<p>I was waitlisted at Stanford and have already submitted my letter of continued interest which included an EC update and some awards info.</p>
<p>On the Common App essay, I indicated my race as white. I'm actually 3/4 white and 1/4 black but I never identified as black. And I never thought that being black helped so much in admissions until recently (I knew it helped, but I never thought it was THAT significant)</p>
<p>So in the past few months, I've begun to feel a greater connection to the African American community (it sounds a bit silly but I really have). And I self-identify more as an African American AND a white individual. Because I never marked "black" or "two or more races" on the Common App, would it be a bad idea to go ahead and update Stanford by telling them that I actually self-identify as black, too?</p>
<p>*note I'm not a fan of AA so no personal attacks please, I'm just trying to be pragmatic. Would an update like this be seen as grasping for straws or would it push me into a quota that could get me in? Thanks for all the help as Stanford is my dream :)</p>
<p>I know but honestly I never thought it would have helped that much (until I started reading stats of accepted URMs and non URMs on CC). Now that I know my chances are slim at Stanford being waitlisted, I figure I may as well tell them “hey I’m actually 1/4 black” and see if they need more black students in their freshman class haha</p>
<p>That racial update will do nothing but hurt you. You were waitlisted because of your application not your race. That update would just seem desperate.</p>
<p>This thread is sad. The entire premise is sad. And you wonder why the Asians want to hide their racial background from even being used against them…whatever happened to the notion of meritocracy?</p>
<p>@ohmmho: yeah, yeah, but I’m just trying to be pragmatic. If letting them know that I’m 1/4 black will help me get off the waitlist, I’m ready to do it. I’m still not sure if it would be seen as desperate or if it would help them fill their black soft quota </p>
<p>For grad school I’m definitely marking black though.</p>
<p>Phrase it more subtly and talk about your experience as well as how you hope your double ethnicity will bring diversity to Stanford etc… How you want to join the black community groups at Stanford and offer a new perspective to the community etc… It definitely helps. There is one girl who looks whiter than white at Stanford but is part Cherokee. I’m sure she’s brilliant and smart, but being that part minority was probably a big draw for her acceptance.</p>
<p>“We respectfully ask that you refrain from calling, mailing or emailing the Admission Office to reiterate your interest in Stanford. Simply accepting your space on the waitlist is indication enough. Do not submit any additional letters of recommendation from your counselor, teachers, alumni, friends, etc. We also ask that you do not send any additional materials such as writing samples, resumes, creative/performing arts credentials, newspaper clippings, photos, research papers, certificates, etc. Additional materials of this sort will not be considered or returned.”</p>
<p>Stanford uses the waitlist to fill gaps in their class. They already have diversity, so if after the accepted students commit, if they need another student good at whatever you are good at, they will accept you.</p>
<p>Your race doesn’t matter at this point; they will already have a diverse student body.</p>
<p>What you are suggesting screams desperation, and my guess is it will be a red flag that Stanford is NOT for you.</p>
<p>LOL you feel a greater connection to the African American community because of the benefits it brings you. Spare the garbage and just tell them you’re African American.</p>
<p>muaythaiguy18: I don’t see why you think that’s garbage but ok</p>
<p>AustroHungarian: Ah, that’s a shame. I am planning to apply to law school though. When I apply to Stanford Law in a few years, I’m going to mark African-American. Would this raise some issues if I marked white for undergrad? Would they think I’m fabricating my racial self-identification?</p>
<p>“Since I was wait-listed, a feeling of connection to my 1/4 Black heritage has overwhelmed me. Because of this coincidence, I think that I need to change my ethnicity since I no longer identify with the white culture. Btw, this will help me get into Stanford, right?”</p>
<p>Haha, come on man. No one is criticizing you for doing it–I would as well–but at least be straight about what you’re doing.</p>
<p>I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I’m going to explain to you why this entire thread is a bit ridiculous. First of all: you feel “connected” to your Black heritage? What do you mean by that? How do you no longer identify with “white culture”? What comprises white culture? The fact that you think there is such a divide and that your sudden interest in it (which, from this thread, seems to stem solely from your desperation to get into Stanford) seems to indicate that your soul-search for your identity is…pretty shallow.</p>
<p>You have identified as white all your life. I assume you are white-passing. I assume you have never really thought in-depth about how race affects all aspects of your life except for college admissions and your chances for Stanford. If you think that simply identifying as Black on an application is all that “being Black” means to you…then it really seems like you’re completely trivializing a completely different experience simply because it’s convenient. Your perception of discrimination and racism that people who do not have the privilege of being white-passing is sorely off-base.</p>
<p>I really hope you’re trolling. If not, you are sipping some serious Kool-Aid.</p>