Approaching Potential Supervisors

[csierrah]

Hi,

I realize that this might not be the must accurate place to post this question but I was unable to find any other place to do it. My question is about approaching potential supervisors before or during the application process.

I will be applying soon for a number of Clinical Psychology programs and I'm not sure if I should approach some researchers/faculty members. I know that this might be helpful but I don't know who establishing a relationship with a faculty member would benefit my application package. I've done a bit of research on which faculty members I would like to contact (based in my and their research interests) but I don't know how to approach them nor how this will make my application more relevant and successful.

I would appreciate any help (if you have an experience contacting faculty members can you please talk about how you went about it? thanks)

Carlos

[newms]

Hi,

I realize that this might not be the must accurate place to post this question but I was unable to find any other place to do it. My question is about approaching potential supervisors before or during the application process.

I will be applying soon for a number of Clinical Psychology programs and I'm not sure if I should approach some researchers/faculty members. I know that this might be helpful but I don't know who establishing a relationship with a faculty member would benefit my application package. I've done a bit of research on which faculty members I would like to contact (based in my and their research interests) but I don't know how to approach them nor how this will make my application more relevant and successful.

I would appreciate any help (if you have an experience contacting faculty members can you please talk about how you went about it? thanks)

Carlos

Hi Carlos,

It depends really. Some professors don't want to be contacted and say so on their pages, so the first thing you should do is make sure that person is ok with being contacted by an applicant. I've read where some people contact the grad students on the supervisor - they are usually sympathetic since they were once in our shoes and they can give you an idea of if the supervisor is approachable by an applicant.

If the supervisor is approachable, some hints I've read in other places are to send an email (not a template one) that is relatively brief, but at the same time shows that you have read up on their latest research and that you have a legitimate interest in their work. Don't attach any files on your initial email - just briefly say who you are and why you are interested in that person's work. It can be helpful to your application to get your name in the potential supervisor's mind and to show them that your interests and work line up with theirs.

I'm not in your field so these hints are general ones and there may be specific things you should do in your field that I'm not aware of.

Hope this helps.