Interview Dress

<p>In my email correspondence with my alumni interviewer, he told me the interview was intended to be casual, including dress. Just how casual is casual? What have all of you worn to your interviews?</p>

<p>My daughter, who is currently a second year student, wore an Indian tie dye skirt, a lime green tee shirt, a white cardigan sweater and pink sneakers. I was concerned that her dress was not formal enough, but obviously I was wrong. Her interviewer really bonded with her and must have appreciated her honesty in being herself.</p>

<p>Most important-- be comfortable! A simple shirt/sweater and pants/skirt, what ever looks reasonable is fine. So, for example, no ratty jeans and no 5 inch heels.......Personal style is comfort and fun.</p>

<p>Here's the idea: Assuming the interview means anything, you are trying to present yourself as someone who can contribute to / benefit from "The Life of the Mind" at the University of Chicago. There are no rules for that at all, and no one will kick you out of the interview no matter what you are wearing (unless, perhaps, you decide not to wear anything -- see early Doonesbury). But, at the extremes, you are going to run the risk of clouding the message you want to communicate with some other, possibly counter-productive message. If your clothes call attention to your wealth, your sexuality, your gang, or your devotion to a particular messianic cult, there's a chance the interviewer may never get around to noticing your other good qualities. If your clothes make you feel uncomfortable, you may come across as uncomfortable, which is usually not a good thing in interviews (although it is pretty common and rarely fatal). If your clothes make the interviewer uncomfortable, that's a little worse.</p>

<p>You are applying for the privilege of spending about $50,000 per year of your money or someone else's on a college education. If you can't figure out how to dress yourself within such broad parameters, maybe you should ask yourself if you are ready for college.</p>

<p>put your money where your mouth is and buy a grill;
20 karat, 30 stacks so they know you for real</p>

<p>Wear what you would wear to school. If what you usually wear reflects your personality or is eclectic (like newenglandparent's D), wear that. You should wear what makes you feel comfortable and what makes you feel like you. Your clothing will not only send off personality vibes to the interviewer, but it will also put you in a more psychologically familiar state of mind. Or maybe it's just me for whom dress clothes are a reason in themselves to feel nervous.</p>

<p>If you feel like your personal style might not be interpreted well (i.e. you like wearing offensive t-shirts and jeans ripped in conspicuous places) you might consider changing it up a tad.</p>

<p>I wore a button-down shirt with a collar, jeans and nice shoes. This is not necessarily what I usually wear. I found that a semi-formal style of dress made me both more comfortable and more confident. Your clothes affect your psychological state, as well as your level of formality and respect. Dress to optimise your comfort and conduct.</p>

<p>The interviewer said to dress casually, so I plan on wearing one of my nicer pairs of jeans with one of my nicer shirts. However, this is nothing that I wouldn't wear to school on a normal day, so I'll be comfortable in my interview. At my last interview, he didn't say anything, so I wore a nice skirt and shirt ("business attire," FBLA-style. :P) and still felt comfortable. Whatever floats your boat.</p>

<p>I usually dress like any urban teenage guy, but for my interview, I'll put on a button-down shirt, nice shoes, dress pants. It's a sign of respect for both the interviewer and for myself.</p>