First impressions count. To make sure you are spot on at your business school interview, follow these top tips from our admissions experts:
Clothing
Dress conservatively:“When in doubt, dress in a conservative, well-tailored suit,” Dan Bauer, chairman of admissions consulting firm MBA Exchange, said to Business Insider. “MBA applicants rarely go wrong dressing like a banker.”
Don’t make a statement with your clothes: no loud colors and no big prints.
A good-fitting suit:“Brooks Brothers still works but so does J. Crew as long as it’s not a tight-fitting suit,” John Byrne, founder of Poets and Quants, a site devoted to MBAs and business schools, said to Business Insider.
No suspenders: This look has been ruined by the movie Wall Street and you’ll likely to come off as an “arrogant ass,” said Byrne. “That faux pas would get you rejected as fast as saying, ‘I want an MBA so I can become rich,’” he said.
Ladies, be modest: Skirts should hit the top of your knee. Don’t show your thighs or your cleavage. Dark colors are also preferred.
Mike Nudelman/Business Insider
Business casual:If the school specifies “business casual,” men should dress in a sports coat or sweater and collared shirt with no tie. For women, it’s a conservative dress, skirt or pants with a blouse or sweater.
And remember…“It is always better to dress more formally than less so,” said admissions coach Scott Edinburgh.
Mike Nudelman/Business Insider
Top tip: You will likely keep your jacket on so wear something comfortable and breathable.
Shoes
Plain, dark colors:Wear either black, cordovan or dark brown, and make sure you pick a shoe that most compliments your clothing.
Samantha Lee/Business Insider
Hair
Don’t make an edgy statement: No crazy cuts, unnatural dyes, or dark roots.