"Race" in College Admissions FAQ & Discussion 5

<p>^^^</p>

<p>Oh, I understood your concern. Your concern is that elite colleges have many Asian students, so you think that indicating that you’re white (which you also are) will help.</p>

<p>All I was saying is that I think you have the right to identify yourself as you wish. Half black kids call themselves black or multi-racial (their choice). Therefore, you should be able to also choose your designation.</p>

<p>Does the “multi-racial” box indicate that you must indicate which race mix you are?</p>

<p>Also, don’t you have the right to not check any boxes???</p>

<p>Lastly, does your first or last name suggest your Asian origins?</p>

<p>Go with white if you have to clarify your multi-racial status; if not, go with multi-racial.</p>

<p>Or put nothing.</p>

<p>Ethhicity can be a plus to many liberal arts and rural colleges, not to mention some highly rated Unis in the south.</p>

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<p>Not at all; typical Bible name.</p>

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<p>Would this be true for Wake or UNC-CH? Those are two places in the South I’m applying to.</p>

<p>As long as your last name isn’t emblematic of Asian last names, you can safely put white down.</p>

<p>Look at the stats for each school.</p>

<p>Highly ranked schools typically have many, many Asian students. If you’re applying for a school with a low Asian diversity, then put Asian or multi-race.</p>

<p>UNC-CH has about 8% Asian</p>

<p>Wake Forest has about 5% Asian</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>I wonder what colleges are going to think when my half-Asian nieces and nephew show up with very Italian sounding names?? LOL</p>

<p>Hopefully, at some point, we’ll all be so blended that “checking boxes” will be a distant memory.</p>

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<p>It should be untrue, as of this year, that any college application form gives just one option. A new federal regulation (linked to from the first post in this thread) makes it mandatory for colleges to use an ethnic self-identification questionnaire that allows students to “select one or more” race. What examples have you found that are different from what the regulation requires? Links, please? </p>

<p>(Previous separate thread merged into the main FAQ thread so that participants can look up the federal regulations and definitions found in the first few posts.)</p>

<p>Wake, definitely. UNC if you are instate, yes, but OOS is extremely competitive, regardless of what else you have.</p>

<p>Okay, </p>

<p>So, like the title says, I’m Brazilian and my last name is Irish. I’ve spent every single summer in Brazil (with my mom), am fluent in Portuguese (almost fluent in Spanish), and have family there, so it’s safe to say it’s a big part of my life.</p>

<p>I don’t look Brazilian at all though. (I’ve mentioned all this in the essay). </p>

<p>Will this help/hurt me somehow?</p>

<p>The Common App has a section that asks “Are you Hispanic or Latino?” Brazil is in Latin America, so I’d say “Yes,” but it asks to specify. Once of the choices is “South America (excluding Brazil).” Doesn’t really make sense, but w/e.</p>

<p>It doesn’t matter what your last name is. My half-Asian nieces have an Italian last name. Check the South American box. You’re Latino. And, who cares what you “look” like? </p>

<p>There are thousands of African-Americans with Irish/Scottish/English last names. Ever hear Shaquille O’Neal ??? LOL</p>

<p>Haha, good points! The problem is that the South America box says “excluding Brazil” in parenthesis. Does that mean I check the “Other” box? </p>

<p>Honestly, the whole thing is a mess.</p>

<p>lol, that’s funny. but if it says excluding brazil, then u would check other…</p>

<p>That’s what I think I’ll do. Thanks!</p>

<p>Anyone else here in a similar situation?</p>

<p>Well, I have a british/irish-y last name, but I’m mexican-american. :)</p>

<p>I also look SUPER WHITE. </p>

<p>Needless to say, I went a College’s Latino/a resource center and got subjected to a talk about all the BEAUTTTTIFULLLL BROWN COLORZ WE HAVE~ I don’t disagree. I think my mother’s skin is quite beautiful (and all my family) and so on, but it certainly made me <em>feel</em> awkward as I was clearly the Leche to the Cafe. </p>

<p>You know, you deal, you mark down your ethnicity, and move on. ^_^</p>

<p>Happykid is a pale-skinned, blond, green-eyed Venezuelan. Her pal is a black-skinned afro-ed Panamanian. Both have had their ethnicity doubted by gringos and more typically “latino” looking kids. It is what it is. Can’t help it much if your bloodline originated in Northern Europe, or in Darkest Africa. Or if some guy named O’Toole or Zaworski fell madly in love with a cute Brazilian girl three centuries ago (or even one generation ago).</p>

<p>You feel Brazilian, you are Brazilian.</p>

<p>Check Other.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot! </p>

<p>Does being Brazilian mean I’m a minority in the eyes of the admission guys?</p>

<p>This gets a little complicated. I don’t think you are actually Latino or Hispanic if you are from Brazil: [Persons</a> of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2005](<a href=“http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_336231.htm]Persons”>http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_336231.htm)</p>

<p>Don’t look Brazilian? There are a lot of Brazilian, specially of the Italian descedents that probably looks like you (I lived in Sao Paulo for 6 years). You are considered Latino but unfortunatelly they decided to only consider Latino of hispanic heritage to be URM, therefore Brazil is excluded.</p>

<p>Cultural Dictionary
Latin America; A term applied to all of the Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking nations south of the United States.</p>