What should I wear to a college interview?

Aim for neat, polished, and slightly more dressed up than a normal school day. For most college interviews, business casual is the safest choice. You do not need to wear a full suit unless the setting clearly calls for it.

Good options include dress pants or clean khakis, a button-down shirt, blouse, sweater, or a simple dress or skirt with a modest length. Closed-toe flats, loafers, dress shoes, or clean, understated shoes usually work well. If you want, you can add a blazer, but it is not required.

Try to avoid anything too casual or distracting, like ripped jeans, graphic T-shirts, hoodies, athletic wear, flip-flops, or very flashy accessories. You also want to make sure your clothes fit well and are comfortable, since feeling awkward in what you are wearing can affect how confident you seem.

If the interview is virtual, dress the same way from the waist up at minimum, and make sure your outfit looks neat on camera. Solid colors usually look better than busy patterns.

A good rule is that if someone saw you in the outfit, they would think you looked respectful and put-together, not like you were trying too hard. When in doubt, slightly overdressed is usually better than too casual.