<p>“I don’t think you’re bi-racial. I think you may be one race – white.” </p>
<p>Just wow. The OP clearly identified with more than her skin color – she is Greek and Arab.</p>
<p>Merriam-Webster:</p>
<p>Bi - racial - involving members of 2 races</p>
<p>Race:
a : a family, tribe, people, or nation belonging to the same stock
b : a class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics</p>
<p>Are you really telling the OP that she should identify as white because your definition of bi-racial doesn’t mesh? Or are you saying that would make rushing easier? Now that we know she is not half AA she will do very well in rush?</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>I’m saying that when folks of Arab descent apply to colleges, they aren’t listed as being from an Arab race. They’re listed as being White. And, Greeks are also listed as White. </p>
<p>This isn’t my definition, this is how colleges identify. A middle-eastern person isn’t considered to be a minority.</p>
<p>It really is irrelevant how she self-identifies. She’s asking how others would perceive her (if she went thru Panhellenic rush). </p>
<p>The thread took a wrong turn dealing with Black Houses, when that issue doesn’t apply to her at all. If she wants to go thru Pan-Hellenic (AA) rush, she probably won’t do so well. If she wants to go thru Panhellenic rush, she’ll likely do fine.</p>
<p>I should clarify, Arab is a general term I would like to use in order to remain anonymous. My country of origin in north eastern Africa. I do not identify as white because I speak African tribal languages, know the culture, but there are major Arabic influences in my country. Still, technically, in Africa though.
Edit: my cultural heritage is a confusing thing to understand. I guess under technical standards, it would be half black half white, although there is a huge difference between African and African American that some people have a hard time grasping. That is why I stressed not being black American. From personal experience/a bit of bullying, I have come to terms with the fact that I am not at all accepted in the AA female community (at least not in my school). I want to be in a sorority with people who accept and like me, regardless of skin color or ethnicity.</p>
<p>livingOaOlie – best of luck to you. Your African heritage sounds very interesting and certainly worthy of maintaining in your identity. As someone who is half-Hispanic, I know that I have had to self-identify to countless people who want to know where I get my great tan, or beautiful skin, or some other request for information. I can totally understand your desire for some anonymity online, but I hope that wherever you land for college that you feel that you can respond to such inquiries with pride.</p>
<p>Go thru Panhellenic Rush…I’m sure you’ll do fine. Get your recs from alumnis, as all the PNMs do.</p>
<p>"As someone who is half-Hispanic, I know that I have had to self-identify to countless people who want to know where I get my great tan, or beautiful skin, or some other request for information’</p>
<p>I get that as well. I’m 100% Mediterranean (southern France, Sicilian, Jewish/semetic heritage.)</p>
<p>Mom is correct as Arabs are a Semitic people, a type of Caucasian.</p>
<p>OP- don’t let sororities make or break your decision. You are obviously a smart, well-spoken young lady with a terrifically interesting heritage! If I were an AdCom at any college I would bend over backwards to have someone like you on my campus. I know Alabama has the “go Greek or go home” reputation…but many more girls are not involved with Greek life at Bama. If you and my D wind up at Bama next year it is my sincere hope that y’all become friends.</p>
<p>However, OP is half North African and my guess is that her appearance is that of a half-African-American/half white person.</p>
<p>If so, how will the white sororities view her? This is something she has to consider if she wants to rush.</p>
<p>^^
She says that she looks Hispanic and white.</p>
<p>*most people mistake me for half Hispanic half white. *</p>
<p>She says that she’s been teased by some in the Black community. </p>
<p>Sororities will view her as a young intelligent woman who’s going thru rush.</p>
<p>I must have missed the part where the OP asked which box she should check on her college apps. As if one’s racial identity is defined only within those terms.</p>
<p>Box-checking really isn’t relevant to the point of this thread and the OP’s concern. She was concerned about how other’s would view her and accept her if she Rushed. </p>
