Mentioning Professors in SOP

[PolyWonk]

So I've been communicating with certain professors at schools I'm applying to. On one hand, I feel like mentioning them in my SOP will show my commitment to my research, the schools and demonstrate that it's a good fit for me. On the other hand, I have to wonder, does it look like I'm name dropping or sucking up for the sake of it?

I've been through many rounds of drafts of the SOP, and with deadlines approaching, I will have to stop soon. What do you guys think? What has your experience been?

[teamind]

As far as I know, you are supposed to mention the names of professors you want to work with. Not necessarily, "I've been communicating with Dr. So and So" (although there perhaps is a time and place for that), but more along the lines of "I'm interested in working with Dr. So and So"

Check out some of the other threads on this topic; there are many.

[GopherGrad]

1) Lots of application forms ask explicitly if you have communicated with any program faculty.

2) Considering this, I would only move beyond "I would like to work with X" to "I have communicated with X" if that communication has somehow been fruitful; i.e., if you have received advice or feedback that affected your research in some way.

Maybe it's just me, but "I wrote to this prof I love about your program because I love it" could come off a bit ... creepy, for lack of a better word.

[PolyWonk]

Thanks for the help/advice.

Like you said, I'm trying to avoid the creepy/obsessive factor, but to still signal my strong interest in working with the people I've communicated with. It's a fine line, and a hard one to see when you've been staring at the same personal statement for 4 months