Contacting POIs for PhD?

[ironheart]

Hi everyone! I'm very seriously considering applying for a PhD in Communications for 2021, which means I have a reasonable amount of time to prepare for next year's application season. As part of that preparation, I wanted to know if contacting POIs and visiting the schools is absolutely necessary? I've heard various things from different people, with some saying that it's a must, and others saying it's a no-no. I would like to think that it's program/field-specific, but would love to hear thoughts of people who've gone through the process.

If it helps, I'm thinking of applying to the following schools

• USC Annenberg
• NYU
• UPenn Annenberg
• Cornell

Thank you in advance for your advice!

[jmc117]

Hi @ironheart. I'll just give you my own personal opinion based on my experience from this application cycle.

I contacted at least one person at every school I was thinking of applying too. This, I would say, was one of the most important parts of the process for me. I started early (like in June, July) and narrowed down who I wanted to work with and talk to. This was SO important because I really got a sense of what programs fit and what ones did not. I had some really awesome faculty members who were honest with me and, after speaking in email or phone exchange, gave me an honest sense of whether the program was a good fit or not. This saved me time and energy because I was not applying to programs that would be an outright mismatch. I had some really awesome conversations with some awesome faculty. In fact, the most helpful conversation I had was with a faculty member from a school I didn't even end up applying too. She really gave me some helpful advice on picking programs.

I also got a sense of who I really wanted to work with and I was able to rank the programs I wanted the most out of the ones I applied too. This all came from POI conversations. So yes I would comfortably say it is important you contact the POIs in your application process. Especially because you are looking at four fairly (or very) competitive programs.

As for visiting, I am only now just working out a last minute visit to a program I am sitting on an offer for. So not sure if visiting is 'necessary', but I think it would really help! I wish I had done it before hand! haha

Just my thoughts.

[Psyhopeful]

I applied to communications programs late, after doing much research on psychology programs, so I didn't reach out to all but one of the communications programs I applied to, and so far I've been accepted to every program except the one I reached out to! (And Penn, but they don't count because they're Penn and I knew I wasn't going to get in.) Two of the programs accepted me without interview because they don't do interviews. The other invited me to an interview weekend where it was inferred that I was accepted, and the interviews were more like chats about the program. So, I do think that it can only help to reach out. In fact I wish I had, because it's strange to be accepted and not really know much about the program or your assigned advisor, although it does make the visit weekends much less stressful! But it does seem that unlike psychology programs, many comm programs make their decisions without interview and based on the strength of your SOP and your experience. So while reaching out is good, since many comm programs seem to be committee based, and your POI might not be on the committee (none of mine were at any of my schools), it's also important to have an SOP that is clear about what you want to research and why the school is a good fit for you. The one program I reached out to, the POI told me they were very enthusiastic about working with me, but they weren't on the committee this year and could only let them know that if selected, they would be willing to advise me.

I would also suggest that you do some research on your area of interest in comm and choose a couple more schools that are a really good fit to apply to because your list is small and highly competitive. (Also, Cornell seems to be quite low on funds all around lately and are hardly admitting anyone to any of their programs.) I believe that I got accepted to most of the comm schools I applied to not because I'm phenomenal, but because I picked the schools with the people who were doing the work my interests best fit with, and my interests were very clearly defined. Good luck!

[ironheart]

Hi @jmc117 and @Psyhopeful! Thanks for your generous responses. I agree that these are all extremely competitive programs, but my interests are very specific (in a nutshell: the intersection of pop culture, media, and climate and environmental justice), and I'm looking for a school with a very strong film department that I can have access to as well, hence USC and NYU (USC in particular has a professor who does climate change communication whose work I'm very familiar with from my MPA). 

I do have time--I plan to start applying next year--but I am notoriously obsessive about applying to grad school (this was how I got in my first choice for my MPA with funding), which is why I thought I'd reach out to those already in the process, or have done it, to better detail my 20-month plan.

Also, another question--who would you suggest I reach out to to write recommendation letters? I know some schools prefer that most recommenders be familiar with your academic background, some are fine with employers/supervisors if you've been out of school for a while. What are your thoughts?

Thanks again for your time to respond and share your experiences with me!

[jmc117]

I asked my two main supervisors (both very familiar with my work and how I am as a student) who I had good working relationships with. My third was a strong faculty member who I didn't know very well but I also knew him as a very competent academic. He was on my committee for my MA thesis. 

I'd say those most familiar with your ability as an academic are the best fit, if you are able! If not, I'd pick someone who can give you a strong character reference

[KyleC]

Hi --

I'm a prof, and I chair my department's admissions committee. In my experience (both where I am now and where I taught before) this:

But it does seem that unlike psychology programs, many comm programs make their decisions without interview and based on the strength of your SOP and your experience. So while reaching out is good, since many comm programs seem to be committee based, and your POI might not be on the committee (none of mine were at any of my schools), it's also important to have an SOP that is clear about what you want to research and why the school is a good fit for you. The one program I reached out to, the POI told me they were very enthusiastic about working with me, but they weren't on the committee this year and could only let them know that if selected, they would be willing to advise me.

is exactly right.

With respect to whom you should ask to write rec letters, what we want to know (in my department at least) is whether you have the academic capacity and personal skills to be successful in our program, and almost without exception, academic references answer that question better than professional references. In most cases, employers haven't seen you in situations where you use the skills we value most. Which isn't to say that they have no value as references -- it's just that academic writers know what the admissions committee wants to see.