Question about nationality

[xdianaax]

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So on my app, I have no idea what to put. I have some people telling me to put white, and some telling me to put African American, and the rest telling me to put other. I'm Egyptian, that's a Canadian citizen, and an American resident. LOL. I have no idea what I'm going to put and I thought maybe you guys would have some insight on this. Any input will help, thanks a million!🙂

 

[DailyDrivenTJ]

Canadian and American can be any race. If they are asking you to specify a race, I would think you ain't black unless you are black. Do they have "others:________"??

 

[fajitapita]

You would put other. Then below it you will be asked what country you were born in (Egypt) and how long you've lived in the U.S. You're not African American, unless you are acutally black AND descended from Africa.

 

[t man]

you're of african descent, obviously, since you are of egyptian descent... but you're an international citizen, right? do you even get the option of listing your ethnicity? if you are an american, i'd say put down african american if that's the ethnic group you identify with. you might as well get the aa advantage if you can.

 

[ColdFish]

being Canadian is sooo hot right now.

 

[litldime]

So on my app, I have no idea what to put. I have some people telling me to put white, and some telling me to put African American, and the rest telling me to put other. I'm Egyptian, that's a Canadian citizen, and an American resident. LOL. I have no idea what I'm going to put and I thought maybe you guys would have some insight on this. Any input will help, thanks a million!🙂

I would say other and then if you can further explain put Egypt/ Egyptian...I'm from Africa as well but clearly black...

But I don't think you classify as African American and I don't think you classify as white either....so I would go with other... this is a tough one

what do you normally put down on forms/ other documents?
-LD

 

[litldime]

you're of african descent, obviously, since you are of egyptian descent... but you're an international citizen, right? do you even get the option of listing your ethnicity? if you are an american, i'd say put down african american if that's the ethnic group you identify with. you might as well get the aa advantage if you can.

but dont you think when the interviewers see her she'll have to explain why she put down african american? if you can sucessfully explain it, then you're good but what if they don't agree?!
-ld

 

[DDSY]

but dont you think when the interviewers see her she'll have to explain why she put down african american? if you can sucessfully explain it, then you're good but what if they don't agree?!
-ld

Objectively speaking she is African American. Egypt is in Africa. That is proof in itself.

 

[xdianaax]

See what I mean!!! I'm so lost! I mean some people tell me if african american and black are two different options DEF put african american. If they have only black listed, then put other, and if they have black/african american, it's up to me to pick that one or other, or white. I mean I don't know how each really affects me. I usually put white, but my academic advisor told me that listing AA, or other puts me into a different applicant pool, and increases my chances...I have no idea...I didn't even think it made a difference...lol

 

[shamrock2006]

Is it really going to matter? at an interview...if you put "african american" on your aadas...and you say..well i'm really egyptian or black or whatever...it's not like that is going to keep you out of d-school....its a bogus formality really. I personally think no document should have a section asking your race/ethnicity/religion/anything of the sort...it's pointless and only fires up people's tempers when they feel they are getting the short end of the stick b/c of their bloodlines.

 

[amichail]

So on my app, I have no idea what to put. I have some people telling me to put white, and some telling me to put African American, and the rest telling me to put other. I'm Egyptian, that's a Canadian citizen, and an American resident. LOL. I have no idea what I'm going to put and I thought maybe you guys would have some insight on this. Any input will help, thanks a million!🙂

I am also Egyptian... I put African American on my app! That's the beautiful thing about Egypt, you can be whatever you want and geographically back it up (african american/ middle eastern/ white/ whatever)! Sorry to put it so bluntly

 

[xdianaax]

I am also Egyptian... I put African American on my app! That's the beautiful thing about Egypt, you can be whatever you want and geographically back it up (african american/ middle eastern/ white/ whatever)! Sorry to put it so bluntly

Sweet!

 

[dmd2011]

Sweet!

you said you were Egyptian and a Canadian citizen. that makes you African, but not African American.

 

[xdianaax]

Yeah, I decided i'm putting other and then filling the blank in with egyptian. I'll let them decide for themselves what I am...lol...i'm a poor lost soul

 

[IdiotsAnnoyMe]

Yeah, I decided i'm putting other and then filling the blank in with egyptian. I'll let them decide for themselves what I am...lol...i'm a poor lost soul

You're African Canadian.

 

[OceanBlue]

You can argue that you're african american, but I think you're pushing the envelope. Putting African American on the sheet, people tend to associate you with Black Americans....you don't have the same "history". I think if I'm a person interviewing you, I think you're trying to score some misrepresented points. Just my opinion.....

 

[xdianaax]

You can argue that you're african american, but I think you're pushing the envelope. Putting African American on the sheet, people tend to associate you with Black Americans....you don't have the same "history". I think if I'm a person interviewing you, I think you're trying to score some misrepresented points. Just my opinion.....

