I agree this varies widely. My daughter really only needed the one black blazer (which she wore with a skirt or pants) for 4 years of college - including 2 six-month co-ops.
Both of her co-op jobs were informal attire (as is her current actual post-graduation job). She wore the jacket for interviews (including Skype interviews), job fairs, and maybe one or two work occasions where she had to dress up. She didn’t have one club or activity in school where she had to dress up. There was one semi-formal annual school function she went to (and wore a “party” dress).
The pattern continues as she only dresses up once a year now for a fancy holiday work party. The blazer is collecting dust in her closet (and her skirts are in my house not hers). Over two years post graduation and her company is so informal that she is never required to dress up in business attire. Her company actually tells job candidates not to dress up when coming for interviews.
^^ makes sense. S is a business major in a business frat and needs to dress in business attire weekly (Suit and tie - no sport coat - they wear the sport coats for mixers).
re the need for business attire. Post #39 and others got it. I guess business majors could use it but the rest of the college crowd does not. I am of the opinion business is far too concerned with appearances, btw. The caliber of the student (or professors) has nothing to do with dress in most college fields. I imagine there are some more formal campuses than others, especially where Greek life matters but certainly not everywhere.
Son went for his first CS job’s interview wearing a tie but took it off shortly after arriving he said. At that place he wore woven shirts (long/short depending on weather), even when interfacing rare times on client visits (medical electronic records, went to some clinics in his career there). Now he is in super casual Seattle and even polo shirts seem too dressy I think.