Contacting non-PAs

[historyhopeful]

Thankfully, the potential advisors I've contacted have all been enthusiastic and helpful, and a number have suggested I contact colleagues in their departments. How do I go about emailing profs whose interests intersect with mine, but with whom I am not planning on applying to work with primarily? Do I send my standard email (introduce myself, my interests, why I am interested in them) or something that indicates I just want them to know who I am prior to committee meetings?

[TMP]

Absolutely! You are applying to the DEPARTMENT, not just to your PA. You are expected to form a committee and certainly you are going want to be able to have at least one or two other professors on board. I have contacted professors and only to find out that several (at different departments) cannot be on my committee for one reason or another. This saved me the embarrassment of naming them in my SOP when they shouldn't belong in there.