Maintaining Contact w/ Profs.

[BCHistory]

When I began researching programs (especially when I made my final list of schools), in each department I contacted a couple professors with whom I would be interested in working. I heard back from all, and most were interested in my work and said to contact them when I applied so that they could look out for my application.

When I submitted them in October, I emailed the professors again to let them know I had applied, and I received positive responses from all of them.

What I want to know now is whether or not I should contact them one more time before they begin reading applications this month and next? I don't want to be annoying, but at the same time, I've made these wonderful contacts at the programs, and I would hate for them to go to waste. Is there any non-awkward way of maintaining this correspondence with the professors? Should I email them articles they may find interesting, ask them about their current work, etc...?

Edited December 9, 2009 by BCEmory08

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

I would wait until you hear back about acceptance/rejection. If you get in, email them that you would like to speak more about their current work and the program. If not, tell them you're grateful for their support and correspondence. If you still have questions about their work because it is still pertinent to your own (which is probably the case), ask a few but don't be over-the-top. You are not their student, and not really a colleague yet (even if you're in somewhere else doing similar things).

Lean on the side of not annoying.

[LateAntique]

+1 on not being annoying. Don't email articles and stuff to them unless you consider yourselves friends.