How Long Before Re-Contacting a Potential POI?

[xypathos]

I contacted a professor at Oxford that I shared research interests with and laid out a primitive proposal of my interests and potential figures I want to engage through. I contacted this professor last week and have not heard back from them. That said, I realize it is way too early to be worried after only a week passes but it raises the question of how long is sufficient before you send a followup to inquire if they missed the email, were using silence as disinterest, said email found its way to their Spam folder, etc.

 

I was imagining two weeks. I know this particular professor is teaching this semester but I do not know of their workload or outside engagements.

[rising_star]

Well, the Oxford term hasn't started yet (see here) so the professor may not be checking their email regularly yet.

[Meinrad]

While we're on the topic, what should these emails look like? I've heard no more than a paragraph, and obviously you want to share a bit about yourself. But do you also ask the PoI questions or things to respond back to? 

[RD_Paul]

I've been wondering the same thing. I contacted all of my various POIs about a month and a half ago. I heard back from all of them but one. I then sent a follow-up e-mail two weeks ago, and I still got nothing. 

[xypathos]

While we're on the topic, what should these emails look like? I've heard no more than a paragraph, and obviously you want to share a bit about yourself. But do you also ask the PoI questions or things to respond back to? 

I shoot for no more than three very concise paragraphs. The advice I was given by professors is introduce yourself in a paragraph, a paragraph for what you want to study, and a paragraph on how you got there - coursework, particular scholars, etc. This could be reduced to two paragraphs but for flow purposes I've found that three works better. It gives you some room to wiggle around with but you aren't writing an essay.

[rising_star]

You definitely want to give the POI something to respond to, otherwise they may never reply! One question that is always good to ask is if they are or anticipate taking on new students in the upcoming academic year. You might also want to ask about current/recent research which may not yet be reflected in their publications or on their website.

[Averroes MD]

Make sure to email them during their business hours, around 10 or 11 am... or alternatively early afternoon... So that they've already gone over all their last night emails and yours comes as "1 new message"... higher chance of getting a response then.