Did I mess up?

[bienfang]

Ok, so I'm probably just going crazy from anxiety like a lot of people here, but I'd still like some opinions on a few things that are bothering me as I wait for news from schools. First of all, how important is it really that you contact professors when you're applying? I know I heard people emphasize this but by the time I had all my applications completed my brain kind of shut down... Is it vital or just something that will help? I only emailed a professor at my top choice and he sent me a generic copy and paste email that I did not feel compelled to reply to. I'm really worried that not contacting people could be one thing that will screw me over.

 

Another is that I only applied to 4 schools. I see that most people have applied to a lot more. I felt pretty confident with my applications when I was working on them (3.9 GPA, 320+ GRE, and positive feedback on my SOP), but I realize that schools get a lot of applicants so it's kind of a lottery... I guess I shouldn't be too worried about either of these issues since what's done is done. I felt so confident before and now I'm over thinking everything! 

 

Are my worries founded? Do I just need to relax?

[thissiteispoison]

My professors told me to contact professors when there are exceptional circumstances. For example, I contacted professors at UW because I live here, so it's easy to meet with them and learn about what they do ahead of time. I met with professors at The Technion when I was visiting family in Israel, because obviously I don't go to Israel super often so it was my only real chance to talk to them in person. I didn't contact professors elsewhere. What's useful is to have well-known professors vouch for you, either formally (through letters of recommendation) or informally. 

 

It is pretty random at some point, but what can you do about that now?

[ChuckCL]

What field are you in? I think contacting professors is less important in the Humanities (it's not a bad idea, of course, but it's not necessary). I contacted a couple professors who I knew previously through conferences or who I had connections with via my current professors. But I got into some of my top choice schools where I didn't make any contact at all. The more important thing is fit; I mentioned profs in my SOPs that fit really well with my research (and make a point of indicating that I knew their research pretty well). 

 

Granted, if you're not in the Humanities, I have no idea. 

[Enhydra]

The importance of contacting professors beforehand is quite field-specific. In some fields, it's not important to do so, but in others (like ecology) it can be highly encouraged (or even mandatory at some schools). I really wouldn't worry about it now, though. To help ease your mind I've had two interviews since applications were sent in--one was with a POI I contacted before, but the second was with someone I hadn't reached out to prior (but had mentioned in my SOP).

Edited February 1, 2015 by Enhydra

[bienfang]

I'm going into anthropology/archaeology, so hopefully contacting professors won't be an issue. One of my letter of recommendation writers is a well known archaeologist for the region I want to study so I'm hoping that will be worth a lot! I believe he's also familiar with a lot of the professors in the departments I applied to.

 

As for the number of schools, I'll just have to hope I get lucky I guess. Thanks for the feedback everyone!

[HistoryGypsy]

I keep having similar worries, since I contacted program chairs for each school but didn't do POIs for each school.  However, I finally just decided that I can make this wait more miserable for myself or I can force myself to relax and just see what happens.  Worry never won the prize, so I'm trying to put it out of my mind.

[Vene]

The importance of contacting professors beforehand is quite field-specific. In some fields, it's not important to do so, but in others (like ecology) it can be highly encouraged (or even mandatory at some schools).

Pretty much this. My program does rotations so contacting professors beforehand isn't really that important. However, talking to people in the biology PhD program it is effectively mandatory to form a working relationship with a professor prior to getting admitted.

 

Anecdotally, I applied to 5 programs at 4 universities last year, didn't make contact with professors prior to interviewing, and I'm working on a PhD now.

[isilya]

I wouldn't worry about not contacting professors. I've gotten interviews at places where I contacted professors, but I've also gotten interviews where I hadn't.

[tipmar]

I think it depends not only on field but also on how each specific department decides.

 

From what I have heard from both friends and Professors at different universities, some departments have a committee that makes the decisions almost independently. In these schools, the impact that each individual Professor has is relatively low, unless they happen to serve on the committee. In other schools, the decisions are more communal. Such schools ask Professors to read and respond to the applications in their field and could hold preliminary meetings with many participants before the committee starts the final process. In certain schools, Professors nominate their preferred students directly and being admitted is contingent on having active faculty "sponsorship".