Too Soon?

[newenglandshawn]

Is it ever too early to start contacting potential Professors of Interest? I am planning to apply next December to PhD programs, with a Fall 2014 matriculation. I'd like to get going on the process of connecting with POIs. However, I am cognizant that many of them just got through the process of selecting students from this application season, so I don't want to weary them from the application discussion already.

 

What do you think?

[Yetanotherdegree]

I think it's too soon. They're still trying to get rid of this year's students, they've just acquired a new crop for next year, and you're basically 18 months ahead of when they would actually see you. Can you wait until summer when this year's students are out of the picture and they have time and energy to look ahead to 2014?

[Body Politics]

Summer was a good season for me to start contacting POI's, for what it's worth.

[sacklunch]

Too soon. Wait until summer. 

[newenglandshawn]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Part of my reason for starting earlier is perhaps just the insecurities I have about being out of academia for so long (five years) and the fact that I know no one in any of the potential schools that I will be applying to. So I feel like I have to get a "head start" on trying to familiarize people with me. The thing about summer, too, is I feel like it's vacation-time for many people, and communication is not as consistent or reliable.

 

I also stumbled upon a blog that was written by a professor (in another field) about the whole process, and I asked her about advice on when I should contact. This is what she said - for what it's worth:

 

I can only speak from my own perspective, but we typically like people to get in touch starting a year or more ahead – it takes time to get all the documents in hand, and there are competitive reviews, recruitment scholarships, etc. to think about. Most people leave it far too late. I don’t think you need to worry that they’re tired of looking at applications.

 

I don't know if I will contact them in the next month or so, but maybe April-ish. I have decided one way or the other, but that is just the way I'm leaning right now (though, as I am reading material that these professors have written, I am anxious to simply communicate with them about that!).

[luciernaga]

I know that everyone says that you should contact POIs etc before you apply (and they're probably right), but I have not found that to be the case. I've been admitted to 4 schools this application cycle, and except for 1 of these schools, I had very little, if any contact with professors at those schools before applying (however, I did my research about the programs and had a section in my SOP particular to each school and how I saw myself fitting in there). 2 schools admitted me without an interview and/or email exchange, and I literally never sent a single piece of correspondence to them except for the application itself. 1 school admitted me after reading my app and a 20 minute skype interview. The other school interviewed me extensively.

 

However, there are 2 other schools that have interviewed me extensively and have not offered me admission (in one case they shifted my app to another department, and with the other I am awaiting rejection). Also, I visited another school this past summer, met with faculty, and was rejected (no interview or waitlist). i also had minimal correspondence with one school and was rejected without interview or waitlist. I have no idea what made me an attractive candidate to some of these schools and apparently not even under consideration at others. When people say that applying is something crapshoot, I do not think that they are exaggerating.

 

Here's what I think you need to give yourself the best chance at success: a strong application (try to eliminate any weaknesses you can... have a high GRE so people don't look askance), good advice from faculty mentors (and not just one, but many) about the field and your place in it, and a great writing sample. The last is hard, because in biblical studies you need a ridiculous amount of training in order to say anything actually important, but after you've had all of that training you need to still be able to express your own voice - very hard. General advice for the writing sample: don't write it with the intention of it being good, but find a problem in HB that you can explore and attempt to solve (or contribute to its solving) in such a way that demonstrates the kind of scholar you want to be. And find something that you genuinely enjoy writing and researching.

[newenglandshawn]

Thanks for the feedback, luciernaga. You must be a genius. What did you get on your GRE? I have yet to take it. How much language work did you do prior to application (German, French, Ugaritic, Hebrew, etc)?

 

And, if you don't mind me asking, where have you applied to, been accepted, rejected, etc?

 

I am working on my writing sample right now. I do believe that it will meet the criteria you have outlined - but who really knows!

[luciernaga]

Let me be quite clear here: I am DEFINITELY NOT a genius. I'll answer your questions by PM.

[Itsalongshot]

I think it depends on the professor as far as how soon they want you to contact them. And of course, since you don't know them, it's hard to know when they want you to contact them! I applied at Wheaton this past year (for admission fall 2013) and I actually emailed and met with my prospective mentor there a year and half before the application was due. And I was not the first person to do that, and the prof said he loves when students reach out early on like that. It lets him know that they actually want to study with him and aren't just trying to go anywhere. (In the end I made it to the interview round but wasn't admitted.) But then I also applied at Princeton and their website said that they like students to visit in Sept-Nov of their application year, so that's what I did. (Not admitted there either). I think if you're ready to email a prof, it doesn't hurt to go ahead and do it. Waiting too late might hurt you, but I doubt emailing too early would!

Edited March 11, 2013 by Itsalongshot

[Theologian11]

I definitely would wait and before sending anything, talk it over with professors at your current school. Some professors actually prefer not to hear from prospective students. I was just accepted to a program with amazing funding having never contacted any of my POIs. So, more important than contacting professors is making sure you have a fantastic personal statement ready for next year!