Visit Weekends - What to expect/wear etc.

[Simmelove]

I have a couple of prospective student weekends coming up and am extremely nervous.  Could anyone provide insight, please?

[uselesstheory]

Also, to tack off of this question -- how "weird" of an appearance is acceptable? Is a nose ring okay to keep in? Tattoos would be hidden, but I have a pretty interesting haircut, which I can't change, other than making sure it's a natural hair color. I haven't encountered any problems before, but I don't want my first impression to be distracting or unprofessional.

To respond to the question: I'd say a nice shirt and blazer with a nice pair of dress pants or corduroys. You don't have to wear a suit, for one, but a blazer is always a safe bet (I don't know your gender, but for anyone, it works).

Edited February 24, 2015 by uselesstheory

[Sarochan]

Business casual is a good place to start. Blazers are definitely a good option (of course paired with nice pants/slacks or an appropriate skirt), but nice cardigans can work too. Comfortable shoes are a very important thing! On my last visit, I was on my feet for a good portion of the day, and was very glad I decided against heels.

 

I would remove a nose ring, personally. I think a lot of people would be fine with it and not care about it, but you never know if you'll run into someone who doesn't like that kind of thing.

 

Your visit is probably to try to familiarize you with the area, the program, and the faculty and other students (and maybe to help convince you to attend!) You'll probably have several short interviews with professors (or something similar), get shown the campus/facilities/etc., have a chance to talk to current students about their experiences, or meet with the director of admissions/your program to learn about the program and what kind of classes you would take, research you would do, and what's expected of grad students. (Wow, that was a long sentence! Sheesh.) You'll probably get some sort of schedule that will tell you what's going on, and might be paired with a current student who helps you find where you need to go. Other things that might happen could be a meal with faculty and other students, or even a party!

 

I hope this helps ease your anxiety.

[Simmelove]

Also, to tack off of this question -- how "weird" of an appearance is acceptable? Is a nose ring okay to keep in? Tattoos would be hidden, but I have a pretty interesting haircut, which I can't change, other than making sure it's a natural hair color. I haven't encountered any problems before, but I don't want my first impression to be distracting or unprofessional.

To respond to the question: I'd say a nice shirt and blazer with a nice pair of dress pants or corduroys. You don't have to wear a suit, for one, but a blazer is always a safe bet (I don't know your gender, but for anyone, it works).

 

Thank you for your response!  Bloomington is quirky so I think you should be just fine with the nose ring and interesting haircut!  Knowing the faculty there, they will probably see your unique appearance as a positive thing. 

 

I worry about making a bad impression too.  I'm an insomniac and know I won't sleep being nervous about visiting and all, especially with early start times.  I hope I don't blow it.  Do schools ever revoke acceptances?  I worry about things like this...

[Simmelove]

Business casual is a good place to start. Blazers are definitely a good option (of course paired with nice pants/slacks or an appropriate skirt), but nice cardigans can work too. Comfortable shoes are a very important thing! On my last visit, I was on my feet for a good portion of the day, and was very glad I decided against heels.

 

I would remove a nose ring, personally. I think a lot of people would be fine with it and not care about it, but you never know if you'll run into someone who doesn't like that kind of thing.

 

Your visit is probably to try to familiarize you with the area, the program, and the faculty and other students (and maybe to help convince you to attend!) You'll probably have several short interviews with professors (or something similar), get shown the campus/facilities/etc., have a chance to talk to current students about their experiences, or meet with the director of admissions/your program to learn about the program and what kind of classes you would take, research you would do, and what's expected of grad students. (Wow, that was a long sentence! Sheesh.) You'll probably get some sort of schedule that will tell you what's going on, and might be paired with a current student who helps you find where you need to go. Other things that might happen could be a meal with faculty and other students, or even a party!

 

I hope this helps ease your anxiety.

Thank you so much for your informative response!  What can I expect from the faculty interviews?  How should I prepare for these?  Any tips on making a good impression?  Thank you again!

[Darth.Vegan]

These are sociologists, unless you are specifically interviewing for an acceptance, casual dress is fine in my opinion. 

 

Tattoos and piercings are not a problem. 

[uselesstheory]

Thank you for your response!  Bloomington is quirky so I think you should be just fine with the nose ring and interesting haircut!  Knowing the faculty there, they will probably see your unique appearance as a positive thing. 

 

 

These are sociologists, unless you are specifically interviewing for an acceptance, casual dress is fine in my opinion. 

 

Tattoos and piercings are not a problem. 

 

Thank you both -- I suppose I shouldn't worry too much, since I've already accepted the offer, anyway, and after thinking about it more, I agree with both of you. These were very helpful responses!

[MaxWeberHasAPosse]

I have a tattoo on my neck! I've been worried about it.

[Sarochan]

Thank you so much for your informative response!  What can I expect from the faculty interviews?  How should I prepare for these?  Any tips on making a good impression?  Thank you again!

Well, I hope it was helpful in some way. As for preparing, uh.... I don't really know what to suggest beyond possibly reading papers they've published/looking over their research, being attentive to what they're saying and being responsive/engaged?

[letstalkshop]

I'd concur that casual is fine and noserings are also fine. 

[seekingsun]

Remember, for visit weekends the "power" has now shifted. Departments have already admitted you to their program, now they are trying to woo you to choose them! You should represent yourself truthfully because you wwant to decide are there people there that you like? Is this the place you want to spend the next 5 to 8 years? If you aren't representing yourself truthfully, with your wild mohawk, your your nose ring, or your transgendered self, what happens when you arrive on campus in the fall and you find out that the faculty mentor that you have put all your eggs in one basket as a mentor is totally freaked out? You want to discover that while you're still have choices.

That said, mostly people are dressed neatly with some as fancy as business casual, but mostly just nice jeans and a sweater. You're going to be walking around a bunch, getting campus tours etc. so comfort is more important than fashion. It's ok to look like a college student.

[Maleficent999]

I concur with the above that dressing casual is fine. I, personally, wore dark jeans and a fitted blazer with a nice blouse underneath. Be prepared with a 1-2 sentence description of your research interests. That's my biggest advice. You'll be asked 100 times.

Edited February 25, 2015 by Maleficent999

[amlobo]

I would call my dress for visits "smart" casual.  I wore dark jeans, a nice shirt, and cardigan... or a nicer sweater if it was cold.  I only saw a few people who "dressed up" but everyone at least made an effort to not wear their worst-looking clothes.  Tattoos, piercings, colorful hair/cut... all fine.  I'd say the main thing is that you want to feel comfortable while you're there.  You will have some long, activity-packed days!  The only preparation I did was come up with some questions to help me in decision-making and made appointments with profs I wanted to work with.  I found the profs generally wanted to know about my research interests or the kind of work that interested me; I never felt like I was under a microscope or anything.  

 

Just relax and remember, you're the one choosing them now!

[Simmelove]

Thank you all so much for your responses and help!