POI contact anxiety

[StatsNerd]

So it's that time of year when we all start freaking out and over-analyzing every step we make in this process, right?

 

I'm applying to clinical psych PhD programs. Back in September I contacted the professors who did not state on their website whether or not they were taking students next year. I didn't feel the need to contact professors otherwise. Well, of the 6 POIs I contacted, 4 replied. They were all taking students (yay!). Three of the four replies I got were very short and to the point (i.e. "yes, I expect to take a new student. It seems that our interests really match up and I encourage you to apply"). One POI's reply was much longer... talking all about the current projects in her lab, the clinical training students get, even down to her mentoring style. She personalized it a little at the end by commenting about how my interests really matched her's and she looked forward to reading my application, but I assume the rest was a cut & paste reply she gives all prospective applicants who contact her. STILL, I was very grateful for the detailed reply! Oh, and at the very end she told me to feel free to contact her with any specific questions I have about the program or about her research.

 

At the time I was so overwhelmed by searching for POIs and narrowing down my list of schools that I wasn't really ready to ask specific questions. I was really just looking to see who was taking new students. So... I never replied with any questions. The thing is, since doing more research, this POI has become my top choice of professors to work with, and now I REALLY REGRET not replying.

 

My fear is that I really ruined things for myself. I should have asked questions and I should have at least replied to show how interested I am. What if she reviews my application and thinks, "oh yeah, this is the student who emailed me saying she was interested in my work and then never replied after I emailed her telling her all about my lab!" On the other hand, I think-- She is a busy prof and probably gets hundreds of emails from prospective students each cycle. Her long reply was nice but it was probably the same stuff she says to everyone. It's doubtful she remembers everyone who emails her.

 

That said... do you think I can still rectify this situation by emailing her back now, over a month later? I could be honest and say that at the time, I did not have specific questions, but now that I'm further along in the application process, there are some things I'm curious about. If I do this, should I also mention she is my first choice POI? 

 

Thanks for reading... I really hope I haven't ruined my chances at this school/with this POI.

 

 

 

[surefire]

So it's that time of year when we all start freaking out and over-analyzing every step we make in this process, right?

 

I'm applying to clinical psych PhD programs. Back in September I contacted the professors who did not state on their website whether or not they were taking students next year. I didn't feel the need to contact professors otherwise. Well, of the 6 POIs I contacted, 4 replied. They were all taking students (yay!). Three of the four replies I got were very short and to the point (i.e. "yes, I expect to take a new student. It seems that our interests really match up and I encourage you to apply"). One POI's reply was much longer... talking all about the current projects in her lab, the clinical training students get, even down to her mentoring style. She personalized it a little at the end by commenting about how my interests really matched her's and she looked forward to reading my application, but I assume the rest was a cut & paste reply she gives all prospective applicants who contact her. STILL, I was very grateful for the detailed reply! Oh, and at the very end she told me to feel free to contact her with any specific questions I have about the program or about her research.

 

At the time I was so overwhelmed by searching for POIs and narrowing down my list of schools that I wasn't really ready to ask specific questions. I was really just looking to see who was taking new students. So... I never replied with any questions. The thing is, since doing more research, this POI has become my top choice of professors to work with, and now I REALLY REGRET not replying.

 

My fear is that I really ruined things for myself. I should have asked questions and I should have at least replied to show how interested I am. What if she reviews my application and thinks, "oh yeah, this is the student who emailed me saying she was interested in my work and then never replied after I emailed her telling her all about my lab!" On the other hand, I think-- She is a busy prof and probably gets hundreds of emails from prospective students each cycle. Her long reply was nice but it was probably the same stuff she says to everyone. It's doubtful she remembers everyone who emails her.

 

That said... do you think I can still rectify this situation by emailing her back now, over a month later? I could be honest and say that at the time, I did not have specific questions, but now that I'm further along in the application process, there are some things I'm curious about. If I do this, should I also mention she is my first choice POI? 

 

Thanks for reading... I really hope I haven't ruined my chances at this school/with this POI.

 

Hi StatsNerd,

 

Oh my goodness! So much self-doubt shoulder gremlin!

 

IMO, you have not botched anything! You made great contact with a POI and you're well positioned for a follow-up. A month is not too long (a month is nothing!). Sure you could have sent an e-mail back right away to thank her for the detailed reply, but now that you've taken some time to refelect and re-evaluate, you have much better questions for the POI than you would have had at that time. I reckon that she will be pleased that you took the detailed content of her reply to heart and that you used it to hone your interests.

 

FemaleScienceProfessor has a great blog with a piece that I frequently recommend for POI contact: http://science-professor.blogspot.ca/2011/10/writing-to-me-reprise.html

This will give you insight on what profs "typically" do with the annual fall avalanche of prospective student e-mails (the detailed reply is probably not as common as you think - it takes time to "personalize it a little"!).

While this post deals mostly with first-time contact, I think it also applies to follow-up. I think that you are well-positioned now to write a variation of the "Type 3" letter with a "follow-up" twist!

 

Reply directly to her last e-mail (so she can easily see/recall what she wrote to you), and reference specific details that she gave that excite you as a potential researcher and talk about how your interests are developing (and, with that development, how your interests are increasingly converging with hers!).

 

I'm so excited for you! Congrats on the solid contact and good luck going forward with this POI and your applications!

[StatsNerd]

Thank you so much for the very thoughtful reply, surefire. You really made me feel less uneasy about this whole situation. I think I'm going to compose an email to this POI today. Hopefully it will be well received!

Edited October 21, 2013 by StatsNerd

[gellert]

You definitely haven't ruined anything!  I love surefire's advice.  In addition I would remind you that profs receive soooo many of these emails.  They really don't have time to hold anything against you unless you made some egregious error, which you did not.  Apps are stressful enough as is!  Try to relax.