Race question on applications

[Amie]

Hi, all!

So I am in the process of applying for graduate schools. 
I've come across a bit of a quandary though.

Most of the applications as the Race question.  And only offer a handful of options and the word "Other" is not part of that. I am Arab-American, but there is nothing middle east related about any of the options.

One application simply gives 4 options and they are all so cut and dry:
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Asian or Pacific Islander
White
Black


That really leaves no wiggle room. I don't want to lie on my applications, but has anyone out there who has applied to grad school come across this?  Does it factor into who they can accept and who they cannot?

Just wondered. Thoughts anyone?

[SMrose]

It's been a while since I've applied for school but I thought race questions were "optional". I come across this question (and others) on the last page of job applications and the business would like you to fill in the answers but they're not required.

[zayit shachor]

It does not factor into who they accept and who they don't, thankfully.  And, questions about race are always optional (and they'll find out what race you are when you go for an interview, anyway!).

[megf]

Of course it's subject to the fine print on each application... but the race question may correspond to a scholarship, grant or fellowship the school offers. While this shouldn't have any bearing on your acceptance, it might have an influence on how they set up your funding/financial aid package.

In my opinion, it's a bit dodgy not to offer an "Other" option... particularly when the options presented cover only a narrow handful of groups.

Regardless, I agree with Matthew - contact the school in question and ask what they recommend.

[Amie]

Of course it's subject to the fine print on each application... but the race question may correspond to a scholarship, grant or fellowship the school offers. While this shouldn't have any bearing on your acceptance, it might have an influence on how they set up your funding/financial aid package.

In my opinion, it's a bit dodgy not to offer an "Other" option... particularly when the options presented cover only a narrow handful of groups.

Regardless, I agree with Matthew - contact the school in question and ask what they recommend.

Yes, that what was I was concerned with.

Thank you, all. I wil post the responses I get, just fyi.

[PSMKay]

Please do, I'll be interested to see how things have changed since I was applying for schools as a biracial student in the mid 90's.  (Back then only the most liberal school on my list had a "multiracial" option.)

[Amie]

Ah, almost forgot.

Regarding how to answer these questions: I simply called the schools' registrar's department.

Although I don't recall which schools had which answers, some said "the university requires it for demographic records but it won't affect admission", some applications did have the "Other" field to specify, one school's application did have in small print that it was important to get students of all races or something like that (I want to say that was Yale but I could be TOTALLY mistaken on that one), and some applications had enough options to where it wasn't an issue.

So, basically. I just asked and answered as best I could.