I'm half-Asian, what should I put in for race?

[premed3445]

Hi.

I'm half-white, half-Asian, and though I'm going into my sophomore year in college, I'm wondering that when the time comes to apply for medical school, what race I should mark.

I understand that most applications nowadays would allow me to enter more than one race, but I'm concerned that because I have Asian ancestry, then that would hurt my chances as I'm not an URM.

Would I be discriminated against, so to speak, due to affirmative action? I mean, my name is completely European-sounding but I'm worried that if I mark "White" or "Multiracial" and adcoms see that my mother's name is Asian-sounding then they would count me as an Asian for admission purposes. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my ancestry, but I know that they might look down upon Asians (as opposed to Caucasians) since they're "over-represented."

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[mspeedwagon]

Definitely go for "white." If you are Asian, you better have some ridiculous numbers (I live in CA... so trust me on this one). Don't worry about what your mother's name sounds like.

 

[docelh]

Everyone, it's that radioactive Asian. Repeat, stay away from the radioactive Asian.

that's not how the process works.

 

[premed3445]

Definitely go for "white." If you are Asian, you better have some ridiculous numbers (I live in CA... so trust me on this one). Don't worry about what your mother's name sounds like.

Yeah, I'm all too familiar about that, haha. I just really hate having to overcompensate on GPAs and extracurricular activities (I'm not implying I'm not doing it, I'm already doing it) just to make up for the probable "shortcoming" (in the adcom's opinions) that I'm part-Asian. I have friends who go to UC schools and friends from California; I'm all too familiar with the number of Asians in California.

 

[premed3445]

Everyone, it's that radioactive Asian. Repeat, stay away from the radioactive Asian.

that's not how the process works.

How does it work?

I'm wondering, because for college admissions, schools consider race as a means to improve "diversity" on college campuses. Asians, overall, are an over-represented minority as they make up only 5% of the population yet they have a higher proportion in some colleges. I would expect it to be similar in medical schools.

How much of a factor does it count in admissions, If at all? Are they going to dock GPA by .2 and MCAT scores by 5 for admission purposes?

Don't get me wrong; I'm not being hostile, I'm just wondering.

 

[peripherin]

Applying as an Asian wasn't so bad this cycle. I did not feel that I was racially discriminated against, although one of my interviewers made some racial comments towards other Asians. It was awkward. Granted, I did not check the optional ethnicity check boxes - preferred to just leave them blank.

 

[docelh]

How IT works is that it will be tough to get into a Cali med school period. A few bonus points for URM, but if you're white or Asian, it will be tough. Period.

If you do get an interview, do you have Asian-looking features?

Given how many Asians work in the profession, don't you think the medical establishment has kind of blurred the distinction between chan and doyle?

 

[premed3445]

How IT works is that it will be tough to get into a Cali med school period. A few bonus points for URM, but if you're white or Asian, it will be tough. Period.

If you do get an interview, do you have Asian-looking features?

Yeah, I already anticipated that for a California school. And I'm not from California (but not too far away), which makes it even worse (if I apply to California schools) since most accept only 10% of OOS students. UCSF and USC is better, but UCD and UCI don't accept any OOS students.

I'm fair-skinned (as in white), and the only Asian-looking features I have would be my black hair and my eyes (which are only very slightly slanted, but round for the most part). I don't look completely Asian or white. I guess I could pass off as Eastern European, if at all.

Most other mixed white/Asians I've met look much more Asian than I do.

 

[docelh]

Unless you're a pretty stellar applicant from a Top 10 school....

 

[premed3445]

Unless you're a pretty stellar applicant from a Top 10 school....

Or if I apply for a MD/PhD program, which much of that 10% of OOS students are in. I did find that out from contacting the UCSD SOM's admission director.

 

[premed3445]

Applying as an Asian wasn't so bad this cycle. I did not feel that I was racially discriminated against, although one of my interviewers made some racial comments towards other Asians. It was awkward. Granted, I did not check the optional ethnicity check boxes - preferred to just leave them blank.

Congrats on getting into Case Western Reserve, btw. I hope that it won't be so bad in the 2012 cycle (2012 sounds bad in itself); would you feel that it would be wise if I marked multi-racial or Caucasian, or just leave the optional ethnicity check boxes blank altogether?

 

[munchymanRX]

Just select multi-racial or white. Either will do fine.

 

[osumc2014]

Hi.

I'm half-white, half-Asian, and though I'm going into my sophomore year in college, I'm wondering that when the time comes to apply for medical school, what race I should mark.

I understand that most applications nowadays would allow me to enter more than one race, but I'm concerned that because I have Asian ancestry, then that would hurt my chances as I'm not an URM.

Would I be discriminated against, so to speak, due to affirmative action? I mean, my name is completely European-sounding but I'm worried that if I mark "White" or "Multiracial" and adcoms see that my mother's name is Asian-sounding then they would count me as an Asian for admission purposes. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my ancestry, but I know that they might look down upon Asians (as opposed to Caucasians) since they're "over-represented."

I never understood this, if asians are over represented, then wouldn't Caucasians be super over represented? would they get discriminated against? that logic doesn't make sense

 

[Cyradis]

I never understood this, if asians are over represented, then wouldn't Caucasians be super over represented? would they get discriminated against? that logic doesn't make sense

Asians are far more over-represented than caucasians relative to how many there are in the total population.

