How do I dress for the interview?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
21

<p>dmurphyviv, I may be part of your "potential peer group" but get over it. We won't hang out if we both matriculate. You won't like me 'cos you'll think I'm immature. I won't like you because you think I'm immature, and both reasons are immature in itself.</p>

<p>I'm not trying to "stick it up to the man." I'll wear what I want. There's this little thing called freedom. I appeared just fine. If I offended my interviewer because dressing as I am is juvenile, then I offended my interviewer. My interviewer will offend me, in turn, by expecting me to be a shade of conformity.</p>

<p>I'm not being rebellious. If I wear the clothes I always wear to meet someone who is supposed to meet ME (and not the formulaic perfect little student I'm supposed to be), how is that rebellious?</p>

<p>This reminds me of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead." I feel like Howard Roark, though I'm not nearly as brilliant, as I'm arguing.</p>

22

<p>You completely miss my larger point. I'm not condemning you as a human being, I just find it stupid that you turned Columbia2002's simple advice into a controversy. If you have this much passion go play an instrument, or write a book, or do volunteer work. Don't waste a bunch of people's time by beating a non-issue into the ground.</p>

<p>And no, your reference to literature did not add to your credibility.</p>

23

<p>"There's this little thing called freedom."</p>

<p>And Columbia has the freedom to reject you because you dressed like a douchebag at your interview.</p>

<p>As we've all said, you are lucky that it didn't offend the interviewer. (and you never know if you really didn't offend him, just because HE was also dressed casually.)</p>

<p>"If I wear the clothes I always wear to meet someone who is supposed to meet ME"</p>

<p>Do you plan to wear torn capris to your wedding or a wedding of a friend/relative? To a funeral? To job interviews in the future? There's a time and a place for everything.</p>

24

<p>"And no, your reference to literature did not add to your credibility."</p>

<p>It just drives home the pseudointellectual point.</p>

25

<p>"And no, your reference to literature did not add to your credibility."</p>

<p>Bravo! I award Mr. dmurphyiv and Columbia2002 with awards for thinking they know everything!</p>

<p>Thinking, of course, being the key word.</p>

<p>I'm wasting your time because you're letting me. Stop responding to me, then, if you don't want your time wasted.</p>

<p>"If you have this much passion go play an instrument, or write a book, or do volunteer work."</p>

<p>Check, check, and check.</p>

<p>"And Columbia has the freedom to reject you because you dressed like a douchebag at your interview."</p>

<p>I hardly call what I wore is of douchebag quality. But of course I'm going to think that; I made those pants after all. I can't show off one of my passions to my interviewer? Columbia can go ahead and reject me. I won't mind very much; I have other choices.</p>

<p>"Do you plan to wear torn capris to your wedding or a wedding of a friend/relative? To a funeral? To job interviews in the future? There's a time and a place for everything."</p>

<p>I didn't realize that all these occasions called for the same outfit. For a job interivew, I'd dress to fit the environment. For a wedding, I'll wear what the bride/groom requests. To a funeral, I'll wear whatever color it's traditional to wear. There IS a time and place for everything, including my apparently immature and disrepectful outfit.</p>

<p>"And no, your reference to literature did not add to your credibility."</p>

<p>I didn't realize my credibility was at issue here. You guys truly and holistically are uptight. I can't even say that I feel like a fictional character from a relatively popular book that happens to my favorite of all time because all these arrogant birds of a feather (to use a hackneyed phrase... or actually, more like rocks of a granite) assume.</p>

26

<p>"For a job interivew, I'd dress to fit the environment."</p>

<p>Now you're totally contradicting yourself. How does this square with "I'll wear what I want. There's this little thing called freedom."? You're proving yourself to not only be a rebel but also intellectually bankrupt.</p>

27

<p>YAWN. I think that was pretty much the response that everyone expected. Columbia 2002 and I are arrogant jerks. You, the free spirit/piano virtuoso/pulitzer prize winning author/liberator of impoverished nations/burgeoning intellectual, are represented by a pair of torn pants (as we've already heard). And of course, Columbia 2002 and I are solely responsible for prolonging this escapade because we responded to your misguided tangent. </p>

<p>Everything worth saying has been said, and so I officially declare this discussion dead.</p>

28

<p>"the free spirit/piano virtuoso/pulitzer prize winning author/liberator of impoverished nations/burgeoning intellectual"</p>

<p>Again, assuming that I think I'm so superior. And it's the response that I pretty much expected; you'll degrade my character/intelligence/whatever else simply because I didn't wear a pair of slacks to an interview. <em>yawn</em> Next clone, please?</p>

<p>"Now you're totally contradicting yourself. How does this square with "I'll wear what I want. There's this little thing called freedom."? You're proving yourself to not only be a rebel but also intellectually bankrupt."</p>

<p>Right, because it's contradictory that if I went to a wedding, I'll want to wear something wedding-worthy. Therefore, I'll wear what I want and what <em>I</em> think is appropiate. Again, where are you getting this rebel idea? It's not like I'm going with my hair painted or dressing obscenely. Because I decided to dress casually, I'm intellectually bankrupt. Ah, the medieval syllogism makes a comeback!</p>

<p>And because I'm ever-so-eager to have my credibility analyzed because it absolutely has to do with everything, see you at the bitter end, Peter Keating(s)!</p>

<p>And I concur. Discussion dead.</p>

29

<p>wear something sophisticated but right for your age. an outfit that screams 'I AM WORTHY OF THIS SCHOOL, MAN! ACCEPT ME!'</p>

30

<p>how casual is casual dress? would jeans be acceptable or not? my interview will be at his house...</p>

31

<p>I don't think jeans are appropriate attire for an interview no matter where it is. You can't go wrong with a nice pair of slacks or skirt and a blouse or sweater.</p>

32

<p>I'm gonna have to agree with ColumbiaMom and Columbia2002 on Effulgent's situation. It is in your best interrest to present yourself as a professional. You are more than welcome to express yourself too...noone is asking you to take out any earings, tongue rings or anything else of the sort but you do need to show that you are ready to get past the immature attitudes of highschool and on to college life. I would suggest that you do not come to columbia because people usually dress in a quite sophisticated manner here in general and everyday. People at schools like this are going to be the leaders of tomorrow, as corny as that sounds, and start acting like it beginning at college...and that constitutes speaking appropriately, dressing appropriately and carrying urself in a professional manner. What you do with your friends is a different story, but what you do in ur professional life, starting with your college interview must be done respectfully and within the bounds of what is appropriate for the situation as you said yourself.</p>

33

<p>Oh! I dressed in jeans for my Brown interview, but I had a dress shirt with a wool sweater. My interviewer told me that this interview was going to be really casual.</p>

34

<p>that seems fine.....as long as the person tells you the meeting is casual then its ok...but good job in still dressing up slightly....its better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed. Besides its brown anyhow :-P</p>

35

<p>
[quote]
You, the free spirit/piano virtuoso/pulitzer prize winning author/liberator of impoverished nations/burgeoning intellectual, are represented by a pair of torn pants (as we've already heard).

[/quote]
Aaahahahaha! This is one of the funniest things I have ever read. Very well worded. If you ever become a comedian, I'm here to say that I supported you from the beginning.</p>