What kind of photo do you send in?

[robbieflick]

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Hey SDNers,

I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I couldn't find a healthy discussion on it.

I was surprised by the number of schools that have asked me for a photograph of myself. There's obviously not one right answer to this question, but I'm curious as to other's views: what kind of picture do you send in? Formal, posed, clean-shaven, made up, whatever else have you? Or something a bit lower key? Or perhaps an action shot participating in a particularly impressive EC?

Busting out the camera (and perhaps the nice clothes and razor) tonight, so looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Hey SDNers,

I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I couldn't find a healthy discussion on it.

I was surprised by the number of schools that have asked me for a photograph of myself. There's obviously not one right answer to this question, but I'm curious as to other's views: what kind of picture do you send in? Formal, posed, clean-shaven, made up, whatever else have you? Or something a bit lower key? Or perhaps an action shot participating in a particularly impressive EC?

Busting out the camera (and perhaps the nice clothes and razor) tonight, so looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

I just took a picture of myself (shoulders up) outside wearing a nice shirt. I think you should definitely try for a more formal, posed picture as opposed to an action shot, but there should be no need to spend money getting your picture done. The photos that schools had me upload were so small (like 250x250 pixels was the max) that there probably wouldn't be an enormous difference between professional and amateur pictures.

 

[robbieflick]

I just took a picture of myself (shoulders up) outside wearing a nice shirt. I think you should definitely try for a more formal, posed picture as opposed to an action shot, but there should be no need to spend money getting your picture done. The photos that schools had me upload were so small (like 250x250 pixels was the max) that there probably wouldn't be an enormous difference between professional and amateur pictures.

Definitely wasn't going to go professional on this one! Thanks for the advice.

 

[Buttermellow]

I think some schools designate a passport-sized photo, which really is only big enough to show from your shoulders up. I would shave (guys) or put on some makeup (girls) and wear nice clothes.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Definitely wasn't going to go professional on this one! Thanks for the advice.

Same here, that would have been way too much work for one tiny little picture.

Also, CO represent!

 

[robbieflick]

I did a suit and tie shot. If you need physical photos for some schools (cough GWU and Columbia cough), consider photoshopping 6 pictures into a 4in x 6in photo and then printing it from CVS. I got something like 50 passport-quality pictures of myself for less than two dollars.

Haha yes, Columbia and GWU are on my list. I used to work as a photographer and will be dusting off my old printer for those two.

@TheMightySmiter, good to hear some CO love!

 

[MT Headed]

According to the GWU thread you can email in your photo, along with your emailed application.

They just want to be able to put a name to a face and make sure the applicant doesn't have a substitute interviewer. A passport style photo (i.e. no helmet, no sunglasses) would be fine.

 

[MelonMan]

I sent a pic of myself photoshopped in with the cast of Scrubs.

 

[NickNaylor]

Just take a professional looking picture. Something in front of a plain background where you look relatively decent.

Shirtless pictures aren't recommended.

 

[MelonMan]

Shirtless pictures aren't recommended.

Well... with pecs like mine, it's not such a bad idea.

 

[kpcrew]

I just had a regular shirt on and a white background but it's just a picture of your face so it shouldn't be a huge deal. They just want a picture to see what you look like, you're not trying to impress them with how beautiful you are.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I just had a regular shirt on and a white background but it's just a picture of your face so it shouldn't be a huge deal. They just want a picture to see what you look like, you're not trying to impress them with how beautiful you are.

Only an ugly person would say this.











Jk, jk. I completely agree with your statement.

 

[DrArete]

 

[Healer of Ills]

Just take a professional looking picture. Something in front of a plain background where you look relatively decent.

Shirtless pictures aren't recommended.

Hey you could always go the Anthony Weiner route!

 

[Healer of Ills]

Woops, someone already beat me to it

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

"An embarrassing photo of me at the Christmas Party."

 

[Scrubs88]

This does seem to be pretty common practice.

 

[mejorization]

 

[b05010445]

I went into AAA, got a 5$ pass port photo. I wore a button up shirt and clipped my hair back professionally.

 

[AestheticMed]

But I want to blow them away with my ego, in which my photo shows me shirtless wearing scrub bottom.

 

[kpcrew]

Only an ugly person would say this.











Jk, jk. I completely agree with your statement.

yo check my avatar though i'm actually really cute

 

[Launcelot]

This is how it should be:

Facial expression = stone face killer

Upload & send!

 

[goldenniche]

I think you just dress professionally...maybe like how you would have done in your grade school photo day.

I don't know... I think its a no-brainer, I'm not sure what else I would possibly think of wearing. Don't they just want to know what you look like?

 

[Application Doc]

You should look and dress similarly to how you will appear on interview day. In large part, this picture will be used by your interviewer(s) and the Admissions Committee to "jog" their memories when they return to view and vote on your file, often several weeks after the interview. If you look significantly different than on interview day (ie unshaven, disheveled, casually dressed) , you may be doing yourself a disservice. You want to be remembered!

