<p>I was wondering about racial groups that one sees on some of the college apps. Sometimes, they ask for heritage, and my childrens' French greatgrandfather was born in Algeria. Does/Can that make my children "African American?" Does anyone know the guidelines? Some of the apps actually say "Black African" or "Middle Eastern." How far back on the family tree can one go?</p>
<p>Is this a serious question? An Algerian ggfather making one African American? I think this thread may be insulting to our friends of color.</p>
<p>NO! Please, I don't mean to insult anyone, and apologize if anyone was insulted by my question. </p>
<p>I guess racial questions are off-limits. Again, my apologies for insulting anyone.</p>
<p>I understand what Collegekid's point is but I remember reading (in multiple different places and a few dealing with college/grad school admissions) that being 1/8th is what you technically have to be to fall under a certain racial group. If we go by taht fact alone, yes op, your children are african american. But some would consider that playing the race card.</p>
<p>lol, they're white. My entire family line comes from Libya and I'm considered a white by the U.S. Government....</p>
<p>Honestly ma'am, my great grandmother was American Indian, but I do not put that on anything. Be realistic. If your child looks black (please no one be offended by that), then they are African American, or possible Aborigine. But ALGERIA? HUH? Be very careful what you put down, bc it is not unheard of for colleges to try and validate those facts before admitting someone. Also, you have to make a heart-felt decision: do you want your child to be admitted because of their hard work, or because their great grandfather was Algerian. You do get kudos for making me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants though.</p>
<p>fencersmother, as an african american i'm actually a little shocked and offended by your statement. if you think being black is simply about one's geneology then you are sadly mistaken. when your kids have gone through discrimination and racism because of their black skin color, then they put down african american on the college app. but if they wanna go through life as white people and then suddenly become black when it's convenient, it's totally unacceptable.</p>
<p>i honestly can't believe a parent asked that question...</p>
<p>And it's not that racial questions are insensitive. It's only considered insensitive when posters on CC go through their whole lives without feeling the negative repercussions of being black, but then suddenly decide that they have merited some type of benefit in the college admissions process because of all the racism they've experienced (read: no racism).</p>
<p>and to vc08, just because a person looks black doesn't mean they are African American. Sammy Sosa looks black but is from the Dominican Republic. He would be considered Hispanic American.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure simply being born in Africa doesn't qualify you as black, though the way America classifies racial groups is so confusing. Technically, he is African American (not Black), but I don't think in the sense that colleges mean (who can really interpret what they mean though; they refer to Hispanics as a race, AND a minority even though we have a ton of white Hispanics in our ethnicity reaping the benefits that the REAL minorities are supposed to be receiving.). </p>
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lol, they're white. My entire family line comes from Libya and I'm considered a white by the U.S. Government....
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<p>Well, if you're white, you're white. Being from Libya shouldn't change that.</p>
<p>Actually, Sheed30 answered the question in a better way than I asked it. I was wondering if Algerian ancestry counted as African. </p>
<p>Again, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I just wanted to know what the rules are concerning the "racial groups" I keep seeing on the apps.</p>
<p>Algerians are African. Algeria is in Africa. Are they considered black (do they have black skin, do other people look at them and think they are black), well that's a different story.</p>
<p>if your kids have always associated themselves with african american throughout their lives, then put that down... If not, please don't.</p>
<p>You can always clarify. I always suggest people go with what they identify with culturally if they are not sure.</p>
<p>"African American" indicates of black African ancestry.</p>
<p>Have your children considered themselves African American all of their lives or did they just start wondering about that when they looked at college apps? If it's the latter, they are white.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, I do know people who have always considered themselves African American due to having black ancestors or parents even though the people themselves look white (This includes a couple of people with blond hair, blue eyes and "white" skin). Their family always considered themselves African American, belonged to African American organizations, socialized with black people, etc. They didn't suddenly decide to acknowledge their black ancestry because they might get a benefit in college admissions.</p>
<p>And Algerians are considerd Arab, who are considered white.</p>
<p>In the US, 'African American' is, for the most part, interpreted as 'descendant of slaves from West Africa'. So no, although I understand why you would ask.</p>
<p>African American is also the politically correct version of black. So if they are not black, then they would not be African American according to general interpretations.</p>
<p>one guy I know is 1/4 hispanic (looks like he is irish - red hair, pale face) and he put himself as hispanic just to better his chances, it did. </p>
<p>so i guess you could do that, but morally it would be wrong and I agree with hotpiece...</p>
<p>^That and if your kids interview someone will notice that they're not black.</p>
<p>"one guy I know is 1/4 hispanic (looks like he is irish - red hair, pale face) and he put himself as hispanic just to better his chances, it did. "</p>
<p>Hispancis can be of any race. One of my former students was the daughter of immigrants from Cuba. Looked like the guy you described: bright red hair, pale skin, green eyes. She definitely was Hispanic, was fluent in Spanish (which was spoken in her home), and clearly identified with her Cuban heritage, and since graduating has been a national officer of a Hispanic professional association. You can't judge people's race by how they look unless you're in a country like Brazil which racially categorizes people strictly by how they look.</p>
<p>One can consider oneself Hispanic for things like the National Hispanic Scholarship program if one is 1/4 Hispanic.</p>
<p>he can't speak spanish, he has never been to any spanish speaking country either</p>
<p>So what? He's still Hispanic. All Hispanics don't speak Spanish.</p>
<p>I don't think he should put himself as hispanic if he started that trend his junior year and plans on writing "white" again ...</p>