Attractiveness Bias in the Interview: Exploring the Boundaries of an Effect

Relationships were explored between interviewer evaluations of college applicants and the academic credentials, facial attractiveness, sex, and academic majors of applicants. Photographs of 506 randomly selected applicants were rated on attractiveness. Two criterion variables were examined: interviewer evaluations and the final admissions decision. There was a small but significant bias toward attractive applicants in interview evaluations but not in the actual admissions decisions. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores and high-school rank were the best predictors of admissions decisions.