Replies to: "Race" in College Applications FAQ & Discussion 12

• #1

  cappex Registered User Posts: 515 Member

  December 2015

  It would nice to have some labeling

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• #2

  lostaccount Registered User Posts: 4,591 Senior Member

  December 2015 edited December 2015

  If you were born in the US, how are you Asian? Am I missing something? Can you explain?? Also, isn't saying you are Asian like saying I am European? Aren't there more differences across different countries of origin then similarities? If born in the US why aren't you just American???

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• #3

  GMTplus7 Registered User Posts: 14,567 Senior Member

  December 2015

  The term "asian" has different connotations. It can denote geography or race.
  
  Just like the term "slow" has different connotations. It can refer to low velocity, or it can refer to the intellectual inability to grasp a concept that is obvious.
  
  
  
  

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• #4

  lostaccount Registered User Posts: 4,591 Senior Member

  December 2015

  Well this one is none too obvious!

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• #5

  bjkmom Registered User Posts: 6,964 Senior Member

  December 2015

  My son was adopted from Korea at the age of 7 months.
  
  He's an American citizen; he no longer has Korean citizenship.
  
  But he is Asian.

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• #6

  GMTplus7 Registered User Posts: 14,567 Senior Member

  December 2015

  If you were born in the US, how are you Asian? 

  .
  
  American-born racially asian people are "asian-american", but most people just lazily say "asian", just like they lazily say "gas" for "gasoline", even tnough it's a liquid.
  
  

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• #7

  simba9 Registered User Posts: 3,101 Senior Member

  December 2015

  Most of the "*-American" terms are used to identify those who are American but aren't white, although I have heard a small number of people describe themselves using terms like Swedish-American or Italian-American.
  
  I personally hate the "-American" terminology. It divides people up into ethnic tribes.

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• #8

  wisteria100 Registered User Posts: 3,631 Senior Member

  December 2015

  @GMTplus7 Lol. Thanks for a good laugh

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• #9

  lostaccount Registered User Posts: 4,591 Senior Member

  December 2015

  So if someone's ancestors came from an Japan 6 generations ago they are still "Asian"? How about if your ancestors came from Ireland 6 generations ago. Are you Irish? What is it about "Asian" that results in that being continued whereas those with Irish ancestors identify as American?

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• #10

  elliebham Registered User Posts: 876 Member

  December 2015

  Plenty of people in the US identify with their Irish heritage even if they've been in the US for generations.

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• #11

  wisteria100 Registered User Posts: 3,631 Senior Member

  December 2015

  Nationality is different than race.

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• #12

  skieurope Super Moderator Posts: 35,125 Super Moderator

  December 2015 edited December 2015

  So if someone's ancestors came from an Japan 6 generations ago they are still "Asian"?

  Yes.

  What is it about "Asian" that results in that being continued whereas those with Irish ancestors identify as American?

  Because Asian is a race. Ireland is 95% white/caucasian. If one of them moved to the US, they'd still be white.

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• #13

  TomSrOfBoston Registered User Posts: 13,773 Senior Member

  December 2015

  I have always considered myself Irish-American even though my ancestors came over in steerage 150 years ago.

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• #14

  GMTplus7 Registered User Posts: 14,567 Senior Member

  December 2015

  So if someone's ancestors came from an Japan 6 generations ago they are still "Asian"?

  
  Yes, they're still racially asian. But if their ancestors moved to Peru, then they are asian hispanic, like Alberto Fujimori, former Prime Minister of Peru, is.
  
  Hispanic is the only category w arbitrary rhyme & reason.
  
  

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• #15

  coffeeaddicted Registered User Posts: 438 Member

  December 2015

  How much does the way someone looks influence their racial classification?
  
  I am half white and appear almost exclusively white, but my siblings (both same parents) are much darker than me. It's to the point where I check the "white" box and my sister checks the "other" box, when you can only check one.
  
  My mom is half black, half Asian and my dad is white. Would I check off just white; white, African-American, and Asian; or white and African-American because that would give me an advantage? My mom only checked off African-American when she was applying to college, but I feel like for me this is unfairly gaming the system, since I've never dealt with the racial discrimination that black people (like my mom) have dealt with.

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