Should I apply as Chinese or as Filipino? Do Filipinos benefit from affirmative action?
It depends upon which schools you are targeting. California State and UC’s are banned from affirmative action, so it will not help you. Many Midwest colleges are always looking for more diversity, so in this instance either Chinese or Filipino could help you. I would search the ethnic diversity of each school of interest so see if there is advantage over one versus the other.
At top schools that aren’t in Cali, you are not going to benefitted from applying as a Chinese or a Filipino.
Why don’t you apply as what you are? You can check more than 1 box if you are both.
Apply as Chinese.
At some midwestern schools you are a URM so it will give you a boost. At schools on the coasts, it won’t help. You can certainly put down both.