<p>I have a pretty strange racial situation going on. I was born in the US and have citizenship (I consider myself American), but my dad is European and my mom is Asian (I look asian) but doesn't have a particularly Asian-sounding name. So, what box do I check for race on my application? Am I allowed to say I'm white because of my dad?</p>
<p>I'm asking this question (as you've probably guessed) because I want to try and avoid the higher bars that seem to set for Asian students. Do colleges look at you badly if you check "White" when you look Asian, and how do they perceive the "Other" box?</p>
<p>@Erin’s Dad Racially, I consider myself mixed. I have features from my caucasian dad and from my asian mom, but in terms of skin tone I look way more asian than white.</p>
<p>In terms of nationality though, I don’t know what to consider myself. I’ve lived here in the US my whole life, but I’m multilingual and I travel a lot to see relatives, so I think that influences my world view a lot and takes the question of “belonging” to a bit of a grey area for me. I’m used to approaching issues from many different viewpoints which means I sometimes struggle with patriotism. I mean, I cheer on the US in sports, but I just don’t really feel a very deep connection with any country. That said, if I had to choose, I would consider myself American simply because in terms of customs and behavior, I am American. I feel the closest to the good ol’ US of A, and I think that if I went to live in any of my other nationalities, people would think I have American manners and American interests, and I would sort of be a stranger in my own countries. Somehow, by having three nationalities, I’ve ended up with none. </p>
<p>To me, race as in the color of your skin is much more straightforward than what I consider myself. I look asian, therefore I am racially asian–but I don’t feel asian and I would be uncomfortable (not just for academic reasons!) checking that box on my application. I don’t fit any of the Asian-American stereotypes (I love literature, politics and the arts and I absolutely hate math) and although I spend some of my summers in Asia I don’t consider myself Asian more than I do European.</p>
<p>Because of my upbringing, I honestly sometimes feel more white than asian. I am mixed and I have a white parent, so I could theoretically check that box, but it would also make me feel a bit uncomfortable because racially, I’m not white.</p>
<p>So, I’m seriously considering checking “other” and maybe explaining why in my essay or something. This leads me to my next questions: how do colleges see the “other” box? Purely in admissions terms (disregarding what I personally feel), am I better off checking “white”?</p>
<p>You’re seriously over thinking this…race, as far as you’re concerned, really won’t have a huge impact. FWIW, I’m also white and Asian and I checked the other box. Also, I wouldn’t want to waste an essay explaining why you checked one box or another, unless being multi-racial truly impacted you. From my experience the essays are definitely the most important aspect and race is unimportant and overblown on this website.</p>
<p>I hate to say this but white and asian is not as good as mixed when it comes to diversity helping you get in. At UIUC many Chinese kids say that they know when they put down Chinese they must be 10 percent smarter than white kids. Not sure if this is true, but many have said this. Yes mixes races and blacks tend to get accepted with 10 percent lesser stats. It is all fact and public knowledge.</p>
<p>You’re over thinking the issue. It’s just boxes. My daughter is also half Asian half white. It’s not the race. It’s what you do. D doesn’t “present” as Asian, meaning her interests are outside the usual “math, computer, violin/piano” profile so checking Asian and White are just two boxes. Other is an acceptable option.</p>
<p>If other is an option, then choose that based on your description. By no means should you spend two words on your essay trying to explain it. You have very little space to describe/answer the prompt. Like everyone else has said , you’re ascribing WAY too much to this. White, Asian, white + asian – for all intents and purposes: THE SAME. Please spend your energies perfecting your essays. Not musing over this (IMHO) completely insignificant choice.</p>
<p>I’m in the same situation as the poster. My Mother is fully french but my Dad is American and Syrian. I am citizen of all 3 countries ( have 3 passports ) . I speak french english and arabic. I live in another unrelated country, Kuwait. As you can see I too do not relate myself with any specific country etc. What would you do in my case? I was thinking to base my essay on that the main one , common app one. Help???</p>
<p>An admission officer told me that they take into account first generation college applicants coming from inner city schools with 99 percent black race, hence the lower end of stats in admissions.</p>