Being Bi-racial

Virtus. · 09-09-2009, 07:40 PM

Most universities consider ethnicity in their assessment of a student. Certain attention is given to what a school may lack (ie a school with 3% African Males will value them more than asian females if they compose, say, 40% of the population)

But how do admissions officers view bi-racial students? In their own category? Is it considered "less" if you are a mix of white and black instead of being completely black? I've heard of bi-racial students being denied certain scholarships for African Americans because they were really only half black or "sort of black".

What does it all mean?

BigMike3541 · 09-10-2009, 04:32 PM

lol, that bit about scholarships is pretty messed up. I can see black people doing that though (thumbs up for stereotypes). Nothing like creating divisions between ourselves that the rest of the world doesn't really see at all.

I'm mixed here as well, I put mixed on all of my applications and everything came out just fine. I don't know what colleges thought of it specifically, but I also sent a picture of myself so they knew I had fairly dark skin (i.e. I wasn't someone that was 75+% white and <25% black that could "pass" or something). If you identify as just black though I think it'd be fine to just leave it at that. Probably not worth worrying about too much.

Debruns · 09-10-2009, 08:49 PM

I remember when my son was young, I was told of a scholarship for a private nursery/Kind. school, the person it was named after was a black woman that was a first leader in education for blacks. They later told me my son didn't qualify....I asked them why and they said, "he doesn't qualify". I never would have sent him there after that, their attitude was racist in itself. I told them I was sorry if he wasn't quite dark enough for their brochure and left as they blushed : )
Didn't see that type of thing very much later, but I'll always remember it.

crimsonchin68 · 09-11-2009, 03:43 PM

in terms of admissions i think it could sway either way, or have a dampened effect, but that scholarship bit is messed up. when it says check all that apply on the app., if you do, and get a scholarship, i think it is totally messed up to take it away. if you really want to stack the odds just list the urm part of the mix because if you call any college and ask they will just say "put down how you identify yourself" i could be as white as the moon but if i identify myself as "black" they can't really say anything to me with being hypocritical. i think the whole ideology behind the push for "diversity" is racist. they really only mean diversity of color, not of thought background, or country of origin.

BeautifulNerd219 · 09-12-2009, 08:55 AM

Aww. That reminds me of a girl in my class last year. The WHOLE year I thought I was the only black. Then, she comes back angry from the counselor saying, "I didn't get the scholarship b/c I didn't look black enough!" 1. you would NEVER know she was part black but after you realized it, it made sense 2. I hope that didn't happen to her, but my best bet would say it did.

I mean, you're biracial, people are dumb and make me wonder what's the problem with applying for a scholarship you qualify for? Are they gonna give you half the money? It's really dumb esp. when someone NEEDS the money.

Gaby3 · 09-12-2009, 09:22 AM

I used to see the with photos. I had a friends who's son was light skinned but obviously black. The school he went to always used the darker complexion black students in their advertising, his photos never quite made the cut. That was over 10 years ago though, I think things are changing.
I read a report that said that bi-racial students sometimes don't get the same scholarships as students that put just "black", but most of the time it didn't matter.If I find it I will post it.
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/conten...00001/art00008
I also think with smaller scholarships,more local, that there is still a dislike of black/white unions, by people on both sides and if they had a choice, might not pick that person. I do feel that is changing as more and more people are mixed, but some things take time.

crimsonchin68 · 09-12-2009, 01:48 PM

wow. i didn't know being biracial was a DISADVANTAGE. i have a white/african american friend who thought it would at least be partially advantageous, but now...maybe not.

Virtus. · 09-13-2009, 03:55 PM

^ Me too. Because statistics for bi/multiracial students is usually very low.

But now I don't know. I mean, I could simply say I'm black. That's basically what I am and what I've been considering myself.

crimsonchin68 · 09-16-2009, 06:16 AM

yea lol, i've decided to just check all that apply. get in or don't get in to my top choice is not the biggest deal. i like everywhere i'm applying so it doesn't matter too much in the end.