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n2ny
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 02:17 pm |
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My son (a junior) has an interview with the Arts & Sciences liason to Admissions at a university that he will likely apply to ED. It was arranged by an influential alum/relative who is bringing him to the school for a tour. That contact wants my son to wear a suit and tie, but I think business casual is both more comfortable and less pretentious.
Any advice? Thanks in advance.
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Wstrdg
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 02:35 pm |
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East coast or West coast? Anything west of the Rockies, go with biz casual, meaning slacks, button-up shirt with collar, tie, sportscoat, dark shoes (tie or loafer).
East coast, it depends on whether your son already owns a suit or not. I wouldn't buy one for the occasion.
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n2ny
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 03:23 pm |
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| East Coast Ivy, and he has the suit already.
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DesperateDad
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 04:53 pm |
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disagree about the need for a suit, unless he's meeting the Uni Prez, or the interview is being held at a big time legal office (or banking) in NYC. Even then, I'd probably only go with a sportcoat, but no tie, just to not obviously standout from the office culture. Otherwise, for on campus interviews with "liaisons", IMO, biz casual is perfect: khakis/dockers, polished leather shoes (unless snowing), & open collar, long-sleeved shirt. Can wear a sweater over the shirt if cold weather.
Good luck to him.
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mominva
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 05:37 pm |
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My gut feeling is consistant with Desperate Dad's, but I'd hate to discount the opinion of the influential alum/relative. If he/she has done this before, and often, I'd have my kid heed the advice.
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n2ny
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 07:41 pm |
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| Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I appreciate the help.
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WestrnMom
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 10:32 pm |
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If the alum is bringing him to the school, wear what was suggested, especially if the alumna is going to wear comparable clothing (ie suit and tie if it's a male, business attire if it's a woman).
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jocelynDAD
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Posted: Wed Feb 13th, 2008 10:47 pm |
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I agree with WestrnMom!
But for a different reason!
Obviously your rel/alum has image requirements. It is his image that he is concerned with and feels IMO that your S's attire reflects on the alum.
Ergo: wearing the suit and tie will satisfy the Alum/rel. I am fairly certain that the Liaison person has seen it all and could care less. 
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n2ny
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 05:02 pm |
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| Thanks, again, for everyone's input. The alum called his contact at the school, who recommended business casual, so crisis has been averted. Thanks again. I really appreciate everyone's advice.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 06:49 pm |
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I never recommend suit and tie for interviews, unless the student wears one on a regular basis. What tends to happen is that if you're wearing something that feels stiff, uncomfortable, and overly formal to you, you'll be stiff, uncomfortable, and overly formal during the interview. Business casual is always appropriate, even for the ivy league. Most admissions people wear "business casual" and so do most college professors. Save the suits for wall street internship interviews.
Of course, I say this as a mother whose son insisted on doing all of his college interviews wearing his standard uniform of basic black tee shirt and jeans. I did manage to get him into a NEW black tee shirt for college interviews, but that was as far as it went. (If you knew my son, you'd know he has never one to give in just because his mother is laying on the floor sobbing and begging). His attitude was "This is who I am and if they're not going to take me because of what I'm wearing, well, then it isn't the right school for me."
When he did his first interview at Reed, his interviewer was wearing a basic black tee shirt too. That probably sealed the deal for my son right then and there. On the other hand, none of the other interviewers at other colleges, (who all wore business casual, by the way) ran screaming from the room when they saw him. 
Last edited on Thu Feb 14th, 2008 06:50 pm by CarolynLawrence
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Lupine
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 07:51 pm |
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Today's Wall St. Journal has an "Ask Teri" column on "Dressing Up the College-Age Man" which is really about dressing up the senior applying to scholarships and programs.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120294307368666515.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal
This may require that you have a subscription to read it, but some articles are available without subscription, so you'll just have to try it and see if it works.
(And, as the mother of a daughter, this just isn't a topic that we spend much time on -- I noticed that all of the older girls at the State History Day competition last year had a pretty good sense of what to wear. I suspect that your average teenage girl spends, say, 3462% more time shopping for clothes than your average teenage boy. YMMV.)
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WestrnMom
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 07:56 pm |
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Carolyn, I didn't think about comfort. Boys who are in any of the musical performing arts are so used to wearing a coat and tie, it's second nature even if they don't like wearing them.
