What's wrong with how I'm emailing potential supervisors?

[peachpenumbra]

I'm a US citizen studying English in the UK. I'm going into my final year of undergraduate and am getting ready to apply to PhDs in the US, but I've been getting conflicting advice from my advisers. Everyone has told me that I should email potential supervisors before applying, because I need to make contact with academics to boost my chances of acceptance. The email structure that I've tried out on a couple of professors is introducing myself, a brief description of my research interests, mentioning the professor's work that interests me, and asking if they're accepting grad students for my year of entry. The responses that I've received have been very positive and friendly, saying that my research interests fit in with theirs and that I should apply, but they also explicitly say something along the lines of, "unlike in the UK, in the US you don't choose a supervisor until you've been accepted and I don't get to choose which applications succeed".

 

So my question is, how should I be phrasing my emails instead? If my emails have no impact on my acceptance, should I still be sending them? They also have all suggested that I contact the graduate chairs to pose questions about the application process. Would that just be technical questions about how to apply and what they look for in applicants?

 

I feel like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle here because the advise that I've been given doesn't match up with the reality of the situation. Any advice on what I'm doing wrong/right?

[MoJingly]

Emailing potential advisers is not as much about "getting in" as it is "finding the right fit."  You're doing a great job reaching out, so keep doing it.  If you apply and end up getting in to a few places, you will have your interaction with your professors of interest to help  you make your decision. Since you haven't applied yet, perhaps "are you taking students for my entering year" is not necessary.  Maybe more along the lines of "do you have any suggestions for me as I move forward in this process, or insights into your institution?" (not phrased that well, but you get the idea).   That might prevent them from saying, "I have no say in admissions" and prompt them to give you helpful information.

 

Good luck!

[Gvh]

Since you haven't applied yet, perhaps "are you taking students for my entering year" is not necessary.  

 

 

I definitely agree that emailing POIs is ultimately about confirming research fit, but I don't quite understand this last point. I mean, at the end of the day if the POI in question isn't taking a new student, is there any point applying? Ideally, I'd want to know this info before I apply.

[MoJingly]

I definitely agree that emailing POIs is ultimately about confirming research fit, but I don't quite understand this last point. I mean, at the end of the day if the POI in question isn't taking a new student, is there any point applying? Ideally, I'd want to know this info before I apply.

 

Yeah, I see what you mean.  It likely depends on field too.  I'm in biological sciences so it's more typical to "settle in" to a lab once you have finished your first year and done a few rotations.  My impression is that social sciences tend to be more adviser-oriented from the beginning? 

[GeoDUDE!]

Hello Professor A

 

I am currently an English student in the UK and want to continue to study X in graduate school. I am particularly interested in particular X, and think that because your work "specific paper" is related to specific X, I think that you and your department would be a great place for me to continue my studies. Are you taking on graduate students for Fall 2015? Attached is a copy of my CV.

 

Thank you for your time,

 

Peachpenumbra.

 

 

 

 

I used a very similar email to all my POIs and got a response from every single one. Even the ones that didnt take on graduate students, they referred me to someone else who they think I might be a good fit with. The email does a few things : 1) it states who you are and what you are interested in. 2) It shows you have at least read 1 thing of theirs and it relates to what you are interested in. 3)  It is very short and doesnt waste the professors time.

 

I would send 4 line emails and get back essays from them in a response. The CV attachment is important; If your CV is good or impressive they will be more likely to respond knowing you at least have a shot to get in. Many students who contact professors dont have a shot.

[peachpenumbra]

The CV attachment is important; If your CV is good or impressive they will be more likely to respond knowing you at least have a shot to get in. Many students who contact professors dont have a shot.

Thanks for this - it's an interesting tactic. I naturally thought that including a CV would be cumbersome and they wouldn't read it, but if it really works I'll try it. I haven't actually written an academic CV yet because I haven't ever had a need for one, so that's something to work on!

[Gvh]

Yeah, I see what you mean.  It likely depends on field too.  I'm in biological sciences so it's more typical to "settle in" to a lab once you have finished your first year and done a few rotations.  My impression is that social sciences tend to be more adviser-oriented from the beginning? 

 

Yes, this tends to be the case in psych and even most neuro departments. The hard sciences seem to encourage applying "to the program" and then having new students do rotations for a year or so. But yeah in my case, if the POI wasn't taking a student, there would ultimately be no real place for me in the program (unless I modified my interests or something).

[Gvh]

Thanks for this - it's an interesting tactic. I naturally thought that including a CV would be cumbersome and they wouldn't read it, but if it really works I'll try it. I haven't actually written an academic CV yet because I haven't ever had a need for one, so that's something to work on!

 

Yeah, I have been advised to attach a CV too. If you think about it, you literally could be anyone with no experience which would be a complete waste of time for the prof. If s/he gets an idea of your experience and interests, it makes logical sense that they'd be more likely to give a meaningful response.

