Your mom is right. (Aren't mothers always right? ;-)) Claiming your African-American heritage on your applications could push your file closer to the “In" pile, especially at colleges where you are a borderline candidate, or at any hyper-competitive place (such as the Ivies) where thousands of strong applicants are turned away every year. But, nonetheless “The Dean" agrees with you! If you identify as being only white and if you would be uncomfortable indicating otherwise on your applications, you should go with the choice that feels like the honest one.
However, this issue seems like excellent fodder for a college essay. Even if you have always considered yourself to be white, you may have an interesting and atypical perspective on race in society ... e.g., When does it matter? Should it matter? How has your awareness of your African-American heritage affected you? Do those around you who know about this heritage treat you differently than those who don't know?
Admission officials are always digging around to discover what sets an applicant apart from the crowd. So although you could begin your essay by emphatically stating that you view yourself as white, your thoughts on your biological background — whether presented in a way that's probing, poignant, humorous or all of the above — can help the admission folks see a side of you that the rest of your application won't reveal (always a plus in an essay!) and might mollify your mom as well, especially if you stick by your guns and check the Caucasian box!
*****
If you'd like to submit a question to College Confidential, please send it along here.
That’s why you want to use your authentic voice when writing any college essay.
So what’s the problem? A student has shared an ess…
I recently visited Washington University in Saint Louis and was lucky enough to set up an interview. By speaking with peers of mi…
Note: Click here for 10 Summer Programs You Can Still Apply For or keep reading to learn more about academic index scores.
Podcasts can offer a wealth of information to busy students, particularly when it comes to the college admissions process. We…
Decision Day occurs each year on May 1st and is the deadline for students to inform the college of their choice of their intent t…
Ascent offers cosigned and non-cosigned student loans with exclusive benefits that set students up for success.
Explore Now!Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!