I've never really had a problem with my tattoos, but now that I know I may be targeting a conservative industry (consulting) which has a bit of an old boys network at the top, how are tattoos perceived? They are nothing crazy (i.e. no skulls, demons, naked women), but the one on my ankle will definitely be visible when wearing skirt suits or dresses. I know for those of us 30 and under, tattoos are increasingly common and not as stigmatized, but even in the confines of b-school, consulting, and certain F500's, I feel like I may end up being judged (negatively).

Last visit was: 21 Apr 2026, 06:14

It is currently 21 Apr 2026, 06:14

Toolkit

Business School and MBA

Business School Life

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Apr 23
When to Stop Studying for the GMAT and Start Working on Your MBA Application
10:00 AM EDT
-
10:30 AM EDT
Admissions committees evaluate the GMAT/GRE in context — your background, your representation in the applicant pool, the strength of everything else in your file. The same score works for one candidate and falls short for another with identical numbers.
Apr 23
ISB Interview Call Guarantee Module
12:00 PM PDT
-
01:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
Apr 24
Live Coffee Chat- MBA profile enhancement: How to fix your gaps in 4 months
08:30 PM IST
-
09:30 PM IST
Join us for a Live Coffee chat with Jenifer Turtschanow where we talk about enhancing your MBA profile and fixing gaps in just 4 months.

Back to Forum

Create Topic

Tattoos and taboos

1 2

unplugged

Joined: 26 May 2008

Last visit: 03 Apr 2011

Posts: 309

Own Kudos:

153

Given Kudos: 4

Concentration: Strategy, International Business, Finance

Schools:Kellogg Class of 2012

Posts: 309

Kudos: 153

07 Apr 2010, 23:12

Kudos

Bookmarks

conmisdosmanos

Yeah, I'm really just collecting recommendations at this point. It's easier to see someone's work on a real human than in a portfolio.

You're serious about getting a tattoo? Will it be before you join Ross?

Getting one is on the list of the things I need to complete before the pre-term starts( Aug 30).

May be we both can go and get it done on the same day with some discount

riverripper

Major Poster

Joined: 10 Apr 2007

Last visit: 20 Aug 2022

Posts: 4,306

Own Kudos:

806

Given Kudos: 5

Location: Back in Chicago, IL

Concentration: General/Operations Management

Schools:Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010

GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 4,306

Kudos: 806

07 Apr 2010, 23:31

Kudos

Bookmarks

discount tattoos are generally a bad idea haha...though I know of a shop where they put out joke pictures and will do them for free if anyone is actually willing to get it.

conmisdosmanos

Current Student

Joined: 02 Dec 2009

Last visit: 02 May 2011

Posts: 219

Own Kudos:

272

Given Kudos: 22

Location: Chicago, IL

Concentration: social enterprise

Schools:University of Michigan Ross/SNRE (Erb Institute)

Posts: 219

Kudos: 272

08 Apr 2010, 09:33

Kudos

Bookmarks

unplugged

conmisdosmanos

Yeah, I'm really just collecting recommendations at this point. It's easier to see someone's work on a real human than in a portfolio.

Ha, yeah. It'll be this spring/summer sometime. I've been working on the idea for awhile and now I'm searching for the right person to do it... it's a bit more complicated than my other one. Are you really doing it? Have you been looking around?

conmisdosmanos

Current Student

Joined: 02 Dec 2009

Last visit: 02 May 2011

Posts: 219

Own Kudos:

272

Given Kudos: 22

Location: Chicago, IL

Concentration: social enterprise

Schools:University of Michigan Ross/SNRE (Erb Institute)

Posts: 219

Kudos: 272

08 Apr 2010, 09:35

Kudos

Bookmarks

riverripper

discount tattoos are generally a bad idea haha...though I know of a shop where they put out joke pictures and will do them for free if anyone is actually willing to get it.

Haha I have a friend who did that. He has a portrait of Roseanne Barr on his left buttcheek. Luckily he's pretty serious about the "no regrets" mantra...

unplugged

Joined: 26 May 2008

Last visit: 03 Apr 2011

Posts: 309

Own Kudos:

153

Given Kudos: 4

Concentration: Strategy, International Business, Finance

Schools:Kellogg Class of 2012

Posts: 309

Kudos: 153

08 Apr 2010, 20:00

Kudos

Bookmarks

conmisdosmanos

Yeah. I'm doin it. I'll get one before the start of the KWEST trip. I'm thinking 3rd week of Aug. I've got enough time so, I'm not actively on the lookout for artists. I still haven't yet finalized the design

Since you plan to get it done earlier, I'll probably get your feedback on which artist is good :wink:

riverripper

Major Poster

Joined: 10 Apr 2007

Last visit: 20 Aug 2022

Posts: 4,306

Own Kudos:

806

Given Kudos: 5

Location: Back in Chicago, IL

Concentration: General/Operations Management

Schools:Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010

GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 4,306

Kudos: 806

09 Apr 2010, 06:40

Kudos

Bookmarks

unplugged

Few things to think about...a lot of good artists have waits to get appointments, some are much longer than others. The guy who did my tattoos has an 18 month wait. Some don't even take on new clients without referrals or getting to do a very large custom piece.

