Should I put my race on my college application?

Is the race section mandatory? One of the most common misconceptions is that you are required to disclose your race when applying via the Common App. In fact, this section is optional, and you can submit a completed Common Application without answering these questions.

Do colleges see your name?

By default, no one but you can see any of your own information. You’ll decide whether to share your name and other information with the colleges you are interested in, or planning to apply to. Different colleges may or may not collect or use your information.

Can colleges find your TikTok?

Can colleges look at your TikTok? Absolutely. Like anything you put on the internet, it’s possible for college admissions officers to access your TikTok. Setting your account to private does not guarantee that your videos will stay that way.

What does your surname say about your ancestry?

Your surname meaning can help you discover many interesting things about your ancestry, including your last name origins and nationality. However, you can find so much more behind the name. In addition to ethnic last name origin, you will discover if your name is habitational, occupational, or descriptive.

Do race and ethnicity matter when applying to college?

Both categories shouldn’t matter as far as being accepted to the college, or in anything else in life. However, they do matter, as people make assumptions about you based on perceived race.

Can my school see my information on My my Colleges list?

Schools do not have any access to your information until you add them to your My Colleges list. At that point, they can see only the information you have filled out for their school. They cannot see other schools to which you are applying.

How did people come up with their last names?

As communities grew and societies developed, the distinguishing names became fixed. People also started passing a certain name from generation to generation, creating the origins of a family name. The story behind the surname depends on the society’s priorities at the time people started adopting surnames.

It behooves students to be forthright when denoting their race on college applications. Race is certainly a factor in the highly selective college admissions process. Anyone who tells you differently isn’t telling it like it is. But race is not just the check box that many perceive it to be.

Is race more than a check box in the admissions process?

The fact is that race is more than a check box in the highly selective college admissions process. If you’re 3\% African American according to some DNA kit and your name is Jason Chen, you’re not fooling anyone with your African American heritage.

Does TCU consider race in its admissions decisions?

As a private institution, TCU does consider race in its admissions decisions. “In navigating the complex college admission process, students ought to ask any college that interests them if and how the school factors in race. TCU is up front with prospective families about the use of racial and ethnic identity in the admissions process,” he says.

Should you check the “African American” box on college admissions?

College admissions officers are more likely to perceive your checking the African American box as trying to gain an unfair advantage. They will see it like it is — and it will be to the detriment of your candidacy.