Contacting professors, when to pull the trigger

[AllFiredUp]

When in the coming months is a good time to touch base with graduate professors? We want it to be early enough that we don't look desperate, but late enough that they will remember us come application time. 8)

[rising_star]

No sooner than one month after classes start back.

[Minnesotan]

If you can keep the conversation going (intelligently), then that's another story. If you know a lot about the professor's work and his or her research interests, you might be able to really impress them.

[AllFiredUp]

Now let me throw this in: who thinks contacting professors is wise?

[Nofia]

you should definitely at least email them to ask if they'll even be teaching next year--no point in applying if none of the professors who you might want to work with/who might want to work with you are planning to go on leave, go to a different university, or retire.

[Minnesotan]

It would be folly to not list a couple of professors with whom you'd like to work, when writing your SoP. Even worse would be listing professors who are all going on sabbatical for the year. =)

Definitely at least politely introduce yourself, and ask if they are taking on new advisees for the coming year.

[rising_star]

you should definitely at least email them to ask if they'll even be teaching next year--no point in applying if none of the professors who you might want to work with/who might want to work with you are planning to go on leave, go to a different university, or retire.

If you're in a program with 2+ years of coursework, it doesn't really matter if that prof doesn't teach in your first year. If this theory of not working with folks going on a sabbatical were true, I'd be SOL because 1/2 the faculty I want to work with will be on sabbatical either in the fall or for the whole year...

[Nofia]

ah, I was just going on what my advisor told me last summer, though minnesotan may have phrased it better--you want to make sure theyre planning to take advisees

[xzjohn]

OK, guys, let's talk about a worse case. What if the professor simply doesn't reply to your e-mails?

A professor replies to my e-mail only ONE month after I sent it and the other ignores me.

What should I do next?

[rising_star]

xzjohn, when did you email them? Summer is not an ideal time. Besides, it's not always bad if the prof doesn't reply. Some don't do email. Some dislike dealing with applicants. It's not a worst case scenario, it happens.

[anese]

Don't panic!

I had the same happen to me, they could be busy, at another university working right now and using another email, or as risingstar said, just not interested in responding.

My advice would be to wait a few months and contact again if you still haven't heard anything (via email) and see what those results are. I did, and I got a response from the second contact because the professor was very busy. Just be sure not to write anything giving them permission not to respond, be polite, but don't write things like "If you are too busy don't worry about this" etc.. because even if they aren't busy they won't take your inquiry seriously and won't bother.

In your next contact, just feel free to write "I contacted you earlier about x...", worked for me.

*Your experiences may vary!!!

[AllFiredUp]

Contacting Professors Etiquette 101:

Attaching a CV: ingenious or ingratiating? 8)

[rising_star]

sending an attachment might get you caught in the spam filter. only send attachments when asked to.

[Minnesotan]

Attaching unsolicited self-promoting materials also seems a tad uncouth. Doing that is much like what the people who do not look at faces - only name badges - at national conferences, and introduce themselves with their university or title attached do. E.g. "Hi. I'm John Q. Pompous, Dean of Arts at Pretentious U."