<p>Tie? Seriously?</p>
<p>Please, if a program states casual dress, that there’s “no need to dress up,” or to “dress however you feel comfortably,” then a neat pair of jeans is entirely acceptable.</p>
<p>To be honest, I would raise my eyebrow at someone who wears “a suit or at least nice pants, shirt, tie, and jacket” (ESPECIALLY suit, tie, or jacket) to anything stated as being casual dress.</p>
<p>Wow, I am really surprised you guys don’t see this at the same level as a job! Look, if there is some dinner or casual hangout, then ok with a nice pair of jeans a shirt. But I completely disagree with the “comfortable” look. How would you think about an applicant if you are a faculty member interviewing someone?</p>
<p>If they want casual, that is one thing. If it says nothing about style, then at least business casual. Nothing less…I just don’t see how you can dress to an interview in a non-professional manner.</p>
<p>
That someone who dresses up when “casual dress” is stated either doesn’t follow suggestions or is way too strung up.</p>
<p>
Most graduate school interviews are meant to be relaxed and, as interviews go, rather unprofessional.</p>
<p>Relaxed does not mean jeans. Sorry, there is a big range in between a suit and a pair of jeans that would more befit an interview. Relaxed means the interview itself is relaxed, not the dress style.</p>
<p>seriously, most profs don’t give a **** what you wear. that being said, i would feel uncomfortable in jeans as no one else would be dressing that casually. wearing a suit is definitely overdressing though.</p>
<p>As I’m packing to leave for the interview tomorrow, I finally decided to wear a white shirt with a cardigan and suit pants, because wearing a suit jacket will probably make me feel somewhat overdressed and uncomfortable according to what other experienced people suggested here 
Is this good enough?</p>
<p>^ Yes, of course.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>katalytik, congratulations on providing completely off-target advice… [post=1063904177]again[/post].</p>
<p>did this forum just censure me?!? boo!</p>
<p>Maybe if you read what I wrote, you wouldn’t need to put down asinine remarks. I said if the school states something specific, then that should be followed. If it is not written, it is better to overdo than make assumptions. Maybe you need to learn some English.<br>
yes, you krytonsa36 – just in case you don’t realize I am referring to you.</p>
<p>That you think grad schools would go without establishing dress codes for interviews, when this is an issue so obviously fretted over by invitees, is pretty astounding.</p>
<p>Also, kryptonsa36, I guess you are also an MD so you can discuss medical school admissions with me? I am certainly ready to do that if you are actually a physician.</p>
<p>uhh, you do realize that this thread concerns PhD interviews and not med school, right? </p>
<p>btw, i think this is the first argument of thread. congrats!</p>
<p>@neurohopes</p>
<p>good point about UNC and chapel hill. and I’m not sure about a track for VCU. perhaps pharmacology because that’s what I’ve been doing. I think it’s a lot more about liking the lab and your PI than the actual subject of the lab. What about you? Dead set on a specific lab?</p>
<p>Hey Kryptonsa36: Thanks. I got my answer. Casual is fine (even jeans). Just talked to a Prof. about it.</p>
<p>WOW, you to need to stop the forum fighting… not worth it. </p>
<p>This is what you need to know about atire:<br>
If you want to wear a suit and feel professional… DO IT (some professors might like it)
If you want to wear a slacks and a nice shirt… DO IT (you will fit right in)
If you want to wear jeans and a ripped Tee… DO IT (but expect to feel underdressed, if you care)</p>
<p>I also believe that depending on the school and program, the standard of wear will be different. For interviews at IVY type schools I’m wearing suits. At cali schools definitely not. Just do what feels right</p>
<p>I went out and bought a suit but I’m probably going business casual. Remember these are science professors - we tend to be much less concerned with flashiness and more with what you’ve done and can do. That said, I’d opt slacks over the jeans, but won’t be wearing a suit. Keep it professional - bring multiple outfits and ask the other people around you in your hotel (if the school is putting everyone in the same one) what they’re wearing.</p>
<p>Sorry to those who think otherwise but I think it would be quite a mistake to wear jeans at an interview. I don’t care about graduate or research culture in general being casual or whatever. It’s an interview. Schools are paying hundreds of dollars in your flight alone, not to mention putting you up in a nice hotel and wining/dining you. The least you could do is dress business casual, at bare minimum. That does not include jeans, even if you’re Steve Jobs.</p>
<p>I’d actually be interested to hear what you (guys) are wearing.</p>
<p>I will not have slacks but I will definitely be wearing a long-sleeved, collared, oxford style shirt with pants that are at least chino grade. Black leather shoes or similar type. No sneakers, no white or colored socks. And a blazer. It’s never a problem to overdress and you never know which professors have a traditional view about things.</p>
<p>Wear whatever you want once you’re accepted, or being recruited at a welcome weekend like BBS. There was a postdoc in my lab who dressed like a gangster. No joke. But you’d never know that when he interviewed.</p>
<p>And FWIW, krypton, you are being needlessly inflammatory. Regardless of your opinions of someone else’s advice, I feel there’s no need to call someone out like that.</p>