Racial/Ethnic Background

Applying to College
1

<p>Hey, I'm applying to Penn State University Park, and I'm stuck on the question about racial/ethnic background.</p>

<p>Both my parents are Persian (also known as Iranian), yet theres no description that fits me.</p>

<p>Here's the Penn state choices:</p>

<p>American Indian
Alaskan Native
African/Black American (My Parents lived in Africa for 10 years, and I spent grew up there)
Asian American or Pacific Islander (Iran = Asia?)
Latino/Hispanic American Not Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican
White American Not Puerto Rican</p>

<p>Possibilties I'm considering (you can pick 2):</p>

<p>African - As I said, my parents both lived there for a significant amount of time, my dad was employed as a professor in Johanesburg. I spent the first 2 years of my life there.</p>

<p>Asian American - Is Asian American = Iranian American?</p>

<p>White American- Despite spending the first 2 years of my life in Africa, I was born in America and therefore an American Citizen.</p>

<p>At this point, I'm considering putting any of them, or none of them. I really need some guidance in my choice.</p>

<p>Anyone know which 2 (if any) i should put for a kid of Iranian descent who grew up in Africa?</p>

2

<p>I'd put White American. Iran historically has stronger ties to the Middle East than to the rest of Asia.</p>

3

<p>People descended or directly immigrating from the traditional middle eastern countries are considered Caucasian -- so you need to mark White. Black/African American refers to those people descended or directly immigrating from the darker skinned people of sub-saharan Africa.</p>

<p>If you want absolute confirmation, contact the admissions office.</p>

<p>If you don't want it to be an issue, don't mark anything or mark other -- both are perfectly appropriate.</p>

4

<p>i guess i wont mark anything then, there is no other option</p>