What is the requirement to be classified as black or African-American in a college application?

[Anonymous]

Yes, it seems there should be a relatively obvious answer but African-American includes those from Africa and the Caribbean.

If one were born in Africa or the Caribbean - or if an applicant's parent or grandparent was born there - can one obtain minority preference for college application? Are there any specific limitations in this regard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it seems there should be a relatively obvious answer but African-American includes those from Africa and the Caribbean.

If one were born in Africa or the Caribbean - or if an applicant's parent or grandparent was born there - can one obtain minority preference for college application? Are there any specific limitations in this regard?

If you are asking if you can be South African and be of Dutch descent then you should be able to figure out the answer on your own. No really sure how much preference is supposedly given to "minorities" but if you think it is worth your integrity then go for it.

[Anonymous]

African American refers to people who are members of a cultural group that is ascended from American slaves of African descent. Someone born somewhere other than the US (unless born to AA expats or something like that) would not qualify.

Black means you have recent or distant ancestors from subsaharan Africa and have the distinctive physical characteristics of that group, especially dark skin. If your recent ancestors were from Zimbabwe, but at some point all their ancestors were from Europe you don't qualify.

To be able to ethically check the box you need to be in one of those 2 categories.

Having said that most universities aren't handing out admissions preference based on a box. They are looking at a student's entire application, including things like essays and history of where you lived, to determine whether someone brings a perspective they feel is missing. Someone who writes a fascinating essay on the experience of coming to understand South African society, and lists Xhosa and Afikaans as fluent languages may get an admissions bid just like someone who plays the basoon or represents an underrepresented group in the US.

[Anonymous]

If you have to ask the question of whether you qualify, you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:African American refers to people who are members of a cultural group that is ascended from American slaves of African descent. Someone born somewhere other than the US (unless born to AA expats or something like that) would not qualify.

Black means you have recent or distant ancestors from subsaharan Africa and have the distinctive physical characteristics of that group, especially dark skin. If your recent ancestors were from Zimbabwe, but at some point all their ancestors were from Europe you don't qualify.

To be able to ethically check the box you need to be in one of those 2 categories.

Having said that most universities aren't handing out admissions preference based on a box. They are looking at a student's entire application, including things like essays and history of where you lived, to determine whether someone brings a perspective they feel is missing. Someone who writes a fascinating essay on the experience of coming to understand South African society, and lists Xhosa and Afikaans as fluent languages may get an admissions bid just like someone who plays the basoon or represents an underrepresented group in the US.

You just made my day, PP. Thank you for such a beautifully-written response. [---not the OP]

[Anonymous]

My family has historically and in the present day included many people with partial African ancestry but little to no visible signs of it. I don't know of any such relative having their self-identification as black on a college application questioned.

My child doesn't look AA/mixed and took part in a summer program targeting AA youth the last two years. Not even a raised eyebrow.

Dolezal aside, very few people claim African ancestry if they don't have it. And when they do, it's seldom for preferential treatment in college admissions or hiring, but rather for familial reasons. My white great-grandmother was known to pretend she was mulatto so that and my black great-grandfather could live in peace in certain neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

My child doesn't look AA/mixed and took part in a summer program targeting AA youth the last two years. Not even a raised eyebrow.

Are you low income or disadvantaged? This is where the ethical issues arise.

[Anonymous]

OP here: one child would pass for AA in terms of his features and applied for college as an AA. His sibling - same biological parents - has no AA features and would pass for white if anyone saw him.

Would it be a problem for him if he applied as an AA? He will be going to college next year.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, we are all descended from Africa.

Affirmative action should take income into account. Most of the "help" should not be based solely on race or perceptions of race (the one drop method).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My child doesn't look AA/mixed and took part in a summer program targeting AA youth the last two years. Not even a raised eyebrow.

Are you low income or disadvantaged? This is where the ethical issues arise.

It was not intended for low-income or disadvantaged youth, just AA. There were families from all economic backgrounds involved and we were actually far from the most well-off.

[Anonymous]

OP here: one child would pass for AA in terms of his features and applied for college as an AA. His sibling - same biological parents - has no AA features and would pass for white if anyone saw him.

Would it be a problem for him if he applied as an AA? He will be going to college next year.

I think you are allowed to check off more than one category or there is a "multiracial" category. Those would probably be more appropriate identifiers for people in these situations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: one child would pass for AA in terms of his features and applied for college as an AA. His sibling - same biological parents - has no AA features and would pass for white if anyone saw him.

Would it be a problem for him if he applied as an AA? He will be going to college next year.

Does he identify as African American? Like, if you asked HIM his race, what would he say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: one child would pass for AA in terms of his features and applied for college as an AA. His sibling - same biological parents - has no AA features and would pass for white if anyone saw him.

Would it be a problem for him if he applied as an AA? He will be going to college next year.

Good god woman! If the boy is black, check the damn box. With two black children how you can be so far removed from the black community that this is an issue for you is beyond me! As my three-year-old says, "Duh!!!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: one child would pass for AA in terms of his features and applied for college as an AA. His sibling - same biological parents - has no AA features and would pass for white if anyone saw him.

Would it be a problem for him if he applied as an AA? He will be going to college next year.

I posted above about my non-AA looking relatives. I really doubt you'll have any trouble. For one thing, most colleges don't ask for a photo with the application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: one child would pass for AA in terms of his features and applied for college as an AA. His sibling - same biological parents - has no AA features and would pass for white if anyone saw him.

Would it be a problem for him if he applied as an AA? He will be going to college next year.

It's not about what he looks like. It's about the heritage. I think it's fine to apply as AA.