<p>I will be rowing in the early morning, then I have an interview scheduled with Wellesley. Do I REALLY have to change into business dress, or would the interviewer understand if I showed up in my workout clothes??
I deeply hate the formal dress code!!
I never feel comfortable in it..
Wouldn't it go against everybody's golden advice: be yourself?
Myself dresses casually, why do I have to wear a suit?
Is it a good idea, tho? Will my interviewer make any prejudices about me not having enough respect for her college?</p>
<p>You don’t have to wear a “suit.” You need to wear khakis and a button down. Tie and blazer will make you much more professional but not required.</p>
<p>Don’t “be yourself” with your clothing. It’s disrespectful. Do it with your personality.</p>
<p>People make a judgement about strangers within the first few second… why chance it with workout clothes?</p>
<p>^That.</p>
<p>So you should probably say this:</p>
<p>“Hey interviewer, this morning I got all sweaty and ham-faced. I didn’t think you’d mind so I didn’t shower or anything.My clothing kind of smells like crappy riverwater but s’ok, I’m sure you don’t mind. Lets talk.”</p>
<p>I am assuming you were going to shower between rowing and the interview? At least I would hope so or I would really not want to be the one interviewing you. High stink does not equal great first (and only) impression.</p>
<p>And as long as you are showering and putting on clean clothes, does it take any more effort to put on a pair of khakis or chinos instead of sweatpants, or a polo/button down/sweater than a t shirt and warm up jacket?</p>
<p>In the situation you describe, going straight to the interview in clearly inappropriate clothes, doesn’t tell the school anything about your personal sense of style, but it does tell the school that you lack mature judgment, that you lack respect for others and for situations (potential problem causing roommate?), and that your lack of effort likely indicates that you really don’t want to go there anyway.</p>
<p>And do you really want to put off the person who is giving an opinion of you to the admisisons committee?</p>
<p>In that case, why bother with the interview? If you are so unmotivated as to not even want to dress the part, maybe you should take that school off your list–it’s clear that it doesn’t matter enough to you to make you want to make your best efforts–so find a school that excites you more. And give up the interview slot to a student who really wants to go there.</p>
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<p>In particular, not required for an interview at Wellesley!</p>
<p>But the others are right: no college interviewee needs to dress like a lawyer, but no college interviewee should wear work-out clothes, either.</p>
<p>But make sure that whatever clothes you wear fit properly. Can’t count how many times I have seen high school and college age guys “dress up” in poorly fitting dress clothes. Granted, this may be because off-the-rack dress clothes are generally not made for how young men, particularly athletic ones, are built, and most high school and college age guys are not going to get custom tailored dress clothes.</p>
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<p>There is probably an exception where the “interview” is in the context of athletic recruiting, and the “interviewer” is a coach or scout who wants to see the applicant doing his/her sport (but if that were the case, the interviewer would meet the OP at rowing practice).</p>
<p>Unless it’s a coach, do business casual.</p>
<p>Oookay. So I was DEFINITELY going to shower!
I only thought that if I had a blazer/button up shirt in my backpack, they would look all wrinkled and messy when I wear them later…
Anywho. I already did my interview in khaki pants, a shirt and a vest, that I dropped at the dry cleaners and picked up after my training session…
&& my interview went GREAT, by the way…
My interviewer was really cool and laid back…she actually said that next time, she’ll come cheer me off when I am in a race!
So I think she wouldn’t have judged me much if I showed up in workout clothes.
That said, I’m quiet glad I didn’t. I had no guarantee how my interviewer is gonna be like…</p>
<p>If you are carrying “dressier” clothes in a backpack, you may want to try rolling them or using other “one-bag” or lightweight travel techniques commonly used by travelers (including business travelers) who do not want to check baggage on airlines (to avoid delays at baggage claim and risk of lost baggage).</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus: that is actually pretty smart!!
Next time, I will just roll up my clothes. Problem solved!!
&& it is true, I never find fitting business clothes. They are usually designed for women with a petit figure. I am quiet tall with a broad structure. So when something is the right length, it is always really baggy for me. When it’s the right fit, it looks so ridiculously short.
I am glad u noticed that!!</p>
<p>Own a wrinkle free dress shirt?</p>