Dress code for Uni interviews/visit days

[snowyowl70]

Having just got her first interview for Uni DD1 is now worrying about what to wear ! She has to wear business wear for school so has a trouser suit and skirt/jacket if needs to be formal but is casual more usual ? She will be mortified if she gets it wrong :(

[PiratePanda]

Am I too late to pitch in? I'm a lecturer and do admissions at a Russell Group university.

Smart, but not a suit is the way to go - a nice dress and a jacket, or trousers, shirt and nice cardigan; that kind of thing. Boys do tend to wear their "business-wear" uniforms, but not women.

That being said, she should also wear something she's comfortable in. I'd overlook dirt and patches (maybe not smelliness ;-) if the student's intellect shone through.

[PiratePanda]

(God, that sounded like we care what students wear to interview - actually, we don't. It's the mind that counts, nothing else. But we all know that subconsciously clothes can sway people, and why risk it?)

[snowyowl70]

Thank you PiratePanda that's really helpful. Thank you.

[Milliways]

My DD did MFL and got offers from Southampton, Bath, Warwick, Durham & Cambridge. She wore a skirt & blouse to her interviews - Not a suit skirt but a smartish one, and quite a fancy blouse (I would have gone for more formal) - but is was what she was comfortable in. Her 6th form did not have a uniform.

DS wore his school suit because that is what he was used to, but both saw lots in Jeans as well as high fashion.

Good luck!

[UptheChimney]

Thing is, as an academic, I suspect if I'm swayed at all by what applicants are wearing (such influence would be utterly minimal, I hope!) I'd be more put off by high fashion/too smart, than jeans and a tshirt.