[peachpenumbra]

Yeah, I have been advised to attach a CV too. If you think about it, you literally could be anyone with no experience which would be a complete waste of time for the prof. If s/he gets an idea of your experience and interests, it makes logical sense that they'd be more likely to give a meaningful response.

 

I'll definitely do that then. Thanks so much for the tips!

[Applemiu]

Thank you GeoDUDE!

This is super helpful.

[GeoDUDE!]

I'll definitely do that then. Thanks so much for the tips!

 

 

Try to aim for a few sentences of text, and the CV. You don't need to cover much with the first response, just enough to get the professor to spend time on you.  Its when meeting someone you want to ask out in a bar; You don't need to know their whole life story, just that they seem nice, funny and good looking. 

[surefire]

I've sat on an adcomm (in Canada, for context). One of the things that distinguished a promising applicant were those that could say "My interests would fit with Prof. so-and-so AND I've touched base with Prof. so-and-so and they said they'd be into prospective superving/working with me". I read lots of apps where people just wrote "prof. so-and-so would be perfect" BUT maybe that prof was heading out for a long sabbatical (something that can be ascertained by looking at their faculty page or contacting them via e-mail). Give yourself credit for doing the recon, I promise that it does make a difference to your apps, even if it's not in immediate or obvious ways!

 

I will always and forever recommend the Female Science Professor blog post on this topic: http://science-professor.blogspot.ca/2011/10/writing-to-me-reprise.html

 

It pertains to the sciences (obv), so the context - as established by the posters above - IS different re: whether or not you NEED to secure a prof's supervision to apply, BUT the general templates for e-mails are really helpful to ensure that your correspondence decorum is on point and likely to get a positive response!

 

Good luck!

[hj2012]

Lots of helpful advice in this thread so far! But because I'm coming from the perspective of someone who just finished applying to English PhD programs, I'm going to go against the grain and suggest that you don't actually need to reach out to professors before applying. English PhD programs, at least in the U.S., are unlike the sciences (or the social sciences) where you're looking to work in a specific lab or under a specific professor. There's a reason why a good number of English PhD websites specifically request that you DON'T contact faculty; unless they are on the adcomm, they will not usually have much input on who is accepted. 

 

Posing specific questions about the school or program to the DGS makes more sense if you actually have questions (I doubt the DGS, who is inundated with questions about the program, will remember your name out of the crowd when it comes to decision time), but I contend that the most "helpful" kinds of contact you can make are the ones formed via networking. Ask your professors if they have any contacts across the pond who would be willing to give you advice, or reach out to undergrad professors with the same request. I got some of the most helpful advice from friends of my advisers who shared their impressions of the strongest schools in my (sub)field and who I should look to work with in the future. 

 

That said, all of this should be for your own personal information and understanding, because I'm still skeptical that a brief one-off email contact has any meaningful impact on admissions decisions, at least in English.

 

Of course, this is just my $.02.

[maelia8]

I second hj2012. I'm also in the humanities (history) and was told on many department websites NOT to contact the faculty for the very reason stated above. I was advised not to email professors unless I have an actual legitimate question related to that professor's research. A 4-line introduction may be a nice gesture, but it's probably fairly irrelevant to the admissions committee and is by no means a necessary part of the application process. I only applied to  top-ten schools in my field, didn't send a single email to potential advisors, and still managed to get accepted or wait listed at several of them. Most department websites will list which professors are retiring or going on sabbatical next year, so emailing to find out whether the professor is going to be there as a potential advisor is also usually unnecessary. 

 

TL,DR; don't sweat it too much. The emails probably aren't very important in the big scheme of things and likely will have little to no influence on the committee's admissions decision.

[Crucial BBQ]

I used to think that contacting potential advisors/mentors/etc. was discipline dependent but now, as someone who went through the whole process last year, I am of the opinion that it is program specific.  Out of all of the programs I looked at whether I applied to them or not, some 22 in total, said one of the following:

 

Contacting at least one potential advisor is an absolute must prior to submitting your application.  You must indicate which professor you have been in contact with in your SOP.

 

Indicating which professor you would most like to work with is a must, but no real contact prior to or after acceptance is necessary.

 

After you are admitted to the program you must select an advisor to work with.  Even if you are admitted to the program you will not officially join the program until an advisor can be secured.

 

It is not necessary to contact a potential advisor prior to applying.  During your first two years of coursework you will do lab rotations.  At some point near the end of rotations you will select an advisor.  

 

It is encouraged, but not necessary, to contact a potential advisor prior to applying.  Once admitted you will be assigned an academic advisor.  After matriculation, and at sometime during your first year (or two), you will select a research advisor/select an advising committee. 

 

 

Also, if you research it you will get conflicting advice about including a CV in your initial email. The general consensus is not to send it in your initial email but instead to ask, if the POI is interested, if it is okay to attach it to a follow up email.  

[victorydance]

"unlike in the UK, in the US you don't choose a supervisor until you've been accepted and I don't get to choose which applications succeed"

 

Have you thought of the fact that it is the truth? These professors have no say in the admission process, and quite frankly, probably don't give a rat's ass about you. 

