I'd like to email a few universities to see if I'd be a candidate for their PhD programs... but I'm not sure where to start. Is this a normal thing people do? It seems like a poor move to send a super long email, but it also seems impersonal to just attach a cv and ask for free advice.
I've had a pretty non traditional path so far. My undergraduate is in the sciences, but I've been able to get a leadership position in a crisis services nonprofit (basically that means I spend a lot of time teaching, a lot of time in direct services, and a fair amount in operations and management.)
I'm not in a rush, and I can take additional classes for a few semesters if needed before I apply... I just don't know what I should take or if this is even necessary.
Has anyone here ever emailed professors or admissions counselors asking these types of questions?
