Confusion regarding ethnicity.

[J Five]

I'm Middle Eastern/Arabic.  I've been told by a professor that Arabic is a religion and not an ethnicity (which is why it is never listed), and that I'm supposed to say that I'm white.  However, I've always considered the term 'Arabic' to encompass it's own ethnic group.  Since this option isn't really available on applications, do I just choose 'other?'

[annab]

I'm Middle Eastern/Arabic.  I've been told by a professor that Arabic is a religion and not an ethnicity (which is why it is never listed), and that I'm supposed to say that I'm white.  However, I've always considered the term 'Arabic' to encompass it's own ethnic group.  Since this option isn't really available on applications, do I just choose 'other?'

Arabic is a religion now? 

I would put 'other' if there's no more appropriate option. 

[stjobs]

Uh, what professor, and which school? Don't answer or put other and explain in a statement.

[TerribleTTTowel]

Arabs from both North Africa and the Middle East were generally considered white for the U.S. 2000 Census.

In cases where individuals do not self-identify, the United States Census parameters for race gives each national origin a racial value. This groups Middle Eastern Americans and North African American together with European Americans as White Americans.

It's Wikipedia, but have fun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_(people)

[stjobs]

I was already aware of that. I was referring to the part about 'religion, not an ethnicity.'

[aslaw505]

I am a college admission counselor, and for our purposes, we will consider Middle-Eastern students to be Asian if they wish. They're still eligible for our minority scholarships.