<p>This is something I can't seem to figure out. I'm getting letters from colleges asking me to fill out info sheets and visit and stuff...i don't know which box to check for my ethnicity. I always that that asian-american included ALL of the asia's ethnicities. Apparently, it only refers to "yellow" ethnicities..e.g china, japan, korea, ect. My parents are from Pakistan, and I was born in America. Thus, I figured I qualified as an asian-american. But, I want to be sure. I think it would be more in my favor to mark "Other" from now on and label my ethnicity as Pakistani. That way, I wouldn't be thrown in the boat with all the super-smart chinese, japs, and stuff. It may even help me get a scholarship. I don't know. The last thing I want is for an adcom or someone to look at my card and think I'm an idiot because I marked Pakistani as "other" rather than "asian-american". </p>
<p>What should I do? Please help, even though this is probably a stupid question.</p>
<p>you should mark asian-american because the common application then asks for where your family originated from, and Pakistan is one of the choices
I think US Census has defined what nationalities are considered "asian", and you can probably search that on the internet
you shouldn't mark race as a strategic thing
if a college wants you, race should not matter
the person within the skin is what matters</p>
<p>Technically, ethnic Arabs and South Asians are considered as Caucasians but most colleges do not recognize South Asians as Caucasians. If I were you I would check other and write it (either South Asian or your ethic group).</p>
<p>I am not familiar with ethic groups in Pakistan but if you are an Arab, you are Caucasian for sure.</p>
<p>i agree about Arabs, but south asians?
no way
Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, and Sri Lankans are all asians
Asia is a huge continent and more than one skin color is considered "asian"
thats why the application asks you where your family orginated from</p>
<p>Racial genetics are more sophisticated than the simple check boxes found on forms. Colleges will usually ask where your family originates from either implicitly or explicitly (by asking where they got their education).</p>
<p>well ! that is a peculiar question...
well- where are your parents from?
obviously, the term "asian" is pretty self-explanatory- the south-asians (incl me !!) have a notion that they are "above" or different from the asians and that they should have their own "indian subcontinent"- BUT in reality, all asians are asians. so- i would go with "asian-american"</p>
<p>I think enlisting as Pakistani will help you a lot more than putting Asian-Americans, who are expected to demonstrate their talent as well as Caucasians do, if not more.</p>
<p>Excuse me, "japs"?</p>