When to contact POIs?

[lackingpatience]

Hey all, 

 

Gearing up to start sending out applications in the fall! I'm just wondering when is appropriate to start contacting POIs...is the next few weeks too early? If anyone has experience in this matter it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[anthropologygeek]

Anytime after June is good, but remember alot of the profs do their research in the summer so I waited towards mid August. By then they should be back and it's still before they have to start teaching. To me it was the perfect time and I got quick responses.

[mp429]

It can't hurt to send a first e-mail now to establish contact, but make sure you also send another one around October to remind them of you and re-establish contact right before apps are due.

[screencheck]

I started today! But I will make sure to follow up closer to application time so they don't forget who I am. 

[rricenator]

As stated, most research is in summer.  Best time to make contact is just before finals, and a week or two before fall semester starts.  But it is okay to throw out that first email and your intended can read it when convenient.

[La_Di_Da]

I sent my first POI query letter in the spring of my intended application year/cycle. I didn't end up applying that year, but I maintained intermittent correspondence with POIs at each program of interest. I realize it is late summer already, but, in my opinion, earlier is better; gives you a chance to establish a rapport and possibly eliminate a program or two based on an underlying misalignment of interests or lack of support. I think it is important that prospective grad students give themselves the requisite time to suss out program compatibility and establish contacts when and where possible. That said, I'm sure you're in fine shape. Best of luck to you!  

[lackingpatience]

Thanks all! Very sound and helpful advice! Will be contacting a few professors very soon, but I am making sure to read or re-read some publications from each one first. 

[graduate33]

I already contacted 4 POI yesterday from excellent programs (2 are ivy leagues'). So far, I got 2 very very positive encouraging responses, one of them is from an ivy. This POI (my top choice, perfect fit) responded within 10mn (very informal email), asked me if we could schedule a phone meeting around later this month so he could tell me more about the program and learn about my interests. I responded 'ok', asked if he would be available on the 31 of Aug, for instance, and immediately gave my phone details.

He hasn't replied back yet...it's only been a day but I'm wondering if my answer was too eager or I should have let him offer a specific date instead? Aaagh...I may read too much into this, I'm just so excited that he liked my project and would really love to work with this person.

Let's wait and see...

[bioarch_fan]

Yeah, I might say that it was a little too eager.  I personally would let the professor do all of the details.  Take it slowly and let them choose when, how, and who would call whom.  Keep the ball in their court because then it doesn't sound too pushy.  That's just my opinion though.

[graduate33]

False alarm--I got a very positive response from the POI so it's all good! 

[bioarch_fan]

Lol.  Ok...good.  Glad that it didn't send a bad opinion to the professor.  

[graduate33]

Indeed

[graduate33]

I received today another response from a potential POI at an Ivy who said ' Dear Ms...I encourage you to apply'. Nothing more, nothing less...it's a grad program ranked in the top 5 so I'm glad she even took the time to reply (even 2 weeks after I sent my initial email). However I'm not sure what to make of it especially because I was asking her if she was taking on students next year. 

 

Any thoughts?

[bioarch_fan]

Well, if she told you to apply that means that she is taking students, if she wasn't taking students on then she would have told you not to apply.  And also, if she said that she encourages you to apply, it could mean that she likes what you have to say and your chances are good.  If you told her all about your undergrad career, including but not limited to overall GPA, major GPA, GRE score, any research you did for a professor, an honors thesis, and any potential research that you are interested in doing, then that means that you might have a chance.  I would say having a reach school or 2 on your list isn't a bad idea.  I'm planning on applying to approximately 10 schools, so having a reach school would be nice to see where you stand at least.  

[graduate33]

Ok, thanks for your feedback. I've actually told her about my background without giving her all the specific details.

I'm planning on applying to 5-7 schools max, with one reach school.

[bioarch_fan]

Good luck then.  I hope it works out for you

[graduate33]

same to you!

[anthropologygeek]

A think profs fill mandated to say encourage you to apply. A prof isn't positive that they won't take students if the right app comes in. It would be shooting themselves in the foot. Yes it's an encouraging sign but then again I've gotten rejections from profs with a response like that. And I've gotten acceptances from profs that never wrote back.

