If you are Asian, is it better not to list on your college application under race and leave as "preferred not to state?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was not my family’s experience , but it seems that people won’t let go of the belief, so I am really not sure how to get through to DCUM posters!

It was my family's belief. Very happy with the change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:or does it matter anymore? I still feel Asians are not given a full fair chance even with the change in affirmative action.

You will continue to feel the way you have decided to feel. The data says otherwise, but you still feel the same.

The data most certainly do not show otherwise--but feel free to enlighten us with your "worldview."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:or does it matter anymore? I still feel Asians are not given a full fair chance even with the change in affirmative action.

You will continue to feel the way you have decided to feel. The data says otherwise, but you still feel the same.

The data most certainly do not show otherwise--but feel free to enlighten us with your "worldview."

https://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/profile/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:or does it matter anymore? I still feel Asians are not given a full fair chance even with the change in affirmative action.

You will continue to feel the way you have decided to feel. The data says otherwise, but you still feel the same.

The data most certainly do not show otherwise--but feel free to enlighten us with your "worldview."

https://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/profile/

MIT is just one university. Like CalTech it has had more merit based admissions and not had legacy preferences. It's not true for the Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:or does it matter anymore? I still feel Asians are not given a full fair chance even with the change in affirmative action.

I don't know. My kids wouldn't hide or fib to get in any school so wasn't a consideration for them. They didn't want to play games with colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:or does it matter anymore? I still feel Asians are not given a full fair chance even with the change in affirmative action.

You will continue to feel the way you have decided to feel. The data says otherwise, but you still feel the same.

The data most certainly do not show otherwise--but feel free to enlighten us with your "worldview."

https://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/profile/

MIT is just one university. Like CalTech it has had more merit based admissions and not had legacy preferences. It's not true for the Ivies.

This is an example of my point. If one is cynical, they are cynical. That's all I was saying. Doesn't matter if a population over-indexes, or a school says it does or doesn't do something. The belief has been decided and the data will be rationalized to support that belief. Anything that doesn't line up to that pre-determined belief will be questioned, dismissed as an exception, or believed to be a lie

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was not my family’s experience , but it seems that people won’t let go of the belief, so I am really not sure how to get through to DCUM posters!

The belief is based on all the evidence that came out showing racial discrimination in the harvard case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh. Last cycle, my East Asian DC checked the box, noted fluency in an Asian language elsewhere in the Common App, and touched upon their Asian identity (although it wasn't the central theme) in the personal statement. DC was admitted to multiple T20 schools. Being Asian is a meaningful part of DC's identity so it didn't make sense to hide it. AOs want authenticity. YMMV.

I'm glad it worked out for your kid but it doesn't help and former AO flat out state not to identify yourself as asian unless it is important to your application.

[Anonymous]

It's not like the AOs can't figure it out by reading parents' names in the application. Unlike east asians who have christian names or adopt one, we don't/won't. Both my kids listed it and got into decent schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:or does it matter anymore? I still feel Asians are not given a full fair chance even with the change in affirmative action.

You will continue to feel the way you have decided to feel. The data says otherwise, but you still feel the same.

The data most certainly do not show otherwise--but feel free to enlighten us with your "worldview."

https://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/profile/

MIT is just one university. Like CalTech it has had more merit based admissions and not had legacy preferences. It's not true for the Ivies.

This is an example of my point. If one is cynical, they are cynical. That's all I was saying. Doesn't matter if a population over-indexes, or a school says it does or doesn't do something. The belief has been decided and the data will be rationalized to support that belief. Anything that doesn't line up to that pre-determined belief will be questioned, dismissed as an exception, or believed to be a lie

This. I literally had parents say that their kids would have a hard time getting into a university they were admitted to because of their race/gender even though the state had passed a law decades ago that race/gender could not be used in the public college admissions. This convinced me that people will believe what they want to believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your last name might give it away.

DS is adopted, American last name.

Same situation. Very European last name, adopted Asian child. We told him to just check “prefer not to say”. I think objectively for adoptees their experience of race is complicated so it didn’t feel disingenuous. “Prefer not to say” is our son’s equivalent of “it’s complicated and I don’t fit well in a single box”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your last name might give it away.

So what do they do with an Ebenezer Lee?

Everything is in flux this year. Just be what you are. There are no rules or patterns now. And any school that is trying to micro-examine racial clues from an app probably isn't a school you want to go to anyway. Talking to you Jeremiah Kim.

[Anonymous]

Afirmative Action now primarily favors whites but no longer favors Asians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your last name might give it away.

DS is adopted, American last name.

Same situation. Very European last name, adopted Asian child. We told him to just check “prefer not to say”. I think objectively for adoptees their experience of race is complicated so it didn’t feel disingenuous. “Prefer not to say” is our son’s equivalent of “it’s complicated and I don’t fit well in a single box”.

The adopted kids, we know who talked about their Asian identity in a majority white family did very well last cycle in the admissions process. That is a diverse experience that not very many people have. Very unique lens from which to view the world and should not be hidden.

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile I just watched dozens of application videos from kids going to Brown, UChicago, etc. At least 60% of them were Asian, with Asian families and Asian friends. All of them were accepted to these well regarded schools even while being visibly and proudly Asian. Just go to YouTube and watch some. Each video is roughly 2 minutes long. Watch some and exhale. Plenty of proof that there is no need whatsoever to hide who you are