 

Occam's razor is your friend. 

[12345678900987654321]

"unlike in the UK, in the US you don't choose a supervisor until you've been accepted and I don't get to choose which applications succeed"

 

Have you thought of the fact that it is the truth? These professors have no say in the admission process, and quite frankly, probably don't give a rat's ass about you. 

 

Occam's razor is your friend. 

 

Exactly what this person said. Most of the time the professors forward me emails like this so I can respond. Most professors have very little to do with the admissions process and even if they did, an email isn't going to sway them. 

[juilletmercredi]

Everyone has told me that I should email potential supervisors before applying, because I need to make contact with academics to boost my chances of acceptance.

 

 

 

This varies by field, and is more common in the sciences and social sciences.  I'm in the social sciences, but I've actually heard that in English (and by extension, gender studies) this is done less often, because you don't work in an advisor's lab the way you would in the sciences and social sciences.  So in that sense, you often are admitted to the program and then choose a supervisor later, once you are in coursework.  Replies by people in the humanities above seem to confirm.  (It is also, has someone has pointed out, departmental as well.)

 

For the record though, I didn't actually touch base with any professors before I applied.

Edited August 3, 2014 by juilletmercredi

[Gvh]

Exactly what this person said. Most of the time the professors forward me emails like this so I can respond. Most professors have very little to do with the admissions process and even if they did, an email isn't going to sway them. 

 

Eh, I can't agree with this based on my experience with profs and people I know who have been successful PhD applicants. If someone shows serious intent and can demonstrate the necessarily qualifications and sufficient knowledge, I think touching base with a prof can go a long way. Indeed, in cases where you would join a lab, establishing whether your ideas are a good fit for the lab and advisor is informative for the applicant! Personally, I want to make sure my ideas are something my future advisor would potentially want to help me develop. By contrast, if he isn't taking students or if my interpretations of what the lab would accept are erroneous, I might be wasting both my and the admissions committee's time. 

[victorydance]

This varies by field, and is more common in the sciences and social sciences.  I'm in the social sciences, but I've actually heard that in English (and by extension, gender studies) this is done less often, because you don't work in an advisor's lab the way you would in the sciences and social sciences.  So in that sense, you often are admitted to the program and then choose a supervisor later, once you are in coursework.  Replies by people in the humanities above seem to confirm.  (It is also, has someone has pointed out, departmental as well.)

 

For the record though, I didn't actually touch base with any professors before I applied.

 

I would actually even further refine that: it's really only common for sciences.

 

Sociology, economics, political science, and most anthropology programs don't encourage students to contact professors beforehand. The professors in these types of programs are very decentralized from the admission process.

 

Basically, any time there is a lab + more centralized professor grant funds going to grad students, then you may need to make connections before applying. However, most social sciences are not like that. Maybe disciplines such as psychology and geography, but it certainly isn't the norm.

[surefire]

I would actually even further refine that: it's really only common for sciences.

 

Sociology, economics, political science, and most anthropology programs don't encourage students to contact professors beforehand. The professors in these types of programs are very decentralized from the admission process.

 

Basically, any time there is a lab + more centralized professor grant funds going to grad students, then you may need to make connections before applying. However, most social sciences are not like that. Maybe disciplines such as psychology and geography, but it certainly isn't the norm.

 

I think jullietmecredi was right to keep it more abstract.

 

I'm in Sociology (in Canada, if that matters) - I e-mailed a prof in each department that I applied and I know that the recon had a role in decisions, in some cases. And, again, I sat on an adcomm and got to see the admissions "sausage-making" first-hand. Anecdotal evidence does not a compelling case make (I have to tell my students that often enough...), but I feel confident stating that the practice (and the traction you do or do not get) varies across disciplines AND departments.

 

To be clear:

 

- The OP got a lot of advice on the norm in their field, and they should heed that.

- If a departmental website comments that e-mailing faculty is discouraged, then heed that too.

- I think that the practice of e-mailing profs is more about refining your plan and establishing fit (though this varies by supervisory requirements in different disciplines, natch). You want to pitch a feasible plan. With that in mind, if you can ascertain the info in some other way, you can just do that. As I mentioned, a POI might be retiring, or taking a sabbatical, or recently venturing in an entirely different research direction - if you can figure this out from faculty pages and online CVs and recent publication lists and the like, then do that!

- If you consult/try all of the above and still aren't sure of either the decorum of a department or status of a prof, you could always call the department's grad secretary and ask. I'm not inclined to give the grad secretary more work (which is why you should try to find the answers on your own first), but I think you can do this quickly and respectfully. Don't ask about what may improve your application - that is not onus that should be on the grad secretary. Instead, say that you've received conflicting info about the practice and you searched their website and didn't find a definitive policy so: would (s)he be able to tell you if contacting profs in this department is the norm/advisable.

 

Best of luck to the awesomely named (and hopefully successful) peachpenumbra!

Edited August 4, 2014 by surefire