"Yeah, I decided i'm putting other and then filling the blank in with egyptian. I'll let them decide for themselves what I am...lol...i'm a poor lost soul"

 

[reapply2007]

You should call AADSAS or ADEA DAT help desk and see what they have to say.

 

[diane07]

If you put black but don't look black . . . it may be more awkward than it's worth to argue that Egypt is in Africa and that's why you put that you were African. First impressions are important, and you don't want adcoms thinking you misrepresented yourself. Keep it simple. Put "other" & "Egyptian" and it may end up being an interesting conversational piece.

 

[Loop]

You would put other. Then below it you will be asked what country you were born in (Egypt) and how long you've lived in the U.S. You're not African American, unless you are acutally black AND descended from Africa.

LOL, I find it hilarious how politically correct weve become that we dont even accurately define things anymore out of fear. A couple of instances...

A friend of mine was born in England, and is a canadian citizen, but is forced to classify himself as African American on papers. His family hasnt lived in Africa for hundreds of years, and hes certainly not American. Hes just going to school here.

Another guy that I previously knew was an Afrikaner(or as some people mistakenly label the entire group, Boers). As in a person of dutch descent whose family has lived in South Africa for the last 300 years. His family moved to the United States when he was still in grade school. He is African, he is American. But....if he put african american on an application I imagine he would get rejected for misrepresenting himself.

All they really want to know for "nationality/race" on these applications is your skin tone. They then decide if your skin tone is considered underrepresented or financially impaired. The real ironic thing about this all is the black English/Canadian guy has an extremely wealthy family with both parents being lawyers. Last I knew, the South African white guy lives with his parents still in a one bedroom apartment barely getting by.

My real point to the OP is this. The system is cumbersome, misguided and open to interpretation. Maybe if schools become brave and just flat out ask you for a picture of your skin tone or just asked if you were black rather than "african american" things would be a bit more clear. You can use the confusion of the system to your advantage though. I know a lot of businesses claim to want diversity but really all they care about is numbers on a piece of paper to fit their quota. I imagine many schools are the same way. If you are technically african american on a piece of paper, thats good enough for them. But, if you put african american on your application, things could get tense when you show up at a black college trying to prove your case. In situations like this honesty is of course the best option. If the paper asks if you are black, and you dont consider yourself black, then dont check it. If it asks if you are african american, then check it.

Ive been to Egypt and I've seen a LOT of grey area from the American racial system viewpoint. I mean, no wonder Egyptologists of all colors argue till they are blue in the face of what racial category ancient Egyptians were. Makes me wonder why they cant remove their heads from their hindquarters and realize its a mixture.

 

[armorshell]

African American is a politically correct term for someone who is black. It doesn't have anything to do with being from africa (at least not in the last few generations), and it certainly doesn't have anything to do with being from america.

Note that the OP, an egyptian from Canada, is considered african american, where if I were born as a 1st generation immigrant to South African parents in Iowa, I would be considered white.

 

[amichail]

Here is a picture of two egyptians at a church gathering:
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/wp-content/egyptcandle.jpg
We come in all different shapes, sizes, and COLORS!

 

[aggie-master]

I work for a university in Texas and I just looked up the official definitions, as Texas A&M University defines them.

You fall into this group.

W - WHITE, NON-HISPANIC - A PERSON HAVING ORIGINS IN ANY OF THE
ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF EUROPE, NORTH AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST OF THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT.

Here are the other definitions:
B - BLACK, NON-HISPANIC - A PERSON HAVING ORIGINS IN ANY OF THE BLACK RACIAL GROUPS OF AFRICA.

H - HISPANIC - A PERSON OF MEXICAN, PUERTO RICAN, CUBAN, CENTRAL OR SOUTH AMERICAN OR OTHER SPANISH CULTURE OR ORIGIN, REGARDLESS OF RACE.

I - AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE - A PERSON HAVING ORIGINS IN ANY OF THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA AND WHO MAINTAINS CULTURAL IDENTIFICATION THROUGH TRIBAL AFFILIATION OR COMMUNITY RECOGNITION.

O - ASIAN OR PACIFIC ISLANDER - A PERSON HAVING ORIGINS IN ANY OF THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF THE FAR EAST, SOUTHEAST ASIA, THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. THIS AREA INCLUDES, FOR EXAMPLE, CHINA, JAPAN, KOREA, THE PHILIPPINES ISLANDS, AND SAMDA.

X - OTHER (anyone not in the groups above)

 

[artsyme]

If you believe you identify with being African American, I would put that. Plus, it does give you an advantage in the application process, quite frankly.

