Odd comment...?

[PizzaCat93]

Background - I'm at a small LAC in the south, currently applying to PhD programs.

My research advisor moved to another school this year, although we are still in contact. My academic advisor is not in my field, although I took methods from him as well as another course. I'm asking for letters from both of these professors. The question is this - I was meeting my academic advisor last week to go over a few things in regards to my applications. He suggested that I talk to another professor in my department for more advice, even though I have not taken courses nor had interactions with this other professor (who is in my field but does not share my research interests, hence the lack of interaction). He specifically said, "We want to have the entire department behind you and your application". I have no clue what this means and think it's an odd comment. I feel that he is uneasy that I don't really have any strong connections to the department anymore since my research advisor left and since he himself isn't in my field. The implication is that I'm out there flailing without any support, and this is not the case at all; I also have connections at about a third of the schools to which I'm applying. So, any advice? Does anyone understand what's going on here? It made me a bit uncomfortable, honestly. 

[kaykaykay]

It feels like that other prof may be a graduate of (another) good university and they may be able to give you good advice on application strategy and may be helpful on who to get in contact with etc. Don't worry professors like to find good students and if they think you would do good in grad school they will try to help you. If anything it feels like your prof feels like you are a worthy student to get this other prof's advice and help. 

Of course without taking their class you cannot ask for their recommendation. But you should just go and talk to them. Tell them that so and so suggested that you should you to talk to them, show your transcripts, GRE scores, tell them your research ideas and listen to what they have to say.  Ask them what do they suggest where should you apply, whether they have a recommendation who to contact, whether they have a recommendation about which part of the application to improve, maybe.... maybe.... if they would read and comment on your SOP...

This can be so helpful you cannot even imagine.

Edited September 14, 2015 by kaykaykay

[fuzzylogician]

I know it's hard not to read into things, but if I didn't have your commentary above, I'd take this remark to be 100% positive. Your research advisor is at another university and hence at least somewhat less involved than if s/he had been right there; your current academic advisor is outside your field, and is hence recommending that you get advice from someone within your field (albeit one who has different research interests than yours) to make sure the school does its best to support your application. I would leave it exactly there. If the entire department wants to get behind your application, that is great news and entirely positive, not anything to worry or feel uncomfortable about. The fact that the person you're told to speak with has different interests than yours doesn't mean they don't have a lot of relevant insight that could help you write a better targeted application, or that he doesn't have connections he could use to help get you into the schools you want to go to. And yes, as suggested above me, if he is willing to read and comment on any of your application materials, that would be great news for you. Your application will most certainly be read by non-specialists on the adcoms at the schools you'll apply to, so getting a non-specialist to read your essays can only help improve them and make them accessible to the kind of audience you want to target.