Secondly you wont want to do it immediately before KWEST. The healing process is not the most comfortable thing and if you are being active it could be annoying. Also you dont want to get any sun on it at this stage so you unless you want to wear long sleeves everyday and deal with the discomfort I would wait. Oh yeah and you have to keep it sealed in and lubricated so pretty much will be constantly be applying lotion/AD ointment.

unplugged

Joined: 26 May 2008

Last visit: 03 Apr 2011

Posts: 309

Own Kudos:

153

Given Kudos: 4

Concentration: Strategy, International Business, Finance

Schools:Kellogg Class of 2012

Posts: 309

Kudos: 153

09 Apr 2010, 09:04

Kudos

Bookmarks

Holy ***t, 18 months!?!?

I don't know much about tattoos. But my friend has one - a 15cm X 10cm dragon on his arm. I think his wound healed in about 2 weeks.

He got it done in Thailand almost without any waiting period. Things may be different in U.S or the artist he got it done from might not be as famous as the one you're talking about. But his work is FANTASTIC though

riverripper

Major Poster

Joined: 10 Apr 2007

Last visit: 20 Aug 2022

Posts: 4,306

Own Kudos:

806

Given Kudos: 5

Location: Back in Chicago, IL

Concentration: General/Operations Management

Schools:Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010

GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 4,306

Kudos: 806

09 Apr 2010, 12:16

Kudos

Bookmarks

Careful about tattoos overseas since in some countries the health standards are minimal...not worth the risk. Outside of Japan I dont think I would be getting tattooed in Asia, unless it was a shop that I researched heavily. There are definitely good artists you can get a tattoo from with no wait or almost no wait...but in the end its worth waiting for the right person to do it. Its not something that you can easily get rid of.

gmatbschool

Joined: 18 Jul 2009

Last visit: 28 Jul 2010

Posts: 112

Own Kudos:

[1]

Given Kudos: 5

Schools:MIT

Posts: 112

Kudos: 19

[1]

Updated on: 12 Jul 2010, 15:59

Originally posted by gmatbschool on 11 Apr 2010, 20:44.
Last edited by gmatbschool on 12 Jul 2010, 15:59, edited 1 time in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

VictoryMBA

Joined: 26 Oct 2007

Last visit: 03 Jun 2011

Posts: 607

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 13

Location: The High Seas

Schools:Tuck, Yale (ding), NYU, Columbia, Duke (int)

Posts: 607

Kudos: 27

24 Apr 2010, 19:13

Kudos

Bookmarks

I'm getting my masters at Cornell right now, and this semester I have seen a lot of Sage Hall because of a program I'm involved in. Taboos...smoking, unless you're Asian. I've seen a two girls with lower back tattoos, but they were only on public display by accident when they bent over. And to be honest with you, both girls were of the crunchy variety. I spend many hours at the johnson school, and I rarely see a visible tattoo, although I'm sure they exist. Nevertheless, if you go to a small school like Cornell/Johnson and you are engaged in something that is considered "taboo", everyone will know eventually

This was the hardest part about the small town/small class thing that I had to deal with.

riverripper

Major Poster

Joined: 10 Apr 2007

Last visit: 20 Aug 2022

Posts: 4,306

Own Kudos:

806

[1]

Given Kudos: 5

Location: Back in Chicago, IL

Concentration: General/Operations Management

Schools:Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010

GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 4,306

Kudos: 806

[1]

24 Apr 2010, 23:22

Kudos

Bookmarks

Visible tattoos will make you standout at any program...I know lots of people with them but most have one or two small ones that you dont ever see when they are in t-shirts. Our generation is becoming much more accepting but honestly MBA types are probably overly conservative and most are very career focused so wouldnt dream of getting loads of tattoos out of fear of what it may do, even if they would love to get them. Maybe in 20 years it wont be shocking to see more people with them but right now the people making hiring decisions are a from a generation where tattoos were for sailors, soldiers, bikers, and criminals. Getting a tattoo is a huge commitment, even more so when they drop below your elbow...and multiply that commitment every inch closer to your hands or neckline you get.

That said there are industries where tattoos wont hurt you and may infact be a benefit. If you are going into a creative area like advertising you can get away with 1000x more than you ever could at goldman.

sdg

Current Student

Joined: 15 Mar 2010

Last visit: 19 May 2011

Posts: 65

Own Kudos:

Schools:Texas '12

Posts: 65

Kudos: 4

20 May 2010, 20:34

Kudos

Bookmarks

Does anyone know the unspoken rules about guys with earrings? I have small studs in both ears and I don't mind taking them out for things like interviews, but taking them out everyday for class can become a bit tedious.

