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Original poster

Y13 son told to cut hair for University interviews......thoughts???

87 replies

NotanOtter · 21/09/2009 20:37

Because I was [shocked]

even more so that ds thought it quite justified and said he was going to even though he loves his hair

Will put pic on profile!

OP posts:
Penthesileia · 21/09/2009 21:15

FWIW, schools have a lot of really weird ideas about what they think university interviewers care about. Eg. getting students to stress how much extra-curricular stuff they do, or how they plan to build huts in Africa, or whatever. Fact is, we only really care about the students' minds. Yet schools persist in the myths about personal statements, personal appearance, etc. Ok, I'd be offended if someone turned up in my office picking their nose. But you never know when the odd-looking, scruffy, smelly one might turn out to be a bit of a genius.

ReducedToThis · 21/09/2009 21:18

S W E D E S here by the way.

My DS1 is the same age and has masses of unruly curls which he has cut off whenever the second master reminds him it's time for a haircut. He is going for Medicine and intends to attend the interviews with short, neat haircut and trousers and jacket but not suit. I asked him if he was aiming for an Alan Partridge Sports Casual look and he just said: "Hmmm".

janeite · 21/09/2009 21:21

Nooooooooooooooo - don't let him cut it! It's lovely and I really don't think it likely to affect his chances in any way at all. He wants to be a student, not a high court judge!

Original poster
NotanOtter · 21/09/2009 21:21

thanks reduced to this....

ds looks so much lovelier with it long

good job i am not on an interview panel i could not help but love the 'different' ones'

OP posts:
ravenAK · 21/09/2009 21:21

Good grief, his hair is fine.

Probably not a good idea to turn up to interview in a Cradle of Filth t-shirt, but to suggest, in 2009, that there's a problem with a bloke having slightly longish hair? Ridiculous.

thepumpkineater · 21/09/2009 21:22

I wouldn't have thought he needs to cut his hair at all!!! Can't believe any admissions tutors would care what the student' hair looks like, they're interested in their intellect not their looks. Ridiculous. It's not the X factor....

ReducedToThis · 21/09/2009 21:25

To be honest I think the short hair will be the different.... most young men have that haircut your son has. Unless they are public school boys in which case they aren't allowed.

Original poster
NotanOtter · 21/09/2009 21:26

they said 'if (he) bends down over a piece of paper the tutors will not be able to see his face'

OP posts:
Original poster
NotanOtter · 21/09/2009 21:27

he has been told to cut it for school before

not allowed to touch the collar

OP posts:
Lilymaid · 21/09/2009 21:36

I would be surprised that any university interviewer would discriminate against boys with long hair, though I suppose there's a tiny possibility that some interviewers might have a slightly negative view at first sight (but they probably had long hair when they were your DS's age). An interviewer would be far more interested in what he had to say at an interview. The only problem re long hair is that he'd need to tie it back for practicals.

ThixotropicOobleck · 21/09/2009 21:40

rofl at 'tutors not being able to see his face when he bends over a piece of paper'

I'd be VERY gratified if, just ONE academic year, I could get through giving my lectures without having to throw a dongle at someone's Daily Mail. Someone's slightly floppy fringe - just so long as he's prepared to open his mouth from behind - is not going to worry me in the slightest.

And all the geeks nerds scientists in this university do indeed look like Partridge or that guy from the Fast Show who blows things up.

ByTheSea · 21/09/2009 21:41

I love his hair. I think it's ridiculous that he shouldn't be able to have his hair however he wants it at his age and that a decent interviewer can't look beyond it. You would think that anyone familiar with university-aged people wouldn't blink at any hairstyle.

ReducedToThis · 21/09/2009 21:44

Perhaps it depends on where he's applying? Oxbridge still has a huge number of public schoolboy applicants (and successes) relative to other universities, their message will be neat and smart; as for school. I know Penth is in Cambridge and thinks his haircut looks like her students' but perhaps they grow it like that in the holidays?

Better too smart than too scruffy, possibly?

DS1 has decided he doesn't like the look of the medicine course at Cambridge (they spend 3 years in the lecture theatre) and has therefore decided against it much to the disappointment of his Headmaster and some of his other teachers - though one or two are cheering him on. Also he says he feels like he has lived his life in a privileged bubble and wants to get away from that a bit. He wants a normal university life. I think he's right for him.

Original poster
NotanOtter · 21/09/2009 21:44

ooh i hope you are all right!!

i am clearing up his skin to make sure he looks 'fresh' but i too was horrified at the teachers suggestion

OP posts:
Original poster
NotanOtter · 21/09/2009 21:46

oooh RTT!!! I am finding it a bit 'wow' when these boys become all grown up and make their own decisions. ds dropped the medicine idea and i was a bit but at the same time as i am delighted he knows his own mind

again some folk have been shocked but his chemistry teacher was delighted

OP posts:
mustrunmore · 21/09/2009 21:47

OMG , I thought I was going to see some seriously long bad hair, but that photo is great! Not too long, not messy, doesnt make him look at all lazy or messy or anything bad at all. Absolutely no cutting please. Its inasne. Especially for university. Really, he can be perfectly presentable with that hair.

dogonpoints · 21/09/2009 21:53

I am surprised at the op. I really am.

I suppose people like to see a person's face and so that sort of flopping forward hair can cover up some personality. (Just musing)

SgtAngua · 21/09/2009 21:54

Your DS's hair looks fine, looks like most students IMO & I live in Oxford so I've seen plenty.
My DS1 (y11) has elbow length hair, if he bends over a piece of paper they may not be able to see the desk!

VulpusinaWilfsuit · 21/09/2009 21:56

But that's the thing. A bit of long/different hair does show a bit of personality. And independence. And if you did a survey of university tutors, you can predict that about 90% would put independence of mind quite high up their list of priorities, if not top...

Original poster
NotanOtter · 21/09/2009 21:57

VulpusinaWilfsuit thanks for that vote of confidence

OP posts:
ilovemydogandmrobama · 21/09/2009 21:58

I think he's lovely as he is.

Natural sciences? Probably will apply to Bristol? Everyone is shaggy round here!

dogonpoints · 21/09/2009 21:58

That's just not necessarily true, wilf. I know a lot of dullards with longish trendy haircuts just as I know some with short neat hair. I was just ponderingthe fact that if you can't see someones's face very well, you might not pick up thier personality very well in 10 minutes.

VulpusinaWilfsuit · 21/09/2009 22:00

Well, yes. You're right dogon. Not inevitably. And I do try not to judge by appearances alone, lest anyone thinks I'm busy ticking off their DCs for being utterly ordinary looking.

But I do admire people - in general - who are prepared to look different, or not care, or make an effort. In a university, of all places, I don't think the 'wear a suit, cut your hair' advice is relevant. Unless you're going into certain fields.

mwff · 21/09/2009 22:01

he looks great no way should he have to cut it.

dogonpoints · 21/09/2009 22:03

I don't think 'cut your hair' is relevant either. But do you mix with many young men, wilf? A heck of a lot of them have that shaggy forward hairstyle these days - I don't think it's wanting to look different

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