Contacting faculty at prospective programs before application?

[B-612]

Hi everyone,

 

I wanted to ask if others had any advice about contacting faculty members under whom they'd like to study at potential programs. I'm a painfully shy person so striking up conversations with strangers (read: fabulous scholars with whom I'm obsessed) doesn't come naturally to me. What kinds of questions are and aren't appropriate to ask? It's October now and applications are due December - February, so I hope I'm not doing this too late in the game. Any stories of past experiences or recommendations would be helpful and cherished.

[Yetanotherdegree]

I think it kind of depends on what degree you're going for. If it's an MDiv, most of the time, your questions are best sent to the admissions folks. If it's a doctoral program, then reach out to your POI but don't ask them anything that you could/should be able to figure out from the website.

[objectivityofcontradiction]

I come from philosophy, a discipline which is notorious for laid-back professors who are more than willing to respond to an e-mail from a graduate student minnow like myself, so this advice might not hold. However, I have always found that this simple format usually works. Open with a quick bit about your background and current interests. At this point the faculty member will already know why you are e-mailing them, as they will be able to see that your interests congeal with their own right off the bat. Professors are also usually happy enough to answer questions of which the info contained is of the sort that it should be generally accessible to interested students. But I'd avoid asking any thing that smells of the private realm. Questions about placement of students they supervised in the past, previous courses taught, their availability in the years you'd be attending, are all good. But like the poster above me has said, this info is usually on the department website. 

 

Hope that helps a bit. 

Edited October 2, 2013 by STM17

[B-612]

It sure does! I'm applying to doctoral programs in theology and some in ethics and society. Thank you both for weighing in. I'm interested in studying the intersection of theology, gender/sexuality and violence. There are a number of scholars who've done great work in this area. I've heard it's good to touch base with professors beforehand because they recognize your name when reviewing applications. But I also didn't want to shoot myself in the foot by contacting them with empty questions or the wrong ones.

[sacklunch]

I have contacted quite a few already. I sent an email introducing myself, my interests (briefly), and ask: 1) if they are taking students and 2) if they would like prospective students to visit (this has led into "Let's meet at X conference beforehand).

[philstudent1991]

the obvious other side of this coin is that you risk coming across as emailing them under the transparent pretense of obtaining some useless knowledge and they will know you are really just trying to get your name in the mix, and that probably hurts you if you seem like an ass kisser. some professors don't mess with such emails, precisely because they know people try to do this. I'd recommend contacting because some will be helpful. But some will not; don't take it personally they are likely just trying to keep the playing field fair.

[B-612]

Some professors don't like *** kissers? Delightful! I was surrounded by that sort of PhD student when I was in my MDiv program. I have an awful case of transparent face syndrome and just can't be that insincere no matter how hard I try. I can be pleasant, courteous, etc. but the kissing up thing just doesn't entice me.

[marXian]

I think part of the value of contacting POIs in advance of application is to weed out some options since the application process is so expensive. There were some programs and POIs I thought would be a great fit, but upon contacting them, I either got no response or a short message that more or less communicated they weren't interested. I was then able to cross those off the list. Others were exceedingly helpful, pointing me to other potential POIs either in the same department or elsewhere. Two members of UVA's department each spoke to me on the phone and gave me extensive advice for my SOP.

 

After all of that, I was admitted to a program where I had not contacted my POI before hand (because I chose to add it to my list in November.)

[Body Politics]

After all of that, I was admitted to a program where I had not contacted my POI before hand (because I chose to add it to my list in November.)

 

Same thing happened to me. That was a fun surprise.

[B-612]

How does this format look for an e-mail to a POI:

 

Greetings, Dr. _________ :

 

I hope this message finds you well. My name is ------- and I recently completed my Master of Divinity degree at ---------------------. I was introduced to your work during my M.Div. program and I drew on it heavily for the construction of my senior project, in which I explored --------------------------. I am making applications for doctoral programs and wanted to touch base with you to ask if you are accepting students for the 2014 fall term. I hope to build off of this research and broaden the scope of my project to include -------------------------------------. I wanted to see if this was the sort of research in which ----------------------------- is interested.

