes I am and have been joking with her which she seems to have completely understood. Is all the italicized emphasis needed when I was joking around with her.
OP has very, very clearly stated that she doesn’t identity as Asian. She is not perceived as Asian and does not feel culturally involved. It doesn’t say that you must choose all the boxes that pertain to you. Do you think Barack Obama checked white? I don’t know why should be forced to check an identity that she doesn’t identity with or has an interest in.
The whole conversation seems to telling us that she identities as AN and wanting us to see if just checking that or NA and white is fine. Which is what she identities with.
Seriously, he could have checked White, I have no idea if he did. In fact, he is bi-racial. This fine-line thinking- that only “pure” URM or certain combos helps- is limited.
If he doesn’t check Asian, the sun will still come up tomorrow. But I think there are some underlying assumptions in OP’s mind. Starting with Asian being a risk. When he decides, I hope it’s with clear thinking, not misunderstanding.
@lookingforward How would you suggest I leverage my “triple identity”? You say that it could also be a hook, so how do I turn it into one? I have little to write about on the Chinese side and even if I had anything, I need to use that space for my entrepreneurial and passion-based endeavors. Or my NA involvement 
Would love to hear some ideas
@gearmom You’re funny! My height is obnoxious and my brains are far from Stanford. Maybe if I can get my SAT scores up
@gearmom, why would you assume Barack Obama didn’t check white, or at the least, multi racial? He was raised by a white mother. My daughter was the same, biracial and raised by a white mother. Does that mean my daughter as well as Barack Obama was not affected by societal prejudice? People don’t see my daughter as white, they see her as a light skinned black woman, and she over the years has been subjected to some despicable things that came with that. It didn’t help that she was raised in one of, if not the most famous racially intolerant county in the United States. When it came to checking a box on college admissions,she put down both, simply because that what she is. That being said, the OP is a registered tribe member which tells me her family is proud of their heritage and she should check all applicable boxes.
@gearmom, upon rereading your post,I may have misinterpreted your intent, sorry if I did.
“need to use that space for my entrepreneurial and passion-based endeavors.” What space? Do you mean the CA essay or something else?
Make sure you know what S and the Ivies look for and what the essay is meant to convey. Do you want to share your stats?
@Cottontail Perhaps he did. IDK I was asking an opinion. But I don’t think he would have been questioned or bothered if he only choose one like NAs sometimes are. In general it has been my perception that President Obama has been celebrated as the first black President (not the first biracial - IMO that part seems to get a little lost and I personally I think that is a little sad not to be proud of everything) and he has seemed to very much personally identified as such with the great work he has done. I never really heard him talk about or reflect on the importance of the English/Scot/Irish heritage. Now maybe he has very much identified himself as English but it’s not something I’m aware of. And that is completely his personal choice and I think these personal choice should be respected.
My BFF in high school choose just black even though she was a similar biracial very light skinned lovely lady raised by a white mother and black father. She was so stunning. And I think that is fine for her to identify as just one. A personal choice. And then another friend was black and NA and just identified as NA. Very active in the tribe. Just what they wanted.
Edit: Just saw the second part. Also I’m sorry you had a difficult time with your lovely girl.
@Cottontail Actually I think I have completely misunderstood your post too on the reread. Maybe we can reset. I think President Obama did face prejudices. Just questioning whether he should HAVE to mark white if he doesn’t personally identify.
Technically, being black does not necessarily mean that one cannot also be white (or some other race). Note that Obama’s white ancestors are well known, and he did refer to his white grandmother in a public speech.
However, note that in the US, multiracial persons with black and white ancestry are commonly identified by both others and themselves as black (only). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule has more on this social phenomenon, including some of the ugly history behind it.
The Common App allows you to check all boxes that you feel are appropriate. Do what you like with the other boxes, but definitely check the NA box where you will be asked if you are an enrolled member of a Tribe, and you will be asked to provide your Tribal enrollment number. However, beyond that, the Common App doesn’t ask what your NA blood quantum is (your percentage). So you should probably mention the fact that you are 25% Native Alaskan (which I agree is significant) and discuss your Tribal affiliation (the Common App just lumps all Native Alaskans into one category) and other information about your NA identity in the “Additional Information” essay section.
BTW, I agree that having to “prove” you are NA and be expected to have a history of attending pow wows/potlatches and participate in campus cultural events is ridiculous since AA, Hispanic, and other minorities don’t have to do such an absurd thing. And I also don’t agree that living on or near a reservation is necessary - the state with the second highest population of NA’s doesn’t even have reservations (Oklahoma) and Alaska has only one - a small island (they have a complicated land use agreement with 13 Native corporations).
Even expecting all URMs to look the part is unreasonable - and to tell you the truth, I don’t believe that most colleges even care - they just want to have statistics that show that they are attempting to create a diverse student body. Maybe Stanford does - but I don’t think that’s a universal attitude at all. My daughter is 99% Han Chinese and she was offered diversity scholarships at two of the schools she applied to in the Midwest and East (one a top 50 LAC and the other a top 25 National public university). In her application she did speak of having a very multicultural family - she and her sister are Chinese (adopted), she has a AA brother (adopted), she has several close family members who are enrolled NA’s (me included - my side of the family), and her father grew up on the TX border and three of his siblings married Hispanic people, so she has lots of Hispanic aunts, uncles, and cousins. So at least two schools thought that she would have assisted their diversity goals even though she was Asian (ORM) and had NA, AA and Hispanic relatives only via marriage and adoption (not genetics). I would bet that your multicultural background would work to your advantage also at many colleges.
Good luck!
It’s not just Stanford it’s all the top schools that practice this. Unfortunately NA is the most diluted race in America, and when looking for a diverse class they want people that actually have cultural connections to their tribe, not just a great grandmother who is/was NA. So living on a res and being active in your tribe are big hooks, checking the box, not so much.
@ucbalumnus I absolutely agree. And for President Obama would it have made people upset to push his biracial heritage? Take something away from the achievement? I think people can identify with their complete heritage or not. You tell me what you are and I respect that. But it sure does get complicated rather quickly. My cousin’s daughter goes to school in NYC. If you NOT multiracial the kids look down on you. She’s just white so this was an issue.
And what do you mark of you don’t know for sure? And what do you mark of you are part of a tribe but not genetically linked. https://www.rt.com/usa/401675-cherokee-nation-freedmen-citizenship/ They just decided that Cherokee lawsuit.
Now I will probably have grandchildren who are one forth Asian and will strongly identify as such knowing DS1 and his GF. I would not be bothered in any way if they only choose Asian or both Asian and white. This will just get more complicated as generations progress and mix. Maybe there is a better way to go about this.