Question on my race/ethnicity in Common App

Applying to College Common and Coalition Application
1

Hi, so quick question that I need answered in order to fill in my common app.

My father’s side is from Pakistan, so that’s pretty self explanatory and I can check it off. My mom’s side probably a century ago is from India, then for 3 generations lived in Tanzania in East Africa before finally immigrating to the United States.

I’m really confused as to what my second half is and what I’m supposed to check it off as.

I know I’m not black, that’s just a label I don’t associate myself with, but would I identify as half African American as that’s where my family is from or half Indian cause that’s where you can trace me back? I don’t know whether they are asking for hard race (what I look like) or ethnicity (culture, language, geographical location)

Thanks for any leads or info as to what I should put down, I really appreciate it. I don’t want to play the system but if I am half African American then I wouldn’t care to mark it.

2

In the US, African American means black. If your mother’s family doesn’t have black heritage then that category doesn’t fit you.

3

No. Even if my family lived in Shanghai for 10 generations, I would still not be Asian.

Race/ethnicity/nationality/residence are all different questions. The Common App question of “How do you identify yourself” is specifically asking about race.