University Applications

What do I pick when a university application asks for my racial and/or ethnic identity and I'm mixed?

You're filling out a form for the STAR, SAT, ACT or high school exit exam and you reach the section about your racial and ethnic information.  Damn, you think, this problem again!  As a mixed kid, what do I pick?  

Personally, I hated this section of every form.  Some of them would ask me to "select the one option that best fits," but how could I pick only one?  You're not asked to pick your favorite limb when your picture is taken, so how can you report just one part of your racial and/or ethnic identity?

In a series of posts, we'll discuss the three best options for reporting racial and ethnic identity.  For this discussion, the form of choice will be university applications.  Depending on how you respond, you can turn this stressful situation to your benefit.  Who doesn't want to help their university admission chances?

Your best options are:

• selecting all racial and ethnic options applicable to you
• selecting "Other" or similar unspecified options and writing in the blank space provided: "multiracial," "multiethnic" or "mixed"
• selecting only one of your racial or ethnic identities

Over the next few days, I'll post a pro/con analysis for each option.  Stay tuned!  In the mean time, let me know what you think.  Have you had problems with reporting your racial/ethnic identity being mixed?  Got any suggestions that worked well for you?  Horror stories of really bad options?  Keep me posted!

<3 Elise "The Mixed Blogging Chick"