 

I am most grateful for your time and assistance and hope you are having a wonderful semester.

 

With thanks,

 

---------------------------------

 

Too long? Too short? I feel like it's a little short but as a stranger I also don't want to clog their inbox with an unnecessarily long LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME letter. Any suggestions for additions or revisions would be much appreciated.

[sacklunch]

I would leave out the: I hope to build off of this research and broaden the scope of my project to include -------------------------------------. I wanted to see if this was the sort of research in which ----------------------------- is interested.

 

Other than that I think it's fine. That is pretty much what I sent out to a couple folks.

[Kuriakos]

How does this format look for an e-mail to a POI:

 

Greetings, Dr. _________ :

 

I hope this message finds you well. My name is ------- and I recently completed my Master of Divinity degree at ---------------------. I was introduced to your work during my M.Div. program and I drew on it heavily for the construction of my senior project, in which I explored --------------------------. I am making applications for doctoral programs and wanted to touch base with you to ask if you are accepting students for the 2014 fall term. I hope to build off of this research and broaden the scope of my project to include -------------------------------------. I wanted to see if this was the sort of research in which ----------------------------- is interested.

 

I am most grateful for your time and assistance and hope you are having a wonderful semester.

 

With thanks,

 

---------------------------------

 

Too long? Too short? I feel like it's a little short but as a stranger I also don't want to clog their inbox with an unnecessarily long LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME letter. Any suggestions for additions or revisions would be much appreciated.

 

From what I've heard, brevity is appreciated.

[RedDoor]

How does this format look for an e-mail to a POI:

 

Greetings, Dr. _________ :

 

I hope this message finds you well. My name is ------- and I recently completed my Master of Divinity degree at ---------------------. I was introduced to your work during my M.Div. program and I drew on it heavily for the construction of my senior project, in which I explored --------------------------. I am making applications for doctoral programs and wanted to touch base with you to ask if you are accepting students for the 2014 fall term. I hope to build off of this research and broaden the scope of my project to include -------------------------------------. I wanted to see if this was the sort of research in which ----------------------------- is interested.

 

I am most grateful for your time and assistance and hope you are having a wonderful semester.

 

With thanks,

 

---------------------------------

 

Too long? Too short? I feel like it's a little short but as a stranger I also don't want to clog their inbox with an unnecessarily long LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME letter. Any suggestions for additions or revisions would be much appreciated.

 

Looks good to me and is very similar to what I'm sending out.

 

You may want to ask if they are going to SBL/AAR this year. Even if you are not, tell them you look forward to meeting them in the future and potentially chatting with them soon (for coffee/tea). 

 

As others have said, brevity is appreciated, but you need to be able to explain how you fit in to their stream of research and how you can contribute. This is less important for American schools since you will have limited interaction with them for a few years, and professors have varying levels of admissions input. UK it is especially important to put your best foot forward in the initial proposal. PM me if you need any help with that.

 

EDIT: Be sure to address them with the title that is listed on the website. Professor and Dr. mean different things in different countries.

Edited October 5, 2013 by RedDoor

[B-612]

Thank you all for the help! I had looked overseas but funding was an issue as was distance from family, so I think I'll be sticking to applications within the U.S. for now (potential Toronto). I'll be very brief.

[MsBOOM]

I contacted a professor at Georgetown (the one and only school I'll be applying to for PhD), and I had a meeting set up within hours! I lucked out hardcore! But if you would like a copy of the email that I sent him for reference, do PM me

[B-612]

Heard back from my first POI, who encouraged me to apply!

[MBIGrad]

You can always ask a question about a professor's research, which you ought to be interacting with in your writing anyway; then simply tack on "By the way, insert questions"?

[awells27]

     I just contacted a professor that I really want to do research under, and he said he was very interested in continuing the conversation in person.  Then he said, "Will you be at the SBL annual meeting in Baltimore?  We could talk in person then."  I desperately lack funds to go as of now, yet I wonder if this was his way of assessing my seriousness. With his onslaught of new publications, he could very well be presenting there.   

