Do I replace my cracked iPhone screen before my interview?

[squirrelene]

I am clumsy and dropped my phone and the screen is cracked...not a spider web by any means just a hairline crack that runs like a hypotenuse tangent to the home button... I have a screen protector over it now but the bottom part of the crack that is not on the actual screen part of the phone catches the light/is noticeable since my phone is white  

Do you think this is something the admission's team will care about? I've put a lot of thought into how i'm presenting myself (i.e my suit) and don't want this to reflect badly on me... $149 is a chunk of change and i'd rather save the money if it's not a big deal? 

[TakeruK]

This will make no difference at all. Replace your screen if you want to when you have the money or the inclination to do so (for such a small crack, I'd just deal with it until I replaced my phone). You're over thinking it for admissions.

[Stauce]

Yeah, you’re overthinking it. Do what you want to do. If they evaluate you based on a crack iPhone, you probably don’t want to go there anyways.

[rising_star]

Don't replace it! Tell them you're doing the environmentally responsible thing and/or preparing for life as a broke graduate student if anyone asks. Also, no one will ask. Cracked phone screens are common these days.

[Neurophilic]

Use it as an ice breaker .  If anyone does ask that is.

Edited January 16, 2018 by Neurophilic

[lewin]

Serious point - This won't matter because (almost) nobody should see you using your phone. We had a potential grad student visiting who was playing with his phone while I was giving him the lab tour. Did not reflect well. Keep it in your pocket unless you're alone.

[PsycUndergrad]

Don’t worry about having a cracked screen.To echo the last poster, no one should see you on your phone. You’ll be busy with interviews and tours most of the time, and it definitely isn’t appropriate to use your phone while there, even if it’s just a social with grad students or something. You want to look engage and interested! 

[Oshawott]

10 hours ago, lewin said:

Serious point - This won't matter because (almost) nobody should see you using your phone. We had a potential grad student visiting who was playing with his phone while I was giving him the lab tour. Did not reflect well. Keep it in your pocket unless you're alone.

Yeah if you're concerned about people seeing your cracked phone and making a bad impression, just don't pull out your phone.

[lewin]

3 hours ago, Oshawott said:

Yeah if you're concerned about people seeing your cracked phone and making a bad impression, just don't pull out your phone.

And if someone gives you a hard time, just say you're a devoted follower of Jean Twenge's research. 

[Psychologyandpizza]

I wouldn't worry about it. You should try to be on your phone as minimally as possible anyways and keep it tucked away in a purse, briefcase, or bag, etc. Somewhere where it is not noticeable. You don't want to appear uninterested, and if a program didn't accept me because of a cracked phone screen (if they happened to see it for some reason) I wouldn't want to be a part of that program anyways.