Things to do the summer before applications?

[Memmerich]

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?

[Pierre de Olivi]

1 hour ago, Memmerich said:

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?

I'm in the humanities (specifically history/religious studies) but I'm at the same point in my career and applications as you. I've actually found nearly all of the professors I've written to have time to reply and are often quite grateful to hear from me. Asking about their research is a good move, but what I more often did was write a short e-mail to the effect of "would this department be a good fit for me" and asked 2-3 questions about the resources of the department and how it lines up with my undergraduate background. I made sure to explain why I was emailing that professor in particular and, if it was otherwise feasible, offered to visit or talk over the phone. The advantage of this form is a) it shows you've done research on the department and that you know what you want, (b) it lets you mention some of your credentials, (c) it puts you on the professor's radar and lets you explain why you're interested in their work.

This may, of course, be different in engineering so I encourage others to answer, but I don't really think you can go wrong with this method.

[Memmerich]

1 hour ago, Pierre de Olivi said:

I'm in the humanities (specifically history/religious studies) but I'm at the same point in my career and applications as you. I've actually found nearly all of the professors I've written to have time to reply and are often quite grateful to hear from me. Asking about their research is a good move, but what I more often did was write a short e-mail to the effect of "would this department be a good fit for me" and asked 2-3 questions about the resources of the department and how it lines up with my undergraduate background. I made sure to explain why I was emailing that professor in particular and, if it was otherwise feasible, offered to visit or talk over the phone. The advantage of this form is a) it shows you've done research on the department and that you know what you want, (b) it lets you mention some of your credentials, (c) it puts you on the professor's radar and lets you explain why you're interested in their work.

This may, of course, be different in engineering so I encourage others to answer, but I don't really think you can go wrong with this method.

this seems like a good start, ill consider it!