Contacting professors at the schools in which you are
interested is probably the single most unique thing about graduate
school admissions. Though Andrea Average never would have
considered this, it is an extraordinarily valuable experience.
Many positive things will emerge from your efforts, including your
own evolving recognition of the application process as essentially
interpersonal, not impersonal as it most often is viewed.
As a practical matter, you probably should hope to contact at
least one professor at each school to which you are thinking of
applying. With seven to ten schools, this is still quite a lot of
letters, but after the first is completed the rest will flow
relatively easily.
First, do your homework. Check through the brochures of all the
schools you are seriously considering. Using the faculty listings
and research interests as a guide, check whom might you be
especially interested in working with, or under. Even if this
professor does not end up being your advisor, you will have
engaged a important collegial relationship, and gained useful
information as well. Certainly it won't kill you to be wrong about
whom to choose, but you might as well be right.
Next, go to the largest library available. A large regional
library will do, but a strong university system is even better.
You are going to be doing a small bit of research on each of these
professors for whom you haven't got sufficient information. Check
especially through such things as The National Faculty
Directory and the Directory of American Scholars. You
don't need a great deal of information, but seek useful tidbits.
For instance, working with a professor who won a significant award
in your field is going to help increase your reputation for
having worked under her. Perhaps peruse books or articles by
selected professors -- but realize that a personally interesting
professor might write extremely turgid articles, so weigh this
impression lightly. The primary goal is information sufficient to
glimpse the professor's interests and to make an intelligent,
informed presentation in your letter.
As far as the letter itself, you will first need to explain who
the heck you are. Don't begin by apologize for writing or being
interested in their program; you are grateful for their time of
course, but remember that this is saving both you and the
institution the hassle of a possibly unnecessary application.
Discuss their research interests and why you are particularly
interested in their program; the more specific you can be, the
better. You'll probably also want to know whether they would be
available as an advisor next year, or some such thing pertinent to
your decision whether to apply to this school. Send a copy of your
résumé: it will readily introduce them to you without having to
come right out and say how great you are, and will allow them to
judge your qualifications for the program. It's best to find out
now if they think you might be overmatched by the competition, and
for you either to respond or to change your plans accordingly.
Then wait several weeks for a reply. These are busy folks,
after all, and no one gets awards or recognition or higher pay for
responding promptly to prospective graduate students.
When you do get a response, be happy. This is a momentous
opportunity to gauge your candidacy and to correct any mistaken
impressions. If they loved your credentials, thank them; or if, as
is likely, they were wishy-washy, you can reinforce the more
positive aspects. You can then choose either to continue the
correspondence, or wrap it up and let them know how much you
appreciate their help (you do, don't you?). Whichever it is, you
now have someone on the faculty who at very least will recognize
your name. You've also got a name to mention in your personal
statement, indicating both your enduring interest in the program
and the maturity of your decision to apply. And you probably
understand the school or department a little better. It was an
effort well spent.
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