Do we have to wear a suit to interviews?

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rav4182

rav4182

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Are suits the norm for interviews? what if we dont have $$$ to cough up like that

would a nice shirt/tie with slacks work?
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rav4182 said:
Are suits the norm for interviews? what if we dont have $$$ to cough up like that

would a nice shirt/tie with slacks work?
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YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST WEAR A SUIT AND TIE!!!! You can get a suit for as cheap as 80 bucks and it can be worn multiple times. It doesn't have to be tailored and doesn't have to be silk. It doesn't have to be expensive but under no circumstance do you go to your interview without one, even if you are a 4.0, 25 DAT. Going without one would be the equivalent of kicking a puppy in the face.

Also, get your haircut a couple of days before your interview, not the day before. You MUST shave ALL facial hair, assuming you are a man or a very hairy lady. And for the love of Gob, do not douse yourself in enough perfume to the point you are ignitable. In fact, be safe, and forget the cologne.
 
haha aelian you're funny. gonna rock those interviews.
 
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you dont have $300.00? or any means of getting it by next month are u serious?
 
rav4182 said:
Are suits the norm for interviews? what if we dont have $$$ to cough up like that

would a nice shirt/tie with slacks work?
Click to expand...

You'll just have to cut back on stuff to buy a suit. Sacrifices, or you can borrow a suit.
 
DQLEUCD said:
You'll just have to cut back on stuff to buy a suit. Sacrifices, or you can borrow a suit.
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:thumbup:
To OP, are you expecting many interviews? If you only have one or two, it may be cheaper to rent. I would think that it would run you 60-80 bucks (I've never rented a suit, so if I'm off, I apologize). If you have like 3-5, then make an investment in a suit. Believe me, there are always good deals and mark downs. 300 dollar suits for 80. Start looking now, not the week before your interview.
 
what would girls have to wear? a suit also?
 
You don't HAVE to wear a suit, but you will feel a little out of place without one. Out of all of my interviews I saw one student without a suit. He wore dress pants and a tan blazer.
 
savers, goodwill, borrow one from a friend...
 
googlygrape said:
what would girls have to wear? a suit also?
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From what I saw at my interview, a girl will wear something similar to a suit, don't know what they are called. Ladies suits? Pant suits or skirt suits. Wear a ladies jacket over a very nice blouse, high wasted skirt, slacks. Whatever it is that Hillary Clinton wears. And if you wear a skirt, make sure it is below the knees. You can wear a loose neck, but no boobage. Remember, professional and smart over sexy. Be conservative, which isn't to say you can't be pretty. And DON'T apply makeup like it's cream cheese on a bagel. There is a fine line between classy and being a hybrid McDonald's trollop.

And oh yeah, no tie necessary. Maybe a small necktie or accessory but nothing over the top.
 
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I was wondering If dress paints, shirt, tie, and a sleeved v-neck sweater would be acceptable especially in areas where it will be 100 degrees during interviews, but from the opinions here, I guess not.
 
On the other hand a monkey suit would make a more lasting impression.
 
um a lot of ppl dont have $300 to spend in this economy. some of us have bills to pay. oh well, i'll manage
 
rav4182 said:
um a lot of ppl dont have $300 to spend in this economy. some of us have bills to pay. oh well, i'll manage
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You can often get a used, fitting, and yet good-looking one at the thrift store sometime for less than a tenth of a new suit.
 
The girls can wear literally whatever they like as long as its business attire. The guys pretty much gotta dress for in interview....suit and tie. Oh and girls and guys please dont do the black and white flight attendant look, the interviewers actually notice what your wearing and they really do like a little creativity on the interview. A little color in the suit, tie, or shirt will not hurt.
 
my friend applied early decision to a medical school so he bought a suit, kept the tags on it and then returned it....haha i mean its not exactly the right thing to do but its an option if you're really strapped for cash :cool:


also, i read somewhere that women should not wear high heels to interviews. i have an issue with this, and i dont really see how heels would be offensive to an interviewer unless worn with a mini skirt and halter top. can anyone confirm/deny the truth in this
 
I've had some good luck with the "Italian" suits they sell on Amazon for about $100. Of course, I probably have two left eyes when it comes to fashion, but they looked pretty good to me.
 
Very informative thread!
I have some questions: for ladies, it is better to wear pants or skirt?

The longest suit skirt I can find is little above knees (like touching the top edge of knees). Is it making bad impression to wear it then?
 
Just remember the fit is the most important thing about a suit. Wearing an ill-fitting suit = might as well not wear a suit.
 
DATlongshui said:
Very informative thread!
I have some questions: for ladies, it is better to wear pants or skirt?

The longest suit skirt I can find is little above knees (like touching the top edge of knees). Is it making bad impression to wear it then?
Click to expand...

Wear whatever youd like as long as its professional.
 
DATlongshui said:
Very informative thread!
I have some questions: for ladies, it is better to wear pants or skirt?

The longest suit skirt I can find is little above knees (like touching the top edge of knees). Is it making bad impression to wear it then?
Click to expand...
Be careful with length. You might be sitting in a chair without a table in front of you and you will need to be extremely aware of how you are holding your legs.

