<p>Depends on the environment. Dressing nicely is a norm at more conservative schools like Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>It’s not ‘looking down’ as in you’re worse than them, it’s just a first impression judgment. “He puts in a lot of effort to wear expensive clothing, is he trying to show off? Might be arrogant…” that sort of stuff. You stand out like a sore thumb amongst a crowd of Abercrombie drones.</p>
<p>The college I’m going to be attending next week has a pretty casual style and I’m going to have 5-10 buttondowns I’ll wear regularly, around 5 Ralph Lauren polos, and a few Aeropostale shirts along with a few pairs of cargo shorts. Dress ‘casual nice’ and put on a friendly face and nobody will think the worse of it, just don’t dress “prissy nice” and walk around as if you aren’t open to conversation.</p>