I'm applying to around ~6 grad schools (aerospace engineering masters) this fall and was wondering what the best way to approach potential professors/advisors I'd be working under through email? Some of them are at top schools and I can only imagine will never get a chance to respond to me via email. I can only visit ~3 of the schools (within a few hours away) but I'd have to take a day off of work to do it because I imagine they aren't there on the weekends.
Does anyone have any experience or insight on how to get whatever advisor may be looking at my application to recognize my name in a positive context? Would asking about their research be too much?