First Email to POI

[annieca]

I'm wondering, how in the world do you introduce yourself to those POIs you'd like to email?

Every time I've tried writing the email it comes out, "I'm so and so and I'll be applying to School X's degree in Y. I saw that you were interested in Q and my interests are related - in R." Even if that's the format, where do you go from there? Talk about the weather and hope that they get the idea you want to work with them?

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Keep it brief, simple and earnest. Mine followed a pattern like this:

Hello, I'm [name] a student at [university]. I'm applying for graduate programs in history for next fall, and I'm interested in studying [subject related to prof's interests]. I've done work on [a few words about a project related to this, if applicable]. Are you taking graduate students next fall?

That gives them the opportunity to respond to your research and even ask for more details, but it also could initiate a conversation by asking a direct question. If you have another direct question, stick that in too.

Avoid trying to sell yourself in the email. Your application will do that - and the Prof will be smart enough to detect this. Just get whatever information you need from them. And honestly, they will almost certainly forget your email, no matter how well-crafted, by the time that application season rolls around. So a simple email requesting information is best, to me anyway. If it strikes up a conversation, then great - but don't be disappointed, and don't take it personally, if a Prof. ignores your email or sends back a one line response.

It helps to know if a Prof. is taking grad students, or is going on sabbatical soon, etc, but I don't think these emails have to be very important. In retrospect, I stressed out about mine all out of proportion to their significance.

[3point14]

Mine typically went something like this:

Dear Professor X,

I am a recent graduate of University Y. I plan to pursue a degree in Z and have research experience in A. I read about your research interests at University C, and am very interested in your work studying D . Therefore, I was wondering if you would be accepting graduate students for the Fall of 2012.

[crazedandinfused]

Dear god, it has started already!

Twist of Fate is spot on and I would just add one thing: Wait!! If you email them now, or any time before, say September/October, chances are they won't remember you at all when they see your app. Emailing in early Fall increases the chances that you will be fresh in their mind when a giant pile of applications falls on their desks and they have to sort through them.

Edited April 15, 2012 by crazedandinfused

[annieca]

@crazedandinfused -

It's weird for me to think about waiting. I'm doing my last year of undergrad in Wales so I really want to get all of my applications done before I leave towards the end of September. One of my schools says that they consider your contact with faculty very highly in the application process and so I wanted to get a head start.

That, and I'm going to be in the area this summer and I could potentially visit the department and the POI while I'm there.

[TMP]

Seriously. Wait until September. The faculty, anywhere, will be in much better mood to be talking with potential applicants.

[Safferz]

@crazedandinfused -

It's weird for me to think about waiting. I'm doing my last year of undergrad in Wales so I really want to get all of my applications done before I leave towards the end of September. One of my schools says that they consider your contact with faculty very highly in the application process and so I wanted to get a head start.

That, and I'm going to be in the area this summer and I could potentially visit the department and the POI while I'm there.

You can complete your applications early, but consider holding off on actually submitting them until later in the fall. You never know what can change with the program or POI, and what you'll decide you'd like to tweak or add after not looking your materials after a few weeks. I also agree that it's way too early to contact professors -- keep in mind that it's one of the busiest times in the academic year, and many professors will be away for the summer as well.

[Nordicllama]

I echo the sentiment of waiting as well. On addendum- It's time consuming, but it also couldn't hurt to read an article or book by the POI in question and letting them know you liked it and why. It shows you're familiar with their work and seriously interested rather than just throwing emails at the wall to see what sticks.

[3point14]

On addendum- It's time consuming, but it also couldn't hurt to read an article or book by the POI in question and letting them know you liked it and why.

Definitely this. My dad is a professor, and he gets "hey I'm interested in working with you" emails all the time. He says that the most memorable ones are the ones that really make an extra effort and do this. Don't just read the abstract though.

[hbeels]

Definitely this. My dad is a professor, and he gets "hey I'm interested in working with you" emails all the time. He says that the most memorable ones are the ones that really make an extra effort and do this. Don't just read the abstract though.

I've heard this from professors in numerous fields. While it certainly can be enough just to be interested in the same field, a little extra "I read such-and-such and article/book and found it _______" can go a long way.

All the same, I'd say keep your email short and to the point. You're just trying to get information out of them at this point, and they're probably not really looking to start a corresspondance with students they won't see for another year and a half.

[crazedandinfused]

Yeah, I think consensus on the boards is pretty clear.

Two things:

1) I certainly understand the desire to have all you apps done by a given date of your choice. I was determined to have all of mine in by Thanksgiving before I went to my Mom's house and I met my deadline. I regretted it and here's why. Your app looks very different once you have actually submitted it, and by mid-December I had thought up of a million alterations that I would have done if I had still been able. There were 7 applications that were fully submitted, and even though the deadlines were almost a month away I wasn't able to change them. Everything looks different in hindsight, and having submitted some, you can make each subsequent one marginally better. That might give you you a little more sense of control in a process where agency is precious. Just a thought - and to totally demolish it, I'm going to a program whose deadline was Jan. 15.

2) So, if you really do want to get your apps in by your own deadline you could build your template app - that is, have a template of a SOP, a writing sample, and your letter-writers ready to go - and wait until mid September to individualize each app once you've heard back from POIs. Early September might still be a little early, so if you're really set on a somewhat arbitrary deadline (in the sense that you chose it, not the program. i don't want to invalidate your feelings!) maybe push it forward a few weeks?

My 2 Cents.

@hbeels: Nice avatar! Together we are an absolutely hopeless team!

Edited April 16, 2012 by crazedandinfused

[JosephineB]

I agree with everyone who is saying to wait! I waited until late October/early November and it worked well for me (my applications were due in mid Jan though).

Another thing that worked well for me was to use my UG professors as resources to get me in touch with POI. If you have professors who are well acquainted with your POI this can be a less awkward way of getting in contact.

[runaway]

annieca, we're in similar shoes. I'll be in England when I submit my applications this fall. I've decided that I'm going to complete as much as I can of them, knowing that at this point, everything but my SOP and CV will be static. I'll get my CV as ready as possible and make minor changes as needed before I submit close to the deadline. My SOP... well, I'm planning to have a very good draft that I'll have to take time to shape once I'm a couple months into my MA program.

As for POI, I'm planning to draft emails and send them in September. At first I was trying to figure out a complicated way to be available back in the States to meet with people and then realized it was just impossible. Email and Skype will hopefully serve me well through this process...

[annieca]

Thanks everyone!

I suppose since applications are mostly online now they can be done from anywhere.

@crazedandinfused - No hurt feelings. People think I'm crazy for having the deadline. But I do have my reasons. When my sister was in China I filled out 15 recommendation information forms for her and sent them off to the professors. I don't want to do that for my family so hence the "before I leave for Wales" bit.