For example, if 10% of society is asian and 70% is white, you would expect 7 times more white doctors than asian, but there would only be like.... 3 times more (totally made up numbers, but you get what I mean)

 

[lord_jeebus]

As a fellow half asian...

If your last name sounds asian, mark "white." If you look asian in your picture, mark "white."

Otherwise, leave it blank.

One school that accepted me sent me a personalized letter from their Latino student organization (I look kind of hispanic and my last name is often misinterpreted as such)

I think I think being identified as asian is less of a disadvantage than many premeds think (and less of a disadvantage than I thought it was when I applied). Nevertheless, I think my above recommendations are the safest route.

 

[Evergrey]

I am biracial: South Asian and Caucasian. I actually talked about this quite a bit in my personal statement because it has a lot to do with my outlook on life. I've always thought of mixed race people as "straddling the fence." It sucks. I hope it doesn't hurt me, but I can't hide who I am and why I am the way I am. I'll let you know how things turn out in a year

 

[Jet915]

Yeah, definitely mark "white." You want to avoid reverse discrimination if you can help it....

 

[RB93]

.

 

[Cyradis]

So if you are 100% asian, would it best to leave these fields completely blank? Does it really matter? (I think from your name they'd be able to tell)

If your name is like "Ming Chung" or something, I don't really think it matters. If it's something a bit more ambiguous like "John Lee", then don't put your race.

I'm asian and I wish I had known this -_- I put my race down because I thought it was purely for statistical purposes.

 

[RB93]

If your name is like "Ming Chung" or something, I don't really think it matters. If it's something a bit more ambiguous like "John Lee", then don't put your race.

I'm asian and I wish I had known this -_- I put my race down because I thought it was purely for statistical purposes.

Hmm interesting. Do you think it hurt you in the process (that they used it to screen you out/separately)? Adcoms wouldn't hold it against you for not filling those fields in right?

 

[LizzyM]

When I read applications, I seldom look at the applicant's name and I rarely bother to look at race/ethnicity although it might catch my eye as I look at stuff I really care about. You will find schools who want the best applicants without regard to race and you may notice that some schools have a great many Asian students. I think that if there is a reason that Asian students are less likely than others to be offered admission it is because the "why medicine" question is handled poorly or because there are other reasons to believe that the applicant is being pressured from home to become a doctor.

 

[premed3445]

If your name is like "Ming Chung" or something, I don't really think it matters. If it's something a bit more ambiguous like "John Lee", then don't put your race.

I'm asian and I wish I had known this -_- I put my race down because I thought it was purely for statistical purposes.

Hmm... are you required to mention your parents names at all on the AMCAS? Or can you just mention one parent? My mother's first name is blatantly Asian.

 

[Myuu]

I'm half-white, half-asian, if that's what we're calling it. I put both. Hilariously, the registrar has me down as ASIAN (in actually giant bold caps, no joke!), so I suppose that's what these people think I am.


Put whatever you feel accurately reflects you.

 

[LizzyM]

Hmm... are you required to mention your parents names at all on the AMCAS? Or can you just mention one parent? My mother's first name is blatantly Asian.

You can choose to skip that section. You can list only one parent but then it seems as if you were raised by a single parent (adopted, maybe?? not that there is anything wrong with that) or that you have have some big rift with your parent... it raises questions that shouldn't matter but do, even if only subconsciously. If you mention your "missing" parent in an essay then it seems even more odd. If you are going to exclude a parent, then exclude them both... on the other hand, I don't really care what the parents names/ethnicity are. If you list yourself as white or "blank" but list that you had two choices as a kid: physician or engineer, I'm going to go on alert.

 

[ColonelTigh]

Is there a worse race to put on the AMCAS than asian? Just from this forum, can tell there is lots of stereotyping, score expectation, "too much of those people in medicine", that is a lot of baggage dude...do the right thing OP, don't put a bull's eye on your back if your name isn't too asian

 

[premed3445]

You can choose to skip that section. You can list only one parent but then it seems as if you were raised by a single parent (adopted, maybe?? not that there is anything wrong with that) or that you have have some big rift with your parent... it raises questions that shouldn't matter but do, even if only subconsciously. If you mention your "missing" parent in an essay then it seems even more odd. If you are going to exclude a parent, then exclude them both... on the other hand, I don't really care what the parents names/ethnicity are. If you list yourself as white or "blank" but list that you had two choices as a kid: physician or engineer, I'm going to go on alert.

Fair enough then, I'm not excluding any parents. And I want to be a physician out of genuine interest in medicine (and in helping others)- my parents never pressured me to go to medical school (or to pursue a specific profession, for that matter), and actually support me on my decision to be a pre-med.

 

[Web MD]

Wait it out another year, you're only a sophomore. You shouldn't have to worry about changing ethnicities until at least junior year. By the way, I recommend native american when your application cycle comes around - it's a solid pick

 

[Jasp]

Im sort of in a similar situation. I would go with what everyone else said, in regards of marking down the less represented race. Luckily for me Im White/Hispanic, im definetly putting Hispanic on my app.

 

[Nymphicus]

Im sort of in a similar situation. I would go with what everyone else said, in regards of marking down the less represented race. Luckily for me Im White/Hispanic, im definetly putting Hispanic on my app.

lol...

 

[EMS5]

Shade in half of the white circle and half of the asian circle