What counts as African-American?

Hi everyone! I have started filling out my common app, and I was wondering whether you guys think it is acceptable for me to select the African-American option as one of my races. I know this may seem like a weird question, but let me explain. My mom was born in South Africa, and her family has lived there for about 500 years. However, they are white. Still, my mom does identify as African-American. Currently, I am planning on selecting both the African-American and White race options, and then selecting both “African” and “Other” under the “What best describes your black or African-American background?” question. For the “other” box, I am planning on writing in “White South African.” Do you guys think this is an acceptable way to fill in my races, given my situation? I am asking because identifying as African-American will definitely help my applications, but I also don’t want to mislead the colleges in a way that will make them reject me. Thanks for your feedback!

Seriously, this should be like some meme. Really LOL. “as one of my races”.

Not really sure about this. “African-American” is more of a politically correct way of saying black.

@nigelthetrumpet

@PureShores

African American is an ethnicity, not a race. Saying someone is African-American is like saying someone is Irish- American, their ethnicity not their race. And no it is not polite to call someone African-American when they are not even American.



For OP since you have a more unique situation​ I would suggest you put other and provide a description of yourself, but it is okay to put South African- American since that’s your ethnicity.

Is there no " what best describes your White or Caucasian background" option?

They’re being PC; they mean black.

Then don’t say you’re African-American. The question is asking your race, not your ethnicity. Every AO knows that a white South African (or white Egyptian, etc.) does not mean black.

Unless you are biracial, White/Caucasian, presumably non-Hispanic, further described as of South African heritage. (I met a woman who is one of the people of full Chinese heritage from the African continent. A cool way to be African-American, but she doesn’t answer the question that way either.)


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unique situation​ <<<

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Not at all.

No you aren’t and I know you’re just here to be greenlit to use the South African technicality for bonus college points

I get what you mean though. I’m technically half “Asian” but I’m white because my mom is from the Asian side of Russia. I put White (Europe, Other, Russian). (European heritige on my dad’s side). It offends my mom more than it offends me because she does consider herself Asian, but she’s just not in the American definition of the word. Asian is an over represented minority though so it really wouldn’t help me to identify that way even though I can really identify with the immigrant tiger mom culture of that area of the world.

It’s really too bad America just considers white to mean “of European or Middle Eastern” heritage because it leaves people out.

Take everything here with a grain of salt, but last I checked, South Africa was part of Africa. I do believe you are African American. However, if you are worried about having unfair advantage, check with your guidance or college counselor.

  He wasn't even born in South Africa, his mum was. Don't encourage such nonsense. There are tons of SA's living in the USA . Educated White South Africans have a clue into colonial history. Ticking the AA box in order to leverage a perceived advantage isn't going to work well for a kid who is supposed to be smart enough to apply to Stanford. I would like the think it means direct entry to reject pile. Those AOs must have their own subreddit somewhere.  

Why do you think identifying as African American will help your applications? Do you imagine US colleges are actively seeking out white South Africans? Why would they do that?

In the US, African American means black. I think the only thing you’ll accomplish by checking Caucasian and African American races and then clarifying by writing in “white South African” is to make adcoms believe you don’t understand what those terms mean. And that’s if they’re being generous. If you were born and raised in the US, I don’t think that trying to get classified as an African American when you’re race is white is going to help your app at all. I think elite schools are looking for more awareness and sophistication than that. Give them reasons to accept you, not technicalities they can use to reject you.

This is why race needs to be eliminated from the college admission process. Race in and of itself itself tells you nothing, let alone something important decisions should be based on. More important are significant disparities or challenges the applicant faced, not skin color.

Instead of one of the first questions on the Common App reading “Are you African American or Hispanic?” something more productive and on point maybe something like, "Are you an applicant who has faced significant challenges or disparities, based on race, religion, financial, foster care or loss of a parent (s), immigrant status, disability or other? Please explain (300 word limit). Common App, are you listening?

I agree with @preppedparent I also feel like you guys are attacking OP for trying to figure out a proper term when his/her ethnicity and identity does not fit into one of the neat boxes America appreciates. @Sibylla it doesn’t matter who was born where, most actual African Americans are much more American than African and have lived here for generations.

This being said, OP, I do not think you should identify as African-American because that term comes with a long history and struggles with race that you have not experienced being white. Please include your South African identity if you feel it is meaningful to you but the posters are right. Sorry!

    Le sigh. 

@Sybylla would you tell me I wasn’t allowed to identify as half-Russian because I wasn’t born in Russia? Would you tell someone of Irish decent they can’t be identified as of European heritage because they weren’t born in Ireland? Would you tell an (actual) African-American they can’t be African-American because they weren’t born in Africa? That stuff matters to family culture and how you are raised, especially when a parent was born there.

I think this has been said but I just looked at the Common App and the most PC way of going forward would be to put:

White then when it asks your White identity put Other, South African and also wherever your Dad’s family is from.

Putting “Black or African American” then for identify “Africa” wouldn’t technically be wrong but it would be less PC and you would still have to include your dad’s heritage. The common app separates the terms Black and African American so grammatically its not wrong. Wouldn’t do it though for the reasons people said above.


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Would you tell someone of Irish decent they can't be identified as of European heritage because they weren't born in Ireland?<<<<<<<

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Yeah, but that’s me, with my half Irish pasty white Irish genes and a nice green dusty irish passport. Still not Irish.