Figuring out the true POIs

[koolherc]

First of all, I'm a humanities person, and I know that this is all very dependent on a field's normative standards:

I got accepted to an interdisciplinary PhD program and was recently emailed about arranging visits and so forth. The Chair of the program e-mailed me to welcome me. Before applying, I did not really e-mail professors (but rather grad students)*, though I definitely did research POIs and listed some on my app. Before visiting, I'd like to email a few of those POIs to make appointments, but having prior completed an MA, I am all too cognizant that one's original POI may not end up being that at all, and that one may find that some other professor who articulates their interests in an unexpected way is in fact more in line with either one's interests, one's approach, or even one's personality. This has definitely the case for me through my undergrad career and MA work, perhaps because of interdisciplinary tendencies. And, more generally, stuff one reads can very often be obfuscating---how profs speak and how they write is often mind-shatteringly inconsistent.

Accordingly, is it ok to ask this chair (a professor who I did NOT list on my app, but seems general relatable) for HIS suggestions, based on his having read my app (which I know he looked at), for profs that share interests with me? Is it weird or asking too much of em? Is it a somewhat politicized question to ask?

*I emailed one but he didn't respond

[CarlieE]

I think that's a fair question to ask... especially since you are already accepted into the program and you are not asking for any "special" treatment. Perhaps the chair has not responded to your email because he/she has been busy or they are not entirely sure of what answer to give you (yet).

If he/she doesn't get back to you, then I would think it would be OK to email the professors you THINK will be your advisers or on your committee and ask them if you could meet with them during your visit.