How important is contacting professors ahead of time?

[RubyBright]

I keep hearing that it's important to talk to professors whose work you're interested in before you send in your application (and list them in your application, as possible), but in the rush, I completely neglected to do that for one of my top schools.   Do you think it will help to do so even after submitting the application, as long as I listed them as POIs? The school's deadline is January 5.

[Tolman's Rat]

That happened to me for two of my POIs (luckily I had already contacted other POIs from both schools) but I just sent them a quick note shortly before the deadline. I don't know if it was a good idea, but one ended up sending me a manuscript of his that I looked over and it helped me make a few last minute revisions to my SOP. The other, I mentioned a research idea and he said he looked forward to discussing my ideas at the interview stage. Not sure what any of that means, but the point being, I don't think it would hurt to send over a quick note last minute.

 

Mind you, you won't want to ask if they are accepting students. Then it will seem last minute and frantic. Perhaps just give a quick background on yourself and throw out a few research ideas based on what they've done. At the very least, it will get your name in their head as they review applications. 

 

As far as I know, this type of initial contact is a very important part of the application process. It gives them someone or something to remember as they look through potential applicants. One of my POIs said something like "it would be great to have a fellow Canadian in my lab! I'm from Montreal" and another said "I love having students with a philosophy background in my lab, it sounds like you'd be a great fit". Again, not trying to say that these statements mean anything in and of themselves, but to me, it means that there's something by which they might remember you, and that certainly can't hurt your application chances. 

 

They might go through the applications and say "Oh hey, it's that Canadian student who really knows his X and Y" or "Hey, that's the philosophy enthusiast who has read Also Sprach Zarathustra auf Deutsch, he really seemed in tune with the direction in which my lab is headed"

[GingerbreadLatte]

I feel there is no need to contact professors before submitting an application. CVs and SOPs already exist as means of introducing yourself. Make those compelling and interested POIs will ask you for an interview.

 

That's my experience at least. Indeed I was told the opposite - that I should initiate emails with POIs before applying - but I reasoned that my application already reveals so much about me as a potential candidate. Consider also the potential risk that some professors may not appreciate informal unsolicited emails when a structured system (i.e., the application and interview process) fulfills the same need.

[DarwinAG]

I feel there is no need to contact professors before submitting an application. CVs and SOPs already exist as means of introducing yourself. Make those compelling and interested POIs will ask you for an interview.

 

That's my experience at least. Indeed I was told the opposite - that I should initiate emails with POIs before applying - but I reasoned that my application already reveals so much about me as a potential candidate. Consider also the potential risk that some professors may not appreciate informal unsolicited emails when a structured system (i.e., the application and interview process) fulfills the same need.

I can't speak on how important emailing professors are before submitting an application. At best, it really just introduces you to the professor I think.

I actually contacted every single professor I applied to. Every single one replied to me with varying levels of encouragement, but each one replied to me. Some introductory emails actually resulted in lengthy exchanges and even an informal interview. Some suggested we meet at SPSP to chat. So I have had positive experiences emailing professors beforehand.

In short, i dont think it harms your application. If any benefit results from it, it is a minor one I think. It was rather enjoyable exchanging emails with them though.

[GingerbreadLatte]

Nice to see it worked well for you, DarwinAG. Given that I had 11 applications, I just figured my time was better spent on polishing each SOP and focusing on coursework and research.

 

Certainly if you and your POI are both attending SPSP it would be worthwhile to suggest meeting there. By the way, I'm jealous you're going. I can only dream of it.

[fallen625]

Can anyone post examples of ways to contact professors? One of my friends said she read at least one article by each professor, and then emailed them about it - she said it worked out great for her (She got accepted to 9/10 schools she applied to - although this was in sociology). But this idea really intimates me and I honestly don't know where to get started. 

[Quant_Liz_Lemon]

I feel there is no need to contact professors before submitting an application. CVs and SOPs already exist as means of introducing yourself. Make those compelling and interested POIs will ask you for an interview.   That's my experience at least. Indeed I was told the opposite - that I should initiate emails with POIs before applying - but I reasoned that my application already reveals so much about me as a potential candidate. Consider also the potential risk that some professors may not appreciate informal unsolicited emails when a structured system (i.e., the application and interview process) fulfills the same need.

I disagree with Ginger. The email serves as more than a sneaky way to circumvent the app process. I used it to make sure that there were openings in my pois' labs. No lab openings means no interview, regardless of your application strength.

[Jvcxk]

I didn't email any professors myself, though I do question my decision sometime.

I think it can be helpful and I read a really great article months ago (wish I could find the link..) written by a professor on this topic.

To summarize, he said professors are inundated with emails throughout the application season and if you want to have any positive impact on your application, you'll have something unique and interesting to say about their research (not a compliment, but a commentary/proposal/etc).

It sounded like reaching out in any form won't hurt you, but that to truly make yourself stand out, you need to have something thoughtful to say, you need to flex your research muscles.