Moreover, you will be surprised how frequently this picture comes back to haunt you. At my school, it is distributed to everyone in the first year class so that you can learn to identify each other. It also appears on the roster that professors, lecturers, etc. receive prior to courses.

 

[robbieflick]

You should look and dress similarly to how you will appear on interview day. In large part, this picture will be used by your interviewer(s) and the Admissions Committee to "jog" their memories when they return to view and vote on your file, often several weeks after the interview. If you look significantly different than on interview day (ie unshaven, disheveled, casually dressed) , you may be doing yourself a disservice. You want to be remembered!

Moreover, you will be surprised how frequently this picture comes back to haunt you. At my school, it is distributed to everyone in the first year class so that you can learn to identify each other. It also appears on the roster that professors, lecturers, etc. receive prior to courses.

Thanks for the pertinent information!

Great blog by the way, I'm enjoying going through the information there.

 

[RavishingB]

I think you should send one of you just chilling on the beach in a bathing suit.

 

[robbieflick]

Just looked through his blog as well.

"her" blog

and yes, very helpful information in grappling with some of the more difficult aspects of the process. Plus it got me to google myself

 

[mrwesticles]

You definitely want a myspace-style picture of yourself in the bathroom with a backwards hat. Make a gang sign is you can, and avoid wearing a shirt. Bonus points if you can get a messy room in frame.

In all seriousness, just don't look like a slob. Think yearbook photo.

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

Passport-style face shot. Wear something nice and appropriate. Despite what we would like to believe the photos will be judged to some degree.

 

[NickNaylor]

Here's the picture that I used (minus the smiley face of course) to give you an idea of what you might want to do. I had the good fortune of being at a family member's awesome property in Wisconsin so I used that as a backdrop, but a plain background is perfectly fine as well:

 

[RookTookIt]

Definitely wasn't going to go professional on this one! Thanks for the advice.

True story: I know someone who used a picture of himself surfing where you couldn't even really see the face, it was more of a far away shot. He got accepted to plenty of places, but he had really good stats. What a douche.

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

Here's the picture that I used (minus the smiley face of course) to give you an idea of what you might want to do. I had the good fortune of being at a family member's awesome property in Wisconsin so I used that as a backdrop, but a plain background is perfectly fine as well:

I thought you were black.

 

[RookTookIt]

I thought you were black.

Ha, yeah, I feel like he should look like:

 

[kpcrew]

I thought you were black.

so by that logic dpsPanda is an actual panda and JohnnyRomanes believes that environmental reform in the political arena is an attempt to utilize the cry for a cleaner earth to gain more power and money

 

[GS Mikami]

so by that logic dpsPanda is an actual panda and JohnnyRomanes believes that environmental reform in the political arena is an attempt to utilize the cry for a cleaner earth to gain more power and money

So now you are going to tell me you are not a japanese high school girl??

 

[kpcrew]

So now you are going to tell me you are not a japanese high school girl??

it's not a phase mom, it's who i really am!

 

[username456789]

When I interviewed at the school I currently attend, the first thing our Dean of Admissions said to us to welcome us was "Welcome everyone! You are all sitting here today in part because you sent us a nice, normal, well dressed photo of yourself. You'd be surprised how many people just send us a cropped out photo of themselves doing something random."

It was one of those "haha no but SERIOUSLY" moments. He said they don't expect a professional style portrait, but a nice shirt-and-tie shot for a guy is probably in order.

 

[bonoboMD]

honestly I just had a friend take my picture in my apartment and due to the flash or something i look very orangey-red... if any schools are looking to increase their diversity with oompa loompas I AM IN!

 

[wololololololo]

Hey SDNers,

I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I couldn't find a healthy discussion on it.

I was surprised by the number of schools that have asked me for a photograph of myself. There's obviously not one right answer to this question, but I'm curious as to other's views: what kind of picture do you send in? Formal, posed, clean-shaven, made up, whatever else have you? Or something a bit lower key? Or perhaps an action shot participating in a particularly impressive EC?

Busting out the camera (and perhaps the nice clothes and razor) tonight, so looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

Just use something like your profile picture, minus the glasses and helmet.

 

[robbieflick]

When I interviewed at the school I currently attend, the first thing our Dean of Admissions said to us to welcome us was "Welcome everyone! You are all sitting here today in part because you sent us a nice, normal, well dressed photo of yourself. You'd be surprised how many people just send us a cropped out photo of themselves doing something random."

It was one of those "haha no but SERIOUSLY" moments. He said they don't expect a professional style portrait, but a nice shirt-and-tie shot for a guy is probably in order.

Wow - interesting stuff, thanks for the input.

Appreciate all the comments, this has been productive and hilarious