When admissions officers interview you, they should not ask you to explain your nationality because that is considered discrimination. As curious as they may get, they are not going to ask you "so could you explain how you are african american" because that is not supposed to be a deciding factor and would also give the school a bad reputation.

In addition, IF an officer happens to ask you such a question, are they going to jot down in their interview notes "does not look african american, like she claims"? highly doubtful.

 

[dantheman2007]

In terms of applications, an Egyptian immigrant is not an American minority.
An American minority is one that has been oppressed by America. These groups include, Alaskans, Native Americans, Hawaiins and African Americans.
This is a very sensitive issue. If someone attempts to even consider himself a minority when not it will be seriously dealt with by the admissions committee, such as an immediate withdrawal of your applications to dental school.
This isn't meant to scare anyone, just a friendly warning by someone who doesn't want to see someone shunned by dental schools. It has happened.
Best of Luck

 

[dantheman2007]

good post by aggie master.

 

[AZ2thDOC]

Why don't you put on your application simply "human" and leave it at that?🙂

 

[reapply2007]

I just checked google earth. It turns out that Egypt is in Africa. You should call AADSAS and/or ADEA DAT folks for clarification of what they are asking. They might not be asking if your relatives were slaves in the Americas. They may simply be asking if your ascestory is of African extraction of any era. I seem to recall it is even a toll-free call.

 

[amichail]

An American minority is one that has been oppressed by America. .

mi·nor·i·ty Spelled Pronunciation [mi-nawr-i-tee, -nor, -mahy-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, plural -ties, adjective
–noun
1. the smaller part or number; a number, part, or amount forming less than half of the whole.
2. a smaller party or group opposed to a majority, as in voting or other action.
3. a group differing, esp. in race, religion, or ethnic background, from the majority of a population: legislation aimed at providing equal rights for minorities.
4. a member of such a group.
5. the state or period of being under the legal age of full responsibility.
–adjective 6. of or pertaining to a minority.

That is the definition of minority... Not once implying OPPRESSION!
FYI: there were Egyptian slaves... who do you think built the pyramids!

 

[dantheman2007]

the minority question asked on applications is not for demographic reasons it is to note the underprivileged and unrepresented nationalities in America

 

[gatormichigan]

So on my app, I have no idea what to put. I have some people telling me to put white, and some telling me to put African American, and the rest telling me to put other. I'm Egyptian, that's a Canadian citizen, and an American resident. LOL. I have no idea what I'm going to put and I thought maybe you guys would have some insight on this. Any input will help, thanks a million!🙂

african american might open more doors ....... why dont you write in your essay something about being egyptian so that at your interview its not like this person "thought" she was black-african

 

[lnsip9reg]

African refers specifically to Sub-Saharan Africa in these types of forms. I am assuming you are Egyptian-Arab descent. Arabs and Persians are considered Caucasian in the United States and not a minority.

Still sucks that Arab-Americans get racially profiled 🙄

If you have any Sub-Saharan African blood in you, be it via Southern Blacks, Caribbean Blacks, Nigeria, whatever, you can call yourself of African descent. If you are an Afrikaaner, i.e. Caucasian in say South Africa, you are expected to put Caucasian as your race.

 

[Loop]

In terms of applications, an Egyptian immigrant is not an American minority.
An American minority is one that has been oppressed by America.

Irish Americans and Asian Americans, rejoice? Refer to mid 19th century. No, your definition doesn't hold water. amichail's definition is accurate.

This is just another exercise in how stupid the racial division system is. I mean, look at the 4 classifications you posted. Notice where Indians are? They are either white or asian, I guess the choice is up to them? Hopefully one day people realize the fallacy of this system. There are many so called "White" ethnic groups who are underrepresented in dental school as well. Not all "White" people arrived on the Mayflower.

 

[dantheman2007]

Applications to graduate schools are different than applying for a credit card when asking your nationality and whether you are considered a minority.
My Aunt is Co-Dean of a psychology graduate school and she and all graduate schools try to attract minorities that are underrepresented and underprivileged such as Native americans, Alaskans, Hawaiins, African Americans. Asians and Hispanics are not considered minority groups to graduate schools
Some say that Jews should be a minority because there are only 5 million in the U.S.. Yes, they are a minority in number but not in race nor are they considered a minority by graduate schools.
Don't attempt to play that card; this is taken very seriously by admission committees and they know when you are being dishonest

 

[amichail]

When it comes to minority applicants to proffesional schools... Admissions commitees are not trying to right any wrongs of past oppression! They are simply trying to level out the proffesion... There are studies made proving a significant increase in patient-doctor trust relations when the patient "looks" more like the doctor... That is why dental schools use the term "Under-represented" minorities... for there are certain groups that are under-represented in the dental proffesion! If you don't follow what I'm saying then your never going to get it!😛