On the other hand, I think emailing POIs just to see if they are accepting students is probably a good idea. I'm sure I could have saved an application fee or two if I had checked on this before applying.

[RubyBright]

I disagree with Ginger. The email serves as more than a sneaky way to circumvent the app process. I used it to make sure that there were openings in my pois' labs. No lab openings means no interview, regardless of your application strength.

 

^ This. I went ahead and sent out a ton of emails last night, and nearly all of the professors very kindly got back to me first thing this morning. Turns out that some aren't taking grad students this year, and one is even leaving the school. But one gave me names of other people I should try talking to! I'm also beginning to get the feeling that the one school I'm applying to has very friendly faculty - and if you're going to be working someone for five years, that can be important. Also, this is a great way to ask for articles that are in press if you're interested in something that hasn't been published yet.

Edited January 4, 2013 by RubyBright

[TMhamster]

I personally think that the practice of sending emails to POIs is important. Like many here have said, you save yourself some money by knowing which professors are not accepting a student.

 

Most importantly, IMO, emailing them gives you the opportunity to build a little rapport with them. I have received a handful of extremely positive replies from professors, especially when you tell them about how well your research interests align with theirs and how well you might compliment their lab (a handful of POIs said they look forward to reading my application). I even went to the extent of visiting their website and reading their publications just to make sure that I express my interests properly.

 

Now, just gotta wait it out and see if my efforts paid dividend  . 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

There is no need to contact professors in advance.  Only do so if you have a serious question. 

[Psychgrrrl]

More than one of the programs I applied to indicated that you should make contact with the POI before submitting the application, but I realize that this isn't true for all programs.

[stereopticons]

It depends on the professor whether they like it or not, but I think it's a good idea because even if THEY don't remember you (and sometimes they do!), you remember how the interaction went and that can give you some information about whether or not you should apply to the school.

[AugustusP]

Applying to a program blind isn't a great idea.

 

You have to contact professors beforehand to know if they are accepting students or not. I contacted about 20 total, 6 or 7 of which were not in a position to accept students.

 

By emailing potential advisors I have had 3 informal phone interviews, 2 informal interviews, and some great online conversations. I was also able to get in contact with a few POIs at conferences. 

 

Of course, I would not recommend emailing potential advisors now, given that virtually all deadlines have passed.

[RubyBright]

Really, AugustusP? Half of my schools still haven't hit their deadlines, and I know of several others that don't have their deadlines until January 15 or February 1.

[veggiez]

I had always been told that emailing professors was important to save time and money if they aren't accepting students, but I am not sure it really did me any good. I read some articles by my POIs at each of the 11 schools to which I applied and made intelligent comments, even connecting their work to my own research projects. Some responded with a somewhat generic email about looking forward to seeing my application and thinking our research interests fit well together, while others didn't respond at all. One important thing I discovered was that American applicants have trouble getting funding at Canadian universities, so that at least gives me an explanation if I don't get into a Canadian school.

 

From what I have seen so far, my attempts to reach out to POIs are nowhere near as effective as those of my undergrad research mentor; she spoke to several researchers at Psychonomics in November, and surprisingly, those are the only ones who contacted me for interviews. So that would be my biggest piece of advice: if your undergrad professors can make connections for you, they will be much more effective than an email from you as an applicant.

[Linelei]

For myself I found that contacting POIs was very useful and informative. I saved myself the trouble and money of applying to several schools where the POI wasn't taking students, and for two of my schools I received a lukewarm response, which allowed me to weigh whether or not to still apply. I ended up applying (because I wanted them to know a bit about me, as I will probably be interacting with them in the future) but fully expecting not to hear from them, which is saving me some heartache now. 

 

As for examples, check out: http://www.howigotintostanford.com/letters.php#meet. For myself, I read some articles, focusing on the 'future directions' parts, and wrote something about myself and how my research interests might align with those future directions, and asked if they would be interested in pursuing a line of research like that. I had to email a couple of them twice before I got a response, and my second email was much shorter, just basically a , "Hey, I emailed you before, still interested, are you taking students?" type of email. They both quickly replied. I started emailing over the summer, so the first ones probably just got lost in the shuffle.

 

Of the two POIS who sent the most positive responses, one invited me to interview and I was just accepted! The other hasn't started reviewing applications, so we'll see. But I think it is very much worth it.

[GingerbreadLatte]

No lab openings means no interview, regardless of your application strength.

 

I'm not sure about this. One of my programs accepted me and then told me my POI was not accepting new students, but that I could work with other faculty with similar research interests.

[Quant_Liz_Lemon]

I'm not sure about this. One of my programs accepted me and then told me my POI was not accepting new students, but that I could work with other faculty with similar research interests.

Your interests must be more common than mine.

[RubyBright]

As the person who started the thread, I feel obliged to come back and say that the professor I contacted at one of my schools did personally email me to set up an interview! So in my case, at least (n=1, I'm afraid  ), it was helpful.