Types of responses after contacting POI

[doefficient]

After initially contacting a POI inquiring whether they are accepting graduate students, what would be an ideal response (other than "Yes, I am")? Should there be some sort of discussion about possible research projects? Just trying to put a response into perspective as I am pretty unsure about how to interpret certain emails.

[Applemiu]

I don't think there is an "ideal" response. Some POIs have the time or inclination to write more, some write less. Honestly, I don't try to have  a "discussion" at all costs because I know they are busy. If I like their work and they like mine, then I think we can have a discussion at the interview (if there will be an interview). 

[Dedi]

I agree with Applemiu regarding the ideal response.

 

However, I've found that (at least with Canadian schools) interested POIs might want to contact you via phone/skype as an informal interview. I've had one last January that went very well and now have two more coming up in November. If those also go well, then I will be more inclined to have a larger discussion with them in the future.

 

Some POIs will ask for different documents (CV, transcripts, the standard items) to gauge whether you would be suitable for their lab/program.

 

I've had one POI that asked me to list my research experiences, didn't reply for three months, then asked for an informal interview. He is my top choice POI right now.

 

In other words, the response varies and you may be surprised with who ends up being your top-choice.

[doefficient]

Alright, that is what I thought but wanted to check what others were thinking.

 

So let's say a POI replies that he/she is taking on students. What would you reply to him/her in that case? "Thank you"? Is this initial name just to get your name out there during the application session? 

[TakeruK]

Regarding the Canadian PIs -- not sure about your specific field but in mine, admission is (almost) completely decided by individual PIs (i.e. kind of like a job offer). When it came to Physics/Astro grad programs, here was how my emails to Canadian PIs went (which I thought was ideal for me, but that can differ from person to person):

 

1. One month prior to application deadline (i.e. early January for me), I emailed all the profs I would be interested in working with and said that I am currently a BSc student at UBC, working with Prof X. and that I would be really interested in working with them for grad school. I said that I would be applying to their program next month and asked if they would be interested in taking on students. I told them that I was planning on visiting the school in February during my reading break. I also offered to send them my CV if they would like.

 

2. The prof wrote back to confirm that they would be taking on students and mentioned a few projects they would want a MSc student to work on. Some of them asked for my CV. All of them said that it would be great for me to visit, and put me in touch with the admin person to organize that. I thanked them and said I would let them know when I applied.

 

3. When I submitted my application, I also wrote a note to the prof to say that I just sent it in. (**At Canadian schools in my field, what usually happens is that a small committee reviews incoming applications as soon as they arrive to check for basic qualifications, then they forward it to all professors in the department for each prof to decide if they would like to hire the student. So I thought it would be a good idea to let them know I applied so that they can be reminded of me and know to look out for my application materials).

 

4. During the visit (for most schools, the visit came after their decision but I visited one school prior to knowing the decision result since that school's deadline was March 1), I talked to the professors in person. This was when we actually talked about potential research projects seriously. I think it could be a waste of time for both prof and student to discuss this prior to applying. Some profs were not around when I visited so I skyped them.

[Applemiu]

Alright, that is what I thought but wanted to check what others were thinking.

 

So let's say a POI replies that he/she is taking on students. What would you reply to him/her in that case? "Thank you"? Is this initial name just to get your name out there during the application session? 

 

Yes, I would write "thank you" , trying to match the POI's style. It is a conversation, right? So if the POI is upbeat and informal, I can go with a "thanks a lot!". If the POI is more formal, I can write "I am glad to know that you are taking students...". If he/she is giving advice, I write "thank you for your email and your advice/clarification..."

[The Pedanticist]

Quite honestly its difficult to know how to respond.  It seems from field to field things can change drastically.  I'm applying to two different fields--communication and philosophy.  In philosophy some schools will blacklist you if you try to contact a POI about wanting to work with them.  In communication contacting the POI generally is a good idea.  Even within different areas of Comm it seems that professors have different views of the process.  I've had several hour long conversations with grad coordinators at schools who said they would like to work with me and I've had grad directors call me up out of the blue.  There have also been a couple of semi-negative responses,  So know what is expected for your discipline and keep your head up because you don't know what will happen.

[Kleio_77]

I have just contacted two POI's and have only received a response from one. He was very kind and said he was willing to supervise me then asked more about my research interests and whether I wanted to pursue the one or two year route. I was quite surprised with his response as I had not provided any information other than a basic introduction. I was so intimidated by the thought of emailing a POI that I had put it off for quite some time... but my first experience was a positive one.

[Applemiu]

I was so intimidated by the thought of emailing a POI that I had put it off for quite some time... but my first experience was a positive one.

 

Same here! I was intimidated as well, but everyone has been very nice.