I’m half white, half asian. on the common app, is there any option to select both these races? Or can I just check the box marked “white” or “asian”? (Obviously I would choose white)
Choose whatever you feel is “you” – there is no “right” answer and no “wrong” answer.
You can select any number of boxes from zero to the number of categories that describe you.
Do colleges have a way of verifying my nationality information?
Is your first or last name asian?
^I’m not sure schools can think you’re asian (or any other race) based on your first or last name. At my high school, we have many names that by the name itself appear one race, but the person is actually not at all that race.
To answer the OP’s question, I would put how you best identify. If you were born in China/visit China frequently/etc., then put white and asian. If not, it is probably in your best interest to just check white.
I think you should be honest.
“I’m not sure schools can think you’re asian (or any other race) based on your first or last name. At my high school, we have many names that by the name itself appear one race, but the person is actually not at all that race.”
Yes but in this case the OP is part Asian. Jin Tung sounds a lot different than Sarah Anderson and will not have the same scrutiny if just white is checked. However, it is a self identification and if you feel that white describes you, go for it. Or if your name is not Asian, you can always check nothing but I am not sure if that accomplishes what you want.
What if the OP’s name is Robert Lee? >:)
It was a question, we have no idea the answer.
OP here is an article
“For those with only one Asian parent, whose names don’t give away their heritage, that decision can be relatively easy. Harder are the questions that it raise”
If you do a google search you may find more recent ones.
Perhaps you’re wondering if you’ll be penalized for marking something or another? You won’t. White or Asian or both or none is all equivalent – although there are voices that say anti-Asian bias exists. I don’t agree with them but there it is.
Thank you all for responding!
I have an asian first name and white last name, but there are kids in my school who are white who have my first name.
It’s hard to compete if you are asian, the facts are just there; and unless if you are an asian and have been through the frustrations of the college admissions process, I believe you have no right to outright state that asians play on fair ground. In my honest opinion, we don’t - this is one of those cases where being a minority DOES NOT help you.
I would support honesty by marking both white and asian. However, I know many bi-racial asians who do not “mark” asian, and just mark “white”, fearing that it will negatively impact their application. From what I’ve seen, people are not honest, they only put down what benefits them. Much like the bi-racial asian example I stated earlier, I know people that are 1/4 African American, are in very well off families, who make fun of their own race for being “ghetto”, yet when it benefits them in the College Application process for being African American, they mark it down proudly. And because they have better grades than their traditional African American peers who are not financially well-off and have lower grades due to many factors, college often choose these “1/4” African Americans to check off that diversity box for their statistics. I absolutely despise such behavior - if you’re going to do that, embrace your culture and background for all that it is, not just for the College Application Process.
^Sorry if I got carried away.