Advice! pls! Thanks!

[Jillybean]

Hi everyone!

any help with the following is greatly appreciated (and thank you so so much in advance!)

I recently sent an email to a professor at my dream school asking for my application status. In the email, I reiterated my interest in the school and my desire to conduct research with her.

She responded by telling me that although I am not on her shortlist, she is not yet ready to send out rejections because she needs to go back and reevaluate applicants. She proceeded to say that my chances for admission are slim, but not gone and to ask her if I have any questions.

I'm hoping you can give me advice about the following:

1) Is it ok to suggest sending her additional information (i.e. writing samples, GRE subject test scores[not part of the app- took them after i applied] etc. ) that may strengthen my application?

2) what else can I do to hopefully put myself on the shortlist for this year? Is it ok to ask more questions about her research? (i.e. maybe open a dialogue with her?- we had no previous dialogue- ask what she will be working on next year? etc.?)

I have read so much of her work, our research interests are a great match, but i don't want to be invasive with my emails?

3) any other advice?

I don't want to be overbearing or too pushy as her email clearly mentioned that she is busy...but i reaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllly want to go to this school

Thanks again!! Good luck to all!!

[hydrangea]

First off, I would not suggest sending more materials. Let her ask for that, as she is busy.

So I think what you really want to know is how do you keep a dialog without bothering her.

I would send an email back thanking her for the honest response. Maybe I would also say that you have read quite a few of her papers, and you would indeed like an opportunity to ask some questions, but you understand that this is a busy time. Then offer for her to contact you any time if she has questions while reviewing your application.

If you are a graduate student in Psychology at any school, you are likely to run into this lady at conferences, or maybe she will end up peer reviewing a paper of yours. (Especially if your research interests line up well.) Even if you don't end up on her short list, you might still want to talk to her about her work. I would just try to stay professional. And your name has come up for her recently, so you have done what you can to stay alive in her mind.

Good luck, and I hope that helps.

( I am assuming Psychology paper publishing works like Physics paper publishing. Forgive me if I have that wrong. )

Edited March 3, 2010 by hydrangea

[fuzzylogician]

1) I think it's OK to suggest to send additional supporting materials. Say exactly what kind of materials you have -- I suspect that a good writing sample can be helpful, the GRE scores not so much. If you have a website, you could put everything relevant on it and send the professor a link. That's the most effortless way to allow her access to as much or as little as information she would like to have about you.

2) It's fine to ask about her work, especially as it relates to your interests. Make sure she understands how her work would enhance yours and how your interests accommodate each other. Only ask questions if they are intelligent, thoughtful ones; you want to make a good impression.

3) Be enthusiastic but respectful, and keep the email short. Thank the professor for her time. Also, I think you have nothing to lose by saying that this is your top choice.

[hydrangea]

Ah, the website idea is pretty slick.

And you know what, screw what I said. She told you two things, you are low on her list, but you aren't dead. That could mean don't bother talking to me, or it could mean show me you're interested. What have you got to loose in assuming it meant keep talking?

My thought on the questions was, you don't know if she is soliciting admissions process questions, or general questions.

I like what fuzzylogician had to say, and I agree that keeping it short is important.

[Jillybean]

hydrangea: thanks for the advice! unfortunately, I am not a grad student. I completed my BA and have been in the workforce since (4 years now) but yes, psychology paper publishing works like physics

Fuzzylogician: ooooh, I LOVE the website idea. That could work. I only have about 3-4 writing samples tho- all written as an undergrad....do you think that's enough for a website?

Generally speaking: I know it's best to be (somewhat) agressive and send her information that may prove helpful. Do you think it would hurt me if i responded by thanking her for her candid answer and asking if there is any additional info I can provide to aid her in her decision? Or should I just send it?

Thanks again!

[oldlady]

Generally speaking: I know it's best to be (somewhat) agressive and send her information that may prove helpful. Do you think it would hurt me if i responded by thanking her for her candid answer and asking if there is any additional info I can provide to aid her in her decision? Or should I just send it?

Thanks again!

I think this is a good idea -- good luck!

[fuzzylogician]

Fuzzylogician: ooooh, I LOVE the website idea. That could work. I only have about 3-4 writing samples tho- all written as an undergrad....do you think that's enough for a website?

Generally speaking: I know it's best to be (somewhat) agressive and send her information that may prove helpful. Do you think it would hurt me if i responded by thanking her for her candid answer and asking if there is any additional info I can provide to aid her in her decision? Or should I just send it?

Thanks again!

3-4 papers are more than enough for a website. Hell, I don't know if I have 4 serious papers on my website. It doesn't have to be high-tech or pretty, it just needs to have a clean interface and clickable links to your work that she can look at if she chooses[1]. I hear it's really easy to make a webpage like that nowadays, you can even open a public page on google-docs an do it in less than an hour. If you are a high-techy person like that, then you can go ahead and send the professor the link right away. I don't know about sending documents without getting permission, though. It seems a bit pushy. I know the situation sort of calls for pushiness, but still I think a better course of action is to offer to send the documents and get permission and not just smother the professor with too much information that she didn't ask for.

[1] and maybe it can have a counter so you can know who visited you website and when.

[Jillybean]

3-4 papers are more than enough for a website. Hell, I don't know if I have 4 serious papers on my website. It doesn't have to be high-tech or pretty, it just needs to have a clean interface and clickable links to your work that she can look at if she chooses[1]. I hear it's really easy to make a webpage like that nowadays, you can even open a public page on google-docs an do it in less than an hour. If you are a high-techy person like that, then you can go ahead and send the professor the link right away. I don't know about sending documents without getting permission, though. It seems a bit pushy. I know the situation sort of calls for pushiness, but still I think a better course of action is to offer to send the documents and get permission and not just smother the professor with too much information that she didn't ask for.

[1] and maybe it can have a counter so you can know who visited you website and when.

you are one smart and fuzzy logician!

hmm... i wonder if there is a way to make a counter that is not visible to the visitor....

Thanks again!Great advice! I really apprecaite it-really!

[rogue]

hmm... i wonder if there is a way to make a counter that is not visible to the visitor....

Try StatCounter. I use it on some of my sites. It's free, invisible, and tells you how people are arriving at your site as well as what they downloaded.

[Jillybean]

Try StatCounter. I use it on some of my sites. It's free, invisible, and tells you how people are arriving at your site as well as what they downloaded.

Thnx!