Easiest thing to do is dress like a politician. And don't forget to wear pantyhose.
 
Do you have to wear a seatbelt while driving a car?
 
I had a group interview where about 50% of the women were wearing a suit with a skirt. However, they were also in stockings. The other 50% were in women's suits (yes, they do have them).
 
Pant suits for women are completely acceptable. I actually wore a light gray one to my interviews and received a lot of compliments on it since every other girl there was dressed in black. If you have a suit with a skirt, I really don't think you need to wear one that falls BELOW the knee. I dont even think they make those. Most suit skirts fall at the knee and that is fine. Just wear hose with them. Also, heels are also acceptable. Nothing too high. Maybe 2 inches at the most. Just make sure you can walk in them. Ever girl I saw was wearing heels. Just stick to the basic colors. Nothing flashy.

Overall, we are all adults, and are looking to be accepted into a professional school. We all know what looks professional and what doesn't.
 
rav4182 said:
Are suits the norm for interviews? what if we dont have $$$ to cough up like that

would a nice shirt/tie with slacks work?
Click to expand...

Yikes, young neophyte... you have a lot to learn.

Sure, anything would work. It's close right? Imagine the time, effort and costs you spent to get that interview, a suit is a drop in the bucket. Go donate some plasma, cut some lawn, random jobs on CL, etc if you really need to.
 
To the ladies,

I just bought a black suit at Express (it was kind of pricey but I never shop so I thought I'd splurge) but I saw kind of nice stuff at cheaper stores like Ross and Marshalls, so there are definitely options. I am just a little worried that the top I bought to wear under the jacket will be a little too much on the sexy side, but I'm thinking that since most of the jacket covers it I'll be ok :xf:

Also, since there was mention of heels, I am wondering if it would be acceptable to wear fairly tall heels (they're comfortable-ish) because the pants I bought are really long. My reasoning is that I want to stand out. With the heels I will be just over 6 feet tall and I am hoping that since I am a lady, it will hopefully leave a lasting impression . Is this stupid? I think I may just roll with it and see what happens.
 
my sister got me stuff from h&m because we're the same size and they're cheap and i didn't have any near me.
 
iluvdentistry said:
To the ladies,

I just bought a black suit at Express (it was kind of pricey but I never shop so I thought I'd splurge) but I saw kind of nice stuff at cheaper stores like Ross and Marshalls, so there are definitely options. I am just a little worried that the top I bought to wear under the jacket will be a little too much on the sexy side, but I'm thinking that since most of the jacket covers it I'll be ok :xf:

Also, since there was mention of heels, I am wondering if it would be acceptable to wear fairly tall heels (they're comfortable-ish) because the pants I bought are really long. My reasoning is that I want to stand out. With the heels I will be just over 6 feet tall and I am hoping that since I am a lady, it will hopefully leave a lasting impression . Is this stupid? I think I may just roll with it and see what happens.
Click to expand...

i think its a good idea! i love when tall girls embrace their height and wear heels. :D one of my friends at school is 6 ft on her own and wears heels all the time - fierce

as for the height idk that's why i asked, all the heels i own are 3+ inch heels because i'm very short and think that when im taller i look more professional (plus if i dont my pants drag on the ground and rip before i get a chance to get them hemmed) but the consensus seems to be that low heels are better
 
iluvdentistry said:
To the ladies,

I just bought a black suit at Express (it was kind of pricey but I never shop so I thought I'd splurge) but I saw kind of nice stuff at cheaper stores like Ross and Marshalls, so there are definitely options. I am just a little worried that the top I bought to wear under the jacket will be a little too much on the sexy side, but I'm thinking that since most of the jacket covers it I'll be ok :xf:

Also, since there was mention of heels, I am wondering if it would be acceptable to wear fairly tall heels (they're comfortable-ish) because the pants I bought are really long. My reasoning is that I want to stand out. With the heels I will be just over 6 feet tall and I am hoping that since I am a lady, it will hopefully leave a lasting impression . Is this stupid? I think I may just roll with it and see what happens.
Click to expand...

If tall heels make you feel confident and strong then I think that's a definite plus in the interview! Go for the smaller heel if you want to play safe and conservative, or if it's going to be torture when you're walking all over the school during the tour.
 
I see the interview pool at the med school I am affiliated with every year.

Black Suit.....period
I could go into the black suit business and never have to work again.
White shirt, tie and shined shoes.
This is how they do it in business, and this is how it is done at interviews.
I see these kids interview, and then I see them again as students in shorts, tee shirts, and flip flops. Once you're in, do what you want. Get in first. Make the RIGHT impression, even if it is not really who you are. Don't throw away all the work in college to make some arbitrary point, and if you can't afford a suit, beg or borrow.
 
setdoc7 said:
I see the interview pool at the med school I am affiliated with every year.

Black Suit.....period
I could go into the black suit business and never have to work again.
White shirt, tie and shined shoes.
This is how they do it in business, and this is how it is done at interviews.
I see these kids interview, and then I see them again as students in shorts, tee shirts, and flip flops. Once you're in, do what you want. Get in first. Make the RIGHT impression, even if it is not really who you are. Don't throw away all the work in college to make some arbitrary point, and if you can't afford a suit, beg or borrow.
Click to expand...

