Reaching Out to Ad Comms

[copaceticbroad]

Does anyone have any advice for making a connection with the professors at your target schools by email? So many people have mentioned emailing to determine whether you would be a good fit for a school, but somehow I feel nervous about it. I did it with one school and was promptly informed that given my circumstances, I could not apply (which was obviously helpful, but still off-putting). Any tips?

[jmk]

If you are applying to clinical Masters program (not PhD) and also not planning on trying to connect with a professor regarding research, emailing the professor (who may not even be on the adcom board) doesn't seem like it would be of a great benefit to you. 

Why don't you email whoever is listed as the head of the adcom committee on ASHA, and ask

• if you could tour the department
•  meet with someone to ask questions about the program in person
• about any open houses,
• if there are faculty or grad students who would be willing to communicate with you about aspects of the program,
• how you could improve your application,
• or even your stats/asking if your stats are too low? 

I would not personally email a professor unless I had a reason to (research interest, the course they teach). If you email the program head, they should be able to appropriately direct your email to someone else, or answer any questions you have themselves.