Top 10 Tips for Dressing Smart for your College Admissions Interview

Do you want to show that you are a student who is serious about your education? Dressing appropriately for a college interview is a smart way to show respect for the official that will be meeting with you.

Donna Dilley, etiquette consultant and writer for Valley Business Front shares her top ten tips for students who wish to dress to impress:

1. Make sure the clothes fit properly before the interview. Everyone has heard the recent rapper from American Idol's Atlanta try-outs performing "Pants on the Ground". If not, go to YouTube and check it out. Gentlemen, please wear your pants with a belt and keep underwear hidden from public view. Ladies, please check clothes for proper fit also.
2. Leave hats, flip-flops, sunglasses, graphic T-shirts and jeans at home.
3. Remove any piercings except those from your ears. Jewelry should not distract the interviewer from communicating and building rapport. Too much metal and too much bling has a tendency to do that.
4.  Stick to the basics. For guys, khaki pants with a belt and a collared shirt tucked in gives a perfect look. For gals, a knee length skirt or dress slacks with a simple blouse creates a positive impression. If your interview is in the winter, wear an overcoat.
5. Wear appropriate and polished shoes. Ladies, leave the platforms with the nine-inch heels and fishnet stockings for another occasion. Gentleman, please note that sneakers do not go with the ensemble mentioned above in tip #4.
6. Avoid wearing too much cologne or perfume. 
7. Ladies should keep make-up simple and light. Gentlemen should shave or have their facial hair neatly trimmed.
8. Use an iron. Wrinkled clothes give the wrong impression about your ambition.
9. Keep your hair style simple and conservative. Avoid extreme styles and/or colors.
10. Be sure to wear a smile.

 Aside from these tips, go with a spirit of gratitude. Thank the interviewer for her/his time. Know in advance where the interview will occur and keep contact phone numbers handy in case of any unexpected emergency. Follow up after the interview with a handwritten note of thanks.

Related articles from other college resource sites:

The College Interview (College Board)

How to Nail Your College Admissions Interview (FastWeb)

College Admissions Interview Prep Tips You Can Use (CollegeView)

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Donna Dilley has been a provider of business etiquette and international protocol training for adults and well as for children, colleges & universities, governments and Fortune 500 corporations since 1994. You are invited to follow her on Twitter @donnadilley.