Ive worked in Manhattan in midtown for over a year, in an investment bank. NO ONE wears black and white, absolutely NO ONE. Everyone wears boxed or striped shirts and pinstriped suits or something with a little color. On my interview (i went on many) there were always a couple of people wearing colored shirts and many people wore colored suits. The admissions director and several interviewers actually commented on the fact that everyone was wearing the same boring clothes and complemented me and another dude on having some color. You dont want to blend on an interview you want to stand out. You my friend are clueless.
 
klutzy1987 said:
Ive worked in Manhattan in midtown for over a year, in an investment bank. NO ONE wears black and white, absolutely NO ONE. Everyone wears boxed or striped shirts and pinstriped suits or something with a little color. On my interview (i went on many) there were always a couple of people wearing colored shirts and many people wore colored suits. The admissions director and several interviewers actually commented on the fact that everyone was wearing the same boring clothes and complemented me and another dude on having some color. You dont want to blend on an interview you want to stand out. You my friend are clueless.
Click to expand...
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
Oh, man. I can just imagine it. You walk into your room and EVERYONE is dressed exactly the same as you, in Agent Smith fashion. Unless you are about to reenact the Burly Brawl like in the Matrix, that seems pretty boring. Be bold.
You want to tell them you have some dynamics to your character...not that you just left a funeral. Have some pinstripes or be willing to wear a colorful shirt that complements your jacket, preferably not black. Something that would make you look like an interesting person to add to their student body. Catch their attention like Klutzy.
This also doesn't mean wear something outlandish. One of the deans always gets a chuckle talking about how someone came in with a completely white suit. The guy was from California, interviewing in Texas, so I guess he was forgiven.
 
setdoc7 said:
I see the interview pool at the med school I am affiliated with every year.

Black Suit.....period
I could go into the black suit business and never have to work again.
White shirt, tie and shined shoes.
This is how they do it in business, and this is how it is done at interviews.
I see these kids interview, and then I see them again as students in shorts, tee shirts, and flip flops. Once you're in, do what you want. Get in first. Make the RIGHT impression, even if it is not really who you are. Don't throw away all the work in college to make some arbitrary point, and if you can't afford a suit, beg or borrow.
Click to expand...
i didn't realize the penguin look was back in... i had 2 suits for my interviews. a black and a light gray. with the black i wore a teal shirt. with the gray i wore a white one. i think wearing black+other or white+other is much better advice than black+white.
 
Here's a wacky idea for trying to stand out: what about trying to fit the school colors into what you wear to the interview? I'm really psyched about my state school, it's always been my dream DS, and I'd like to show it in more... unique way. The colors are purple and gold, so I thought about a gold suit with a purple blouse? Lol, I suppose it'd just make me seem like a kiss-up.
 
BlueQuasar said:
Here's a wacky idea for trying to stand out: what about trying to fit the school colors into what you wear to the interview? I'm really psyched about my state school, it's always been my dream DS, and I'd like to show it in more... unique way. The colors are purple and gold, so I thought about a gold suit with a purple blouse? Lol, I suppose it'd just make me seem like a kiss-up.
Click to expand...
since you'd be wearing a blouse, how about a purple blouse and a gold hair accessory? or gold brooch (do people even still wear those? i feel like i may be the youngest person i know who knows what a brooch is hahaah).
 
Do you guys think it is okay for a guy to fro-hawk their hair? I keep my hair clean-cut and short, but didn't know if that hair style would make me appear adolescent and immature. I look really young btw (sorry if this was a stupid question, I thought this question would be fitting since this thread is more on the physical-appearance side)
 
PreDental88 said:
Do you guys think it is okay for a guy to fro-hawk their hair? I keep my hair clean-cut and short, but didn't know if that hair style would make me appear adolescent and immature. I look really young btw (sorry if this was a stupid question, I thought this question would be fitting since this thread is more on the physical-appearance side)
Click to expand...
fro hawk or faux hawk?
 
The Poet Sings said:
since you'd be wearing a blouse, how about a purple blouse and a gold hair accessory? or gold brooch (do people even still wear those? i feel like i may be the youngest person i know who knows what a brooch is hahaah).
Click to expand...
Haha, I see, the whole gambit is a bit much. I have awhile (about 2 cycles?) before I need to worry about it, but I've always thought it'd be kinda funny to ask. Your idea about using accessories is great, and far less obvious/strange than mine. ;)
 
BlueQuasar said:
Haha, I see, the whole gambit is a bit much. I have awhile (about 2 cycles?) before I need to worry about it, but I've always thought it'd be kinda funny to ask. Your idea about using accessories is great, and far less obvious/strange than mine. ;)
Click to expand...
i just really don't want you showing up like a pimp named slickback. note gold rimmed glasses with purple tinted lenses...
 
what do you guys think of a black suit, with yellow or lavendar or teal shirt, with skinny black tie?
 
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