MA/MS- contacting professors - is it mandatory?

[HermoineG]

Hi,

 

I'm an international student and I am applying for Experimental Psychology program to a number cal-state universities. I currently moved here from India.

 

My question is - is it mandatory to email or call professors and talk before applying? I have read that it is an extremely important step for Phd admissions. Is it true for MS admissions as well?

 

In India we never had to contact any professors in advance and I really have no idea about how to approach them in the first place? Do I call or write email? What do I mention in the email? Do I have to tell them my test scores? 

 

Can somebody please help me? Most of my friends who are studying here are enrolled for Engineering program. They never contacted their professions in advance. So I really do not have any sources for Psychology admissions.

 

I have a fairly good academic background. I have 3.5 GPA and very good TOEFL score (English proficiency test) and good Recommendations. I do not want to lose out on my chances of getting in because I did not contact my professors.

 

Can you guys please help me with this?

 

Thanks!

[Lisa44201]

Do not call.

 

You don't have to contact professors, it's certainly not mandatory; on the other hand, if nothing else, it's good to know if they're taking students or not. 

 

A simple, "Hi, my name is PsychChick, and I am finishing up my Bachelor's degree in Psychology. I will be applying to graduate schools this fall. I am interested in Very Cool Topic, and admire your work in that area. I was wondering if you will be accepting students?" will work.

[StatsNerd]

I'm at a Cal State experimental MA program right now (will be graduating in the spring and am currently applying to clinical PhD programs). I didn't contact professors before applying here, but I did mention a few I'd like to work with in my statement of purpose (which they tell you to do). I don't think it's nearly as important to contact profs for master's programs because students applying to these programs don't always have research interests as well-defined as those applying to PhD programs (I certainly didn't).

 

But I can tell you that at least at my Cal State (one that has a very good track record for getting its students into PhD programs might I add ), contacting professors before applying is not expected or all that common. I know my current mentor is HORRIBLE at getting to emails so it's doubtful he would have replied had I contacted him before applying anyway. Also, in my program, while technically we do work on a "mentorship model" they generally admit students as a cohort based on qualifications and then assign them to mentors based on general interest areas, but it is very less based on "research fit" than in most doctoral programs. 

 

So no, contacting professors is definitely not mandatory. The only reason I would even bother is if there's a professor you're really interested in working with and you want to make sure they're taking a student(s) next year.

 

Good luck!

Edited November 5, 2013 by StatsNerd

[nugget]

I cannot comment on whether or not you need to contact professors as I am in a different field of study. However, you seem to be unfamiliar with the application process in the US. If you did your studies overseas and have never attended university in the city you are currently living, I would ask your friends to sign out books for you at their university library. Ask  the librarian for books related to applying to graduate school and look for books that focus specifically on psychology programs. You need to know how the system works to give yourself the best chances of getting accepted into a program.

Edited November 5, 2013 by jenste

[PsychGirl1]

Look at the program information and get a sense of the program. Some master's programs have admissions similar to undergrad- they accept a class based on admissions criteria. Then once you get to campus, you sorta figure out who you want to work with (if it's research based- some of them are mostly classes). Others model the PhD system, where it's 1 advisor-1 student and you're accepted to work with a specific advisor. If that's the case, then it's helpful to check and make sure they're taking master's students. Some years professors will take more than 1 students across programs, sometimes they won't be taking any. It can also help you get your name on a professor's radar if they don't often take master's students.

[HermoineG]

Thank you all for your replies. I have registered myself at a public library and will check out books to throw some light on this entire process. One of my friends
who is attended Engineering school is helping me out too. 

 

As you all said, I think it won't hurt to send mails. So I'll start with it now.

 

Thanks once again! Have a great day