Contacting professors after applications

[Dff]

Hello everyone!

 

I applied to several schools but didn't contact any professors in some of them (which I now regret). The administrative assistant at one of them told me that the committee is "still reviewing applications but she's hopeful that they'll make decisions in the next few weeks".

 

Should I use this chance to contact some professors since they haven't decided or is it too late?? 

 

I am just worried that I won't be considered for admission because I did not contacting any faculty members.

 

Thanks!! 

[Algernon]

I'm not sure I have specific advice for you, but I do want to let you know that I contacted absolutely no one at any of the schools I applied to, and I still got a couple of acceptances and waitlists. I don't know if expectations are different in comp lit versus literary studies, but in literary studies, I experienced no significant setbacks by not contacting professors. 

I'd be tempted not to contact anyone now for fear of irritating them during a busy time of year, but that's just my personality. Perhaps others will have relevant experience to share about whether contacting professors at this point in the game is beneficial, detrimental, or insignificant. 


 

[ProfLorax]

I feel like this is a bad bad idea. Let me explain why: when you contact professors, it should be because you are interested in their work or you have questions about the program. At this point in the game, though, it would be apparent to the professors that you are only contacting them to better your chances of admission. I can't imagine many professors would respond positively to that motivation. 

 

At this point, admissions committee has all the materials it will consider to make a decision. It sucks to wait, but that's where we are in the game. Also, if it makes you feel any better, many discussions on this forum seem to indicate that contacting professors does not have a direct effect on the decision-making process. A conversation early on in the process may help an applicant shape their SoP or writing sample to a specific school, but that's pretty much it. Unless you had co-presented or co-authored a paper with a professor on the committee, I doubt prior contact would help. 

[Dff]

Thank you so much for your answers!! They make me feel a lot better, for some reason I had assumed that contacting someone was fundamental to be considered, but I guess I'll just be patient and wait

 

Good luck to everyone!