<p>She can check Asian, Eskimo, Black, White, Pacific Islander or none of the above…none of that would come into play while waltzing thru Panhellenic Rush or Pan-Hellenic Rush. The visual appearance, according to the OP is that she looks half Hispanic, half White. So, it would be logical to assume that people who meet her may think, “she’s Hispanic and White”. The End.</p>
<p>now, part of confusion has been the result of words that the OP has used in this and other threads. Sometimes she’s half Italian, sometimes she’s half Greek, sometimes she’s half Arab, sometimes she’s half African. No matter. She’s under no obligation to be completely frank about her personal background. </p>
<p>Anyway, it sounds like she might have more trouble going thru AA Pan-hellenic rush then she would Panhellenic rush.</p>
<p>“Box-checking really isn’t relevant to the point of this thread and the OP’s concern.” </p>
<p>Exactly. Then why is it coming up again that she should be classified as white, though she has explicitly said she does not self-identify as such. Atlanta agrees with you, M2CK, that her classification should be caucasian. I believe the college app reference was yours.</p>
<p>“This isn’t my definition, it’s how colleges identify… It really is irrelevant how she self-identifies.” I happen to believe self-identification is the most important classification for race, since complex backgrounds such as the OP cannot be encapsulated in checked boxes.</p>
<p>^But can we all agree that she’ll be fine rushing majority white houses?</p>
<p>My response was in regards to your comment about her being two races, after I said that if she is half Greek, half Arab, then she’s likely White…because Greeks are usually “white” and Arabs are usually “white”. </p>
<p>My post wasn’t a response to her question about how she’d be perceived if she went thru Panhellenic Rush. She says that she appears to be Hispanic and White mix. So, likely people may assume that she’s Hispanic and White, regardless of how she self-identifies.</p>
<p>It’s as simple as that. And, I agree with Edumacation…she’ll likely do well during Panhellenic rush.</p>
<p>Just going to chime in on the large presence of older AA’s that wear their letters, license plate holders and stickers. It is very common in the Dallas area as well. I see numerous ones every day and all are well beyond traditional college age. As as a matter of fact, I believe it was last year there was a warning in the Dallas area for the ladies to be very careful. There was a rapist that it was finally figured out all of his targets had their AA letters on their cars. They also believed he had some how obtained a directory to find addresses.</p>
<p>You see a large presence of older adult NPHC members (that’s what they are, we can stop calling them by their skin color now, maybe?) because the NPHC is a totally different Greek system than NPC sororities and IFC fraternities (white ones, maybe we can stop calling these by their skin color too?). </p>
<p>For NPC and IFC membership is for life, yes. But active membership is during undergraduate and joining outside of during ones time at college and typically in the 18-22 age bracket is almost never done. </p>
<p>Contrast that with the NPHC, whose membership intake is offered to both undergraduate and graduate students and with membership emphasis being on lifelong active membership you’re far more likely to see more people and a more diverse age pool of people sporting NPHC paraphernalia.</p>
<p>Sorry, I did not know they were classified as NPHC or any thing else. The whole greek system is very greek to me. You could list every single acronym associated with all of the different greek groups/organizations and I would not be able to tell you which was which. Sorry if it offended anyone that I did not use “NPHC” in my prior post.</p>
<p>^ Please. If “traditionally African American” is offensive, I don’t even know where to start. But NPHC is more inclusive, and I like that. For the record, I’m thinking since the very first of the “Divine Nine”*, there were members who could “pass”, and I think the OP would be fine. But OP has a choice, and choice is good!</p>
<ul>
<li>“Greek” for NPHC (smile)</li>
</ul>
<p>“For NPC and IFC membership is for life, yes. But active membership is during undergraduate and joining outside of during ones time at college and typically in the 18-22 age bracket is almost never done”</p>
<p>I was wondering about that. Thanks.</p>
<p>OP - back to your original question about race hindering ability to get in a sorority at Bama.</p>
<p>As a data point, my D knows two girls, one Asian American, one “biracial” (White and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) who had a successful rush at Bama this year and both were offered bids and pledged.</p>
<p>@crimsondude…my son is a GDI (and happy to be so). It was his friend who had the bad experience, not he. It was an Old Row frat, IIRC.</p>