So I’m Egyptian and my grandpa was Nubian (which is still technically in Egypt but if you’ve ever been you know they are two different things). For college applications, or anything in general, should I put white or African-American?
If you are Egyptian, African-American does not seem to fit, nor does white. Most of these kinds of questions, however, are more nuanced and offer more options. Most of them are also optional, and many of them indicate you should check the boxes for the groups you identify with (meaning there are no wrong answers so long as you respond in good faith). If you have a Common App account, take a look at the Demographics question there as a good example - my son has a complex Asian heritage, so we spent a fair amount of time tangling with this question and he actually ended up writing one of his essays about the experience. I think the choice in the Common App is stated as “Black or African American.” So you could consider checking that box based on your Nubian heritage. If you are a US citizen, you might be treated as a URM (underrepresented minority), if you are an international student, it won’t matter.