Making contact with potential advisers

[violetvivian]

I've tried to get in touch with a professor at one of the PhD programs on my application list, but she hasn't responded to my emails (I emailed her once in early October and once again a month later). My interests fit well with her research, and more importantly, she is probably the only person on faculty at this particular school who could potentially advise me. As the deadline to this program approaches, I'm wondering if it's even worth it to apply and fork over the application fee.

Would it be a poor choice to apply to this program with the goal of working with this professor who hasn't responded to my attempts to get in touch? In my other applications, I have either been in contact with potential advisers (exchanged emails, phone calls) or have not contacted anyone at all. This is the only school at which my emails have been ignored. I realize professors are busy and don't have time to respond to every inquiry, but should I take this as a hint?

[Alyanumbers]

I've tried to get in touch with a professor at one of the PhD programs on my application list, but she hasn't responded to my emails (I emailed her once in early October and once again a month later). My interests fit well with her research, and more importantly, she is probably the only person on faculty at this particular school who could potentially advise me. As the deadline to this program approaches, I'm wondering if it's even worth it to apply and fork over the application fee.

Would it be a poor choice to apply to this program with the goal of working with this professor who hasn't responded to my attempts to get in touch? In my other applications, I have either been in contact with potential advisers (exchanged emails, phone calls) or have not contacted anyone at all. This is the only school at which my emails have been ignored. I realize professors are busy and don't have time to respond to every inquiry, but should I take this as a hint?

I've encountered the same situation and decided not to apply. If she's too busy to reply to an email, she's probably too busy to advise you. Besides, only one potential advisor? What if she leaves, or goes on sabbatical?

[georgica2]

I've tried to get in touch with a professor at one of the PhD programs on my application list, but she hasn't responded to my emails (I emailed her once in early October and once again a month later). My interests fit well with her research, and more importantly, she is probably the only person on faculty at this particular school who could potentially advise me. As the deadline to this program approaches, I'm wondering if it's even worth it to apply and fork over the application fee.

Would it be a poor choice to apply to this program with the goal of working with this professor who hasn't responded to my attempts to get in touch? In my other applications, I have either been in contact with potential advisers (exchanged emails, phone calls) or have not contacted anyone at all. This is the only school at which my emails have been ignored. I realize professors are busy and don't have time to respond to every inquiry, but should I take this as a hint?

There are a lot of reasons why she might not have responded -- on sabbatical/a research trip, bogged down with deadlines, generally technophobic. I wouldn't necessarily take her silence as a sign that she's totally uninterested in working with you. That said, if she's absolutely the only person at this particular program you'd want to work with, it might be worth reconsidering the application. I'd suggest maybe trying to get in touch with some of her current students or the program administrative office to see if she's taking on new students, etc.