How to approach advisors? What does a good first email look like?

[blackswan13]

So I have been admitted to MIT but have no potential advisor yet and I am freaking out before making a final decision about whether I should choose MIT or just go to Berkeley where I do have around three choices. I had a couple of questions for seasoned graduate students about how to approach professors. First, the area I am interested in, I dont have much research experience in it. Do professors expect you to have experience in that already? Also, is it ok to attach a resume? Furthermore, I am not sure what the email subject should look like. Till now I have been using "potential graduate student" etc.  Most forums have emailing before admission discussion but I would love to see some email tempelates or advice for when you have already been admitted.

 

[GradSchoolTruther]

I noticed this on MIT's electrical engineering admissions website. 

"Research supervisors are determined after admission decisions are reached or shortly after registering in EECS in the Fall."

https://www.eecs.mit.edu/academics-admissions/graduate-program/admissions/dear-prospective-applicant

[blackswan13]

I know but when I went to openhouse they expect you to find one yourself... 

[fuzzylogician]

I'm not going to give you a template but I would say you scout out the ones who you think are interesting, and you write an email introducing yourself and asking for a Skype meeting. In that meeting, you ask your questions about whether they are taking students, and how they deal with students will less background, and everything else that is on your mind. The subject line can say "Skype meeting request" or similar. People will have different expectations so we can't really answer your questions for you, you will just have to talk to everyone who you think might be relevant. Don't attach a resume. Keep it short. They should know your name, since you're an admitted student and there can't be too many of those. And since you say you're expected to find an advisor before arriving, they will be expecting to get these emails from students. 

[Butterfly_effect]

As far as needing experience in your field, this is probably very field- and PI- dependent. The best way to find out is to ask. You got into the program, so obviously MIT thinks you're qualified  My program was rotation-based so when I was contacting potential advisors, I would usually use "Graduate student rotation" or "Meet to discuss Rotation" or even "Rotation?" as a title (depending on how well I knew the PI). My first email was something like this:

Hi Professor X, 
 

I hope you are doing well. My name is Y and I am a first year student in the <program name>. I have been reading about your work and I was wondering if you would be available to meet to talk about the possibility of me rotating in your lab. 
 

My background is mostly Z. I studied <insert past research if relevant>. I am excited about <reason why you're interested in in their lab>. I am particularly interested in <problem you would be interested in working on>. Thanks for your time and let me know if we might be able to meet in the coming weeks.

 

 

Hope that helps!

[ShogunT]

The prof I contacted at MIT told me that she only talks with students with admission. You've got one, so go ahead and do some PR to your POIs. I have a feeling that you are gravitating toward Berkeley and almost make up your mind. Otherwise, relax and write some emails. Note: peruse the profs' website to see if there is any guideline for contacting him/her. I know some profs ask prospective students to include some specific keywords into the email subject to show that it is not a spam; otherwise they won't read the email.