[graduate33]

OK, I'll try my luck and see how it turns out...

[graduate33]

hi all, what do you think of the following situation:

 

A month ago, a phone conversation was scheduled with a potential POI, it was supposed to take place 2 days ago, at 3pm. The POI was meant to call me, I waited until 3.30pm in vain, then decided to email him just in case. Perhaps, I should have reminded him of this phone meeting a few days before the actual date but I didn't feel the need to do so. We're professionals, if we set up a meeting with someone we normally honor it. So, I send the email saying politely that it looks like the meeting is not happening. (It's an IVY, and his areas of research match mine almost perfectly.) He responded within 2mn, saying that as a coincidence he was emailing me at exactly the same moment that I was emailing him, he was running late and could not phone me on time but he can do so now. He then phoned immediately but I missed the call, leave a message saying that I can reach him within the next 2 hours or we'll have to reschedule the meeting next week. 

 

That doesn't sound good to me at all, I understand that profs are very busy during the beginning of the semester but nowadays, with all the technology available such as electronic planners and the likes (and on top of that he's also prof of communication), it's almost impossible to miss an appointment even if several weeks have passed between the moment it's set up and the moment it happens.

 

It kind of killed my desire to apply to this university...

Edited September 1, 2013 by graduate33

[Lisa44201]

hi all, what do you think of the following situation:

 

A month ago, a phone conversation was scheduled with a potential POI, it was supposed to take place 2 days ago, at 3pm. The POI was meant to call me, I waited until 3.30pm in vain, then decided to email him just in case. Perhaps, I should have reminded him of this phone meeting a few days before the actual date but I didn't feel the need to do so. We're professionals, if we set up a meeting with someone we normally honor it. So, I send the email saying politely that it looks like the meeting is not happening. (It's an IVY, and his areas of research match mine almost perfectly.) He responded within 2mn, saying that as a coincidence he was emailing me at exactly the same moment that I was emailing him, he was running late and could not phone me on time but he can do so now. He then phoned immediately but I missed the call, leave a message saying that I can reach him within the next 2 hours or we'll have to reschedule the meeting next week. 

 

That doesn't sound good to me at all, I understand that profs are very busy during the beginning of the semester but nowadays, with all the technology available such as electronic planners and the likes (and on top of that he's also prof of communication), it's almost impossible to miss an appointment even if several weeks have passed between the moment it's set up and the moment it happens.

 

It kind of killed my desire to apply to this university...

Give him a break. Things happen. It could have been something as innocuous as a student talking to him after class that kept him from the phone. Maybe there was a traffic jam. Maybe he had a flat tire. & etc. Life doesn't always go by electronic planners.

[graduate33]

Give him a break. Things happen. It could have been something as innocuous as a student talking to him after class that kept him from the phone. Maybe there was a traffic jam. Maybe he had a flat tire. & etc. Life doesn't always go by electronic planners.

no need to be rude. Of course life happens, that's not the point. It only seems that he forgot the appointment, which can also happen (unfortunately)--I mentioned the electronic planner because he's using one (I don't), it's an info he gave me (in a humorous tone) when we set up the meeting to underline that there would be no risk for him to miss it!

Edited September 1, 2013 by graduate33

[anthropologygeek]

Hate to say the prof has all the power. And many anthro profs are late. I think it's almost a requirement of the field or profs know we need them more than they need us.

[bioarch_fan]

I'd say give him a small break.  He could have been extremely busy and didn't know that he would be busy when he made the appointment to call you.  If he said that he could reschedule it or you could call him that same day then you should have gotten to him ASAP or scheduled to do it the following week.  We should all understand, especially if any of us want to be professors, that things can happen.  He could get called to a meeting unexpectedly.  It happens to my advisor all the time.  Don't give up on that university just because of one missed appointment that could have been out of his hands.  To their bosses, their appointments are always more important than those of potential students (and sometimes of current students).

[graduate33]

I get that, although I was a bit upset, once I got his email I did reply to him and welcome the opportunity to reschedule. No news on his part since then...