[xypathos]

If you can't go, you can't go. Professors are humans and understand that we can't pick up and go to a city for a conference as easily as they can - particularly since you're coming from California. You'd also hate yourself if you get out there, really gunning for him to advocate for you in the admissions process, only to find out that once he knows of the finer points of your interests that he's actually not so...interested.

 

I'd be more inclined to push for a telephone or Skype discussion if you can't afford to get out to Baltimore, which is understandable.

[Rodomonte]

You know, I've come across a ton of posts on this site about contacting POIs, and it's always astounding to me that I have not seen anyone point out a very obvious resource: your undergrad professors!!!

 

Especially your LOR writers. Go and talk to them about professors in their fields. Naturally, I assume your LORs are coming from the same field you're gunning for. Moreover, I assume your LORs are professors who know and love you (and if they're not, they should be). They can easily put you into contact with POIs, which of course bypasses all the awkwardness that comes with approaching a total stranger. Essentially, you're asking a friend to serve as a buffer to introduce you to someone you want to meet. Plain and simple. That method is by far the most effective. I'm also in the midst of preparing my grad school applications, and already I've had one of my LOR writers e-mail two of her colleagues on my behalf from one of my targeted schools. And guess what? One of them has personally contacted me! Not the other way around! He even asked me pointed questions about my background and interests! That's a hell of a lot better than trying to tell some random person who's never heard of you how great you are. 

 

Networking is important. I would argue it is the most important aspect of the whole song and dance. If you're applying to graduate school (especially Ph.D programs), obviously you should have professors who know you fairly well. Use them, for pete's sake! That's what they're there for! They'll tell you that themselves! Good things will happen, I guarantee it!

[awells27]

If you can't go, you can't go. Professors are humans and understand that we can't pick up and go to a city for a conference as easily as they can - particularly since you're coming from California. You'd also hate yourself if you get out there, really gunning for him to advocate for you in the admissions process, only to find out that once he knows of the finer points of your interests that he's actually not so...interested.

 

I'd be more inclined to push for a telephone or Skype discussion if you can't afford to get out to Baltimore, which is understandable.

I have come to your exact conclusion.  After contacting Dedman, for example, they said the normal procedure is for long-distance students, if POIs consider you a match,  to conduct either a phone or skype interview.  It would definitely be unnerving to go all the way to Baltimore to find out the professor gave me 2 minutes and walked away uninterested.  

[B-612]

I have a lot of support from undergraduate professors, but it's been years since I've taken classes with them so they've admitted they're not sure they can give specific opinions because my work has branched out so since I studied under them. Master's program professors, on the other hand, are hard nuts to crack. I get that they're very busy with classes and research, but I also think that--as students who presumably relied on their own professors for helping hands as they advanced their own careers--it would be kind to pay that forward. Instead I'm met with no responses at all from them, rather than a definitive answer on my petitions for help. As someone who aced their courses and was always punctual and related well with them, it's disheartening, to say the least. I know a lot of people have been saying to get all your recommendations from people in the specific area you're keen on studying, but finding three recommendations alone is going to be tough enough given the responses I've been getting lately. I think this would be a time when it's better to be extroverted and demanding... It's probably eager to shrug off someone more timid and respectful. 

Edited October 15, 2013 by besixdouze

[RedDoor]

How long should I wait for a response before either resending an email or moving to another POI?

[B-612]

I'd give them two weeks. I heard back within the week from all POIs but one. I don't think it necessarily means that they're a no go. Our society moves at a relentless pace these days and it's easy for things to get lost in the shuffle.

[RedDoor]

I'd give them two weeks. I heard back within the week from all POIs but one. I don't think it necessarily means that they're a no go. Our society moves at a relentless pace these days and it's easy for things to get lost in the shuffle.

Thanks besixdouze. After two weeks, I resent the email and heard back the next day. He was very warm, but expressed he may not be able to take on more students this year. Still, he encouraged me to apply for the degree and, if there is time to meet when he is in the states next month, he would like to chat. I'm cautiously optimistic, but I am also looking elsewhere just in case.