*Loan,banking and credit>>>credit application

Why do we ask "What race/ethnicity are you?" on job, mortgage, credit applications, etc. if it doesn't matter?

On a day when the "N" word is being buried symbolically, I think we should really try to improve our lives as Americans and stop asking people what "race" they are. We are human beings. Are we or are we not a country that is trying to move forward? I think that is one HUGE step in the right direction. What do you think?

I don't think it should make any difference what race we are as far as our abilities to do a job. I think under the race section we should have a box that says..........human.

It matters for marketing purposes, identification, and to be able to show that you don't exclude because of race. Statistics are collected and kept on how many people of particular race buy, apply, etc. They are not necessarily used to discriminate. Racial groups have slight differences in values that make them buy or respond to different marketing strategies.
I am Canadian...I have never seen that asked on a job or credit application here.. I mean, If you got to the job interview, they will know what race you are, right...I don't have a mortgage so I wouldn't know...
The first answer is correct. It is really used for marketing purposes. Additionally, our society likes to be a part of something, which includes checking a box. Unfortunately, there aren't enough boxes anymore!
Government studies.
So they can say, x amount of hispanics did this, x amount of whites did this.