How about this network feedback? Will it help?

[xzjohn]

I tried to network with a Professor in my target program. First e-mail sent in April with CV and 2nd e-mail in June, no responses at all. I sent the 3rd a couple of days ago, briefly introducing my previous and current research projects and that I'll attend a conference next week and request for a talk in person.

He replied in an hour but said he won't attend. But, he said he'd like to talk to me over the phone after I get back from the conference. I e-mailed back that I'll attend another conference in Oct. and would like to talk to him in person, if he's gonna be there. No reply by now :oops:

So, fellows, what do you think about my networking? Do you think I have a great/good/fair/little chance? Actually I applied to the program last year and got rejected after being waitinglisted for a while. This professor happens to be the chair of admission comittee and I guess he must have read my application last year, and then rejected me.

Any comments and suggestions are welcome!

[demondeac]

Actually I applied to the program last year and got rejected after being waitinglisted for a while. This professor happens to be the chair of admission comittee and I guess he must have read my application last year, and then rejected me.

I don't know if emailing him four times with only one response is the best impression to leave with anyone you are trying to network with. My suggestion is to drop the demand to meet in person and talk to him briefly on the phone (which he offered as a quick, available alternative). Do your best to prep for the phone call and sound as professional and easy to work with as possible. As has been discussed elsewhere, I'd probably lay off attaching the CV or any other unsolicited promotional materials....could be misconstrued!

[anese]

I tried to network with a Professor in my target program. First e-mail sent in April with CV and 2nd e-mail in June, no responses at all. I sent the 3rd a couple of days ago, briefly introducing my previous and current research projects and that I'll attend a conference next week and request for a talk in person.

He replied in an hour but said he won't attend. But, he said he'd like to talk to me over the phone after I get back from the conference. I e-mailed back that I'll attend another conference in Oct. and would like to talk to him in person, if he's gonna be there. No reply by now :oops:

So, fellows, what do you think about my networking? Do you think I have a great/good/fair/little chance? Actually I applied to the program last year and got rejected after being waitinglisted for a while. This professor happens to be the chair of admission comittee and I guess he must have read my application last year, and then rejected me.

Any comments and suggestions are welcome!

I hate to say it, but I think that you should have taken advantage of the phone call offer...pushing him and pushing him to meet in person doesn't make a good impression IMO. If you were wait-listed last year and then rejected, you had some qualifications that impressed the committee. It just so happens last year there was someone else who suited their idea of "ideal candidate" more.

I'm going to be frank here--I'm not sure what you could do to salvage this situation at this point...from what you've said it seems like you've beaten him over the head with your credentials, he gave you an opportunity for some over the phone "face time" (perhaps impressed by your tenacity, or finally has the time?) and then you blew it by urging him to again meet in person.

Either he is too busy to do it, doesn't want to give you any false hope, doesn't want to field a frantic prospective at an academic conference, or is afraid of "leading you on" and thus increasing your chances of (a) disappointment or ( putting himself in an incredibly uncomfortable position during the application process or © insert random reason here.

My advice: take a breather, relax...the best I can think of at this point would be to contact, express your disappointment at not being able to meet in person, and say you would be more than happy to discuss his current research work over the phone whenever he has time.

[xzjohn]

Well, it looks I screwed my chance somewhat.

Thanks for your suggestions, and I did send him an e-mail just now, requesting for a phone appointment. I hope I can talk with him in a couple of weeks.

Actually I took the chance of a conference break to have a talk with another professor in the same program. We exchanged information about each one's background and research interests. I have to admit there is a big gap between him and me, and he didn't seem interested in me. So, I switched to the current one after that.

The previous professor asked me about my research background, my advisor's name (I'm already a graduate student) and where I got my B.S. I tentatively plan to hit the current professor with my research. He's doing pretty much the same stuff that I'm doing now, and I believe we have a lot to talk about that, and probably talk a little about future career development.

Do you think this is a good strategy?

In another post on this board, some one suggested avoiding questions like "do you have fundings?", "do you plan to admit students next year?" and something like that. As far as I know, this program admits students without assigning into a specific professor and all students are supported by departmental fellowship. Each student should find an advisor in the 1st semester and get supported as a research assistant from the 2nd year. I'd assume, if I wanna get admitted, I must have a faculty's endorsement, even if not directly recruited by him, during the admission process so that I won't become an orphan in the 2nd year.

Do you think my assumption is sound? I think my failure last year was 'coz I didn't network at all.

Thanks again, guys.

[anese]

As far as I know, this program admits students without assigning into a specific professor and all students are supported by departmental fellowship.

Hmm I'm not sure if this is the case, but I know in Bio they don't assign professors because you have to do lab rotations and get a chance to work with/mesh with a lot of different professors before you choose an adviser. You are in BME, so I'm not sure if it is like that or not.

The previous professor asked me about my research background, my advisor's name (I'm already a graduate student) and where I got my B.S. I tentatively plan to hit the current professor with my research. He's doing pretty much the same stuff that I'm doing now, and I believe we have a lot to talk about that, and probably talk a little about future career development.

Sounds great!

Do you think my assumption is sound? I think my failure last year was 'coz I didn't network at all.

It is possible. Did you ever get a chance to ask the dept what was weak about your app? If not, I do think your conclusion seems plausible.

Don't lose hope, it looks like you are on the right track.

[xzjohn]

Thanks man~~

Well, I don't think there'll be lab rotation in that program. You just shop around and choose one. I didn't ask for the rejection reason 'coz I don't think they'll ever give that to the applicant, except some non-sense like "you'are highly qualified but slots are extremely limited" blablabla. I'd assume that 1) maybe another student networked and got it; 2) he didn't have funding to recruit a student; 3) other reasons.

BTW, how come you know I'm in BME?

Hmm I'm not sure if this is the case, but I know in Bio they don't assign professors because you have to do lab rotations and get a chance to work with/mesh with a lot of different professors before you choose an adviser. You are in BME, so I'm not sure if it is like that or not.

Sounds great!

It is possible. Did you ever get a chance to ask the dept what was weak about your app? If not, I do think your conclusion seems plausible.

Don't lose hope, it looks like you are on the right track.

[anese]

Thanks man~~

Well, I don't think there'll be lab rotation in that program. You just shop around and choose one. I didn't ask for the rejection reason 'coz I don't think they'll ever give that to the applicant, except some non-sense like "you'are highly qualified but slots are extremely limited" blablabla. I'd assume that 1) maybe another student networked and got it; 2) he didn't have funding to recruit a student; 3) other reasons.

BTW, how come you know I'm in BME?

I saw BME for your program

I asked U-Mich why I was rejected earlier this year, and the DGS was kind enough to go through an annotated list of reasons why. So sometimes it can be beneficial, and sometimes they'll just ignore you.

[xzjohn]

I have to say you were lucky and UMich was really nice. For my target program, the administrative secretary now doesn't respond to my e-mails :oops: I have no idea why she is like this now.

So, you're re-applying, too? Good luck, man~~~~~

I saw BME for your program

I asked U-Mich why I was rejected earlier this year, and the DGS was kind enough to go through an annotated list of reasons why. So sometimes it can be beneficial, and sometimes they'll just ignore you.

[anese]

I have to say you were lucky and UMich was really nice. For my target program, the administrative secretary now doesn't respond to my e-mails :oops: I have no idea why she is like this now.

So, you're re-applying, too? Good luck, man~~~~~

[/quote

I made it into NYU after the U-Mich denial--(btw I'm a woman)

I have been lurking all summer and I think this is probably my last weekend really participating in the discourse on these forums--my grad work is starting to kick in.

I wish you luck as well, I know how stressful this process is.