Hello! So I have my first college interview this week and I have to admit I am freaking out a little. Not only am I busy preparing my resume, answers to questions, etc, but I am also having a hard time coming up with proper attire!
A bit of background… My interview is at URochester. I’m a future physics/astronomy major. Female. The URoch website says for summer months that business casual is appropriate. So I have a couple options. The first one is just a summer dress and simple black heels, no issue… I know I could wear it and it’d be good to wear.
But I have another outfit which I really want to wear but I’m not sure its appropriate. It’s a formal-ish black blouse, simple black heels (low, closed toe) and galaxy pants. Yes, galaxy pants. Now before you get all crazy, they’re not leggings, and they’re not really jeans- they look a lot like that “chino” style except a bit tighter.
Put together I think it makes me look like an enthusiastic future science applicant, but I don’t want to appear as inconsiderate or as if I am not taking the interview seriously.
Also I’m sure this might seem like a bit of a stupid topic but please, help a gal out! And maybe it’ll help other high schoolers preparing for interviews
Wear whatever YOU feel most comfortable and confident in! Typically, I’d say that URoch is the kind of place that appreciates people who are passionate about what they’re doing and, for the most part, clothes usually aren’t a focus. My girl wore leggings, combat boots, and an oversized sweater to her interview there four years ago. It was her first choice and the only school she applied to. I’m sure she communicated her enthusiasm for the school through her words and actions, if not particularly through her wardrobe choice. She’ll be graduating this spring.
When my D did interviews she wore casual dresses or skirt/top, as though she were having a nice dinner with family but NOT as dressed up for church or job interview.
Ask questions and open up about yourself! And have fun!
I think many lose sight of the purpose of the interview. It’s to see how interested you are in their program and they might want to find something else about you.
Be comfortable and confident. Wear something that makes you feel that way. They are not judging you on what you are wearing. No one is getting in because they had a nicer businesses suit on. Just no jeans, t-shirts, nothing to revealing. If someone invited you to a nicer dinner, what would you wear?
At an interview, you don’t want to be giving much thought to how your clothes are being received, or have the interviewer thinking much about them. There’s too much else to think about. You just want the interviewer to mentally check off the box “Appropriate”–as in neat, not too casual or too fancy. I suppose for some schools, programs, or applicants expressing a little more personal style might help, but usually not.
Having never heard the phrase “galaxy pants” before this thread, I can’t comment on how they fit into the equation.
I would go with outfit #1. Demonstrate interest with your words and enthusiasm, not your pants.
FWIW my D wore (depending on the season) a nice (modest) sundress with cardigan and wedges or black slacks, a nice blouse, and dressy black boots with a heel and they all seemed to go well.
As an alumni interviewer, I care not one iota what you wear. If you are comfortable wearing it to meet with me, it is by definition appropriate. Because most of my interviews are after school, I explicitly say that whatever the interviewee wore to school that day is fine; in my area, that generally translates to jeans and a T-shirt.
If the website says business casual for on-campus interview, you don’t want to come in t-shirt and jeans. Anyway after a quick google search on galaxy pants, I would also recommend option #1.
I told D, who is a senior at Rochester this year, about your conundrum. She said, “Be yourself. If yourself likes the galaxy pants and feels confident wearing them, wear the galaxy pants! And be prepared to talk about your love of space how that ties into them.” Rochester prides itself on being just a little quirky and loves students who are passionate about their interests.
Thank you all for your replies Although I personally think the outfit #2 would be fine (I promise the pants are not crazy lol, they’re not as bad as ones that come up from a google search) I think I will stick to something safer, like a sundress (modest) or anything else I can come up with through my closet and show my space nerd side through an astronomy necklace or something
The main thing is to not have your clothes be distracting…neither too casual nor too formal…i think the galaxy pants would be distracting. Make sure to wear them to class though
I made my kid take off very bright nail polish. I also told her to wear something conservative and no big jewelry. She took off the nail polish, but ran out of the house with a big necklace on. She later told me that she had to be her. I don’t think her interviewer cared.
I am going to say no galaxy pants.
@astromae2001 My advice is to show your interest in science with your resume and in your achievements, not in a your fashion sense (which some may consider immature.). Scientists giving lectures or attending symposiums dress professionally and while you can be business casual for sure, wearing pants that are tongue in cheek is not best for an interview. It is like actors auditioning for a role who are tempted to dress up like the character. That’s a big no-no if you want to be taken seriously. Good luck!
