[needle]

I'm not sure, but I think my kids all checked the "decline to identify" box on their college applications, just on general principles

I still feel guilty for checking the box as an underrepresented minority when I knew full well that it would give me an advantage as far as getting into Stanford.


But I reasoned that if Stanford wants this sort of information to put together a diverse class, it's really not wrong to check the box. In a way, I would be helping the university reach a goal of racial/ethnic diversity that is, basically, I believe, a good goal.


There's "white guilt," I suppose, and there's very definitely "affirmative action guilt." EDIT: My "guilt" is a kinda-sorta-but-not-really kind, fyi, and I would encourage anyone who fits into the category of underrepresented minority to check that box when applying to Stanford (or any college).

[needle]

I'm not sure, but I think my kids all checked the "decline to identify" box on their college applications, just on general principles

I still feel guilty for checking the box as an underrepresented minority when I knew full well that it would give me an advantage as far as getting into Stanford.


But I reasoned that if Stanford wants this sort of information to put together a diverse class, it's really not wrong to check the box. In a way, I would be helping the university reach a goal of racial/ethnic diversity that is, basically, I believe, a good goal.


There's "white guilt," I suppose, and there's very definitely "affirmative action guilt." EDIT: My "guilt" is a kinda-sorta-but-not-really kind, fyi, and I would encourage anyone who fits into the category of underrepresented minority to check that box when applying to Stanford (or any college).