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Wstrdg
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 08:12 pm |
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The coat and tie isn't dead, it's just wounded. My son had to keep a dress shirt and tie on hand, in his cubby, last summer when he worked in a research hospital lab. If he wanted to visit patients with the doctors, the rule was "wear a tie." The doctor, however, was wearing a t-shirt. 
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Alumother
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 08:36 pm |
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My son, who has had interviews with East Coast schools this past month, solved the problem this way, entirely of his own accord as far as I can tell. He wears a pair of black chinos, a light blue and brown striped Banana Republic (i.e. kind of hippieish) button down shirt, a brown crewneck sweater, a tie peeking out from the sweater, and a pair of black sneakers with white trim.
Essentially he's dressed like himself, except no jeans, and the tie just barely visible as a gesture of respect. I am quite astonished and oddly proud that he came up with it all. Some of your sons may find this option both comfortable and still OK if their interviewer just happens to be on the conservative side.
Last edited on Thu Feb 14th, 2008 08:36 pm by Alumother
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mominva
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 09:37 pm |
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"His attitude was "This is who I am and if they're not going to take me because of ...., well, then it isn't the right school for me." "
That was my kids' perspective on SAT prep, NHS, APs and various things Mom was trying to promote  . In retrospect, they were right.
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n2ny
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 09:38 pm |
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One more question, if you wise people don't mind. As a junior, my son obvviously has not yet applied to this school. Will the interviewer want to see his transcript, SAT scores, or any other information that might be part of the application?
Thanks again.
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Deja
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 12:08 pm |
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I was able to see the WSJ article -- thanks!
If it weren't for debate/forensics/Mock Trial/Model Judiciary, my high school junior son would balk at having to wear dress-up clothes. He's used to them now (but still doesn't like them). One important skill he's learned is how to tie his own tie! 
I meet with Cornell applicants as an alum. Only one time did a boy ever wear a suit, with a tie in Cornell's maroon! Most kids have a good sense of what to wear. It's usually business casual. Sometimes I go to the student's high school to meet with them, and I always tell them not to worry about their dress. So I do get to meet with kids in jeans and t-shirts (including girls). What Cornell wants to know about the applicant has nothing to do with what they are wearing, after all.
The one issue I'll have with my son is his hair. It's gradually getting cut shorter (yay!), but it's not where I think it should be. He also has a beard and mustache.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 01:08 am |
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n2ny wrote: One more question, if you wise people don't mind. As a junior, my son obvviously has not yet applied to this school. Will the interviewer want to see his transcript, SAT scores, or any other information that might be part of the application?
Thanks again.
It's not necessary to bring a full transcript. However, do have his most recent GPA, test scores, and social security number on hand. Most schools ask visiting prospies (even just for the tour) to fill out an information card of some sort that asks for this sort of information.
A short, one page resume can sometimes be handy, although there are mixed opinions on this. Some think handing over a resume gives the interviewer a starting point, others feel that it can kind of stilt the conversation. I don't suppose, however, that it would hurt to have one on hand -- but keep it short!
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moewb
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 06:12 pm |
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On the issue of hair, do you have an opinion? My son has long hair. Cutting it short, well, I am taking serious drugs if I think he will do anything like that. The question is tie it back or not?
Carolyn, I laughed at the remark about the black t-shirt. That will be my son at each of his interviews. He's promised to wear clean, unripped jeans though. If I beg, he may wear a pullover green sweater that he's fond of. 
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 10:31 pm |
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Moewb, It sounds like we have very similar sons. My son plays in a rock band and fancies himself as a bohemian intellectual-slash-latter day hippie. His hair reflects his self-image. He did agree to get a tiny little trim before interviews, but that merely made it possible to see his eyes. 
Of course, my son's college list was pretty self-directed. He was interested in small liberal arts colleges known for having a somewhat off-beat intellectual atmosphere. He didn't stand out at any of the campuses we visited - he looked like he belonged. Perhaps if he'd been looking at a different type of college, I might have pushed him a little harder about the hair and clothing for interviews, but, the truth is, he did a pretty good job of picking out colleges that fit him to a Tee (pun intended) so all worked out well in the end.
Last edited on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 10:34 pm by CarolynLawrence
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