sj355 wrote:
I would translate an excessively disorganised apperance, too may tattoos and piercing, chains etc to indicate someome that is paying too much attention to one's appearance and tries to state his value through it.
On the other hand a beard that is not well kept or someone that has not shaved for ages indicates an opposite problem: one should make an effort to get a life while being a brilliant student at the same time!
Huh? So what would you infer from someone with tattoos, piercings
and a messy beard?
Anyway, someone wearing a smart shirt, tie, suit and nicely polished brogues could be accused of paying too much attention to their appearance just as you accuse the pierced person!
And the conventionally smart applicant could arrive at university and then start getting into body modification!
Personally, I don't like tatoos, piercings (other than ear lobes) or scruffy beards. But I know - and work with - plenty of intelligent and charming people who fit into some of those categories.
Certainly first impressions matter, and if going for an interview one should spruce up a bit, but an interview for an academic course should primarily be about the candidate's suitability for the course and other activities that the university offers.