GoMannschaftGo

Joined: 18 Jun 2010

Last visit: 18 Dec 2010

Posts: 25

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 4

Location: 5564 miles east of Dutch Harbor

Posts: 25

Kudos: 10

22 Jun 2010, 15:22

Kudos

Bookmarks

tattoos are perfectly acceptable for professionals as long as your chosen profession is basketball, football or baseball player (as long as your boss isn't George Steinbrenner).

AlexMBAApply

MBA Admissions Consultant

Joined: 26 Dec 2008

Last visit: 07 Aug 2025

Posts: 2,458

Own Kudos:

601

Given Kudos: 2

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Posts: 2,458

Kudos: 601

22 Jun 2010, 18:22

Kudos

Bookmarks

The only tattoos that are a no go are "prison tattoos" -- you know, anything on the extremities (hands, knuckles, feet and toes, tribal face tattoos, teardrop on the cheek, gang signs). Also, if you've got grills, I'd keep them at home too.

If you're concerned about post-MBA work -- keep in mind that the dress code at most places is business casual or suits -- where no one is going to see a dragon on your arms (or even forearms unless you want to wear short sleeved collared shirts which is even more of a fashion faux pas at work), or the Nativity scene on your entire back. Your clothing will cover all the most likely places you'll get a tattoo.

And if you are working at an office where you're allowed to wear shorts and t-shirts, then it's not the kind of place that will care what kinds of tattoos you have -- unless they are swastikas or gang acronyms.

And your MBA classmates for the most part won't really care unless you are inked in gang affiliations.

Hard to say how it works from one school to the next (or even one year to the next) -- but when I was in school, those who had tats and displayed them, wore earrings, were 420 friendly, dyed their hair pink, kept a Taliban beard, etc. did it as a badge of honor so to speak - it was a sign that "I'm not interested in traditional careers" or "I've already had a job lined up." Actually, the 420 friendly crowd when I was in school tended to be the Euros and west coasters anyhow who were going to jobs where there was no drug testing.

INemo

Joined: 24 Sep 2014

Last visit: 19 Mar 2020

Posts: 39

Own Kudos:

Location: Switzerland

GMAT 1: 760 Q51 V42 Verified score

WE:Consulting (Consulting)

GMAT 1: 760 Q51 V42 Verified score

Posts: 39

Kudos: 17

03 Oct 2014, 22:00

Kudos

Bookmarks

I interned with a girl who had a full back tattoo but never had any problems due to it. As long as it is discrete and you can show that you are worth more than some ink on your body, you should be fine.

neo656

Joined: 20 Apr 2014

Last visit: 02 Oct 2015

Posts: 430

Own Kudos:

136

Given Kudos: 753

Status:Stay focused...

Location: United States (MI)

Concentration: Finance, Strategy

Schools: Ross School of Business - Class of 2017

GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V41 Verified score

GPA: 3.2

WE:Project Management (Other)

Schools: Ross School of Business - Class of 2017

GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V41 Verified score

Posts: 430

Kudos: 136

09 Nov 2014, 02:20

Kudos

Bookmarks

riverripper

I have 3 tats on my body. Got them done in Malaysia, and 2 of my friends got their tats from Thailand. I don't know why would you generalize your statement, but personally I can vouch for these artists that they take exceptional care of their clients' health. As is obvious, this care comes at a price. The tattoo markets in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya are quite mature. Prices are lower than US / Western EU, may be because of minimum wage thing and how it affects the entire price ecosystem; but the professionalism is thoroughly maintained. At many places you'd even be given counseling before you sign the pact.
Further, if one is going for a piece of art, specially when the canvas is one's precious skin, I'd ask him/her to do proper research about the selected artist, tat design and the reason - 'why you want this tattoo?'. If price is an issue, then probably you'd want to postpone until you've saved enough or compromise on artist/design.
my 2 cents.

SoCalMBA2017

Joined: 25 Mar 2015

Last visit: 14 Apr 2015

Posts: 12

Own Kudos:

[2]

Given Kudos: 7

Schools: Marshall '17 (M)

Posts: 12

Kudos: 12

[2]

26 Mar 2015, 10:14

Kudos

Bookmarks

Re: Tattoos

I think you just need to understand your environment and use some common sense. I have many tattoos and have learned to read situations to determine if it's appropriate to let them breathe. I have been working at a major a corporation for over 4 years and generally keep them covered up, which hasn't limited my comfort or personal style in any way.

I'm a woman, so there are even more issues with respect to my appearance: skirt lengths, cut of the neckline, and overal tightness of clothing. In fact I just nixed a skirt this morning since it was too tight for my comfort zone in an office dominated by men.

The bottom line is that professional dress is intended to keep your appearance from being distracting in any way. That includes ill-fitting, mismatched, and worn clothing, and, depending on the context, tattoos. You want people to focus on what you're saying, not what you're wearing.

On the same token, your demeanor, professionalism, and good work will stand out more than a few lines of ink on your skin. Use good judgment, then don't worry too much about it.