Contacting Potential Programs and Advisors

Once you've narrowed down your list of potential schools, you will eventually want to consider contacting at least one faculty member at each school.  The best way to do this is through a simple e-mail describing your academic interests and your intention to apply to their program.  I sent a few e-mails to faculty at each of the seven schools I applied to - and even sent a couple of e-mails to faculty at other schools where I chose not to apply.  The latter group of faculty actually advised me not to apply to their programs - given the nature of the faculty politics and an honest description of how their interests didn't really match up to mine.  Keep in mind that while being advised not to apply to a school you otherwise like may be frustrating, it will save you both time and money in the long run.  

Also keep in mind that applying for graduate school is different than applying for undergraduate programs.  Graduate programs in the humanities and the sciences are often looking more at your potential "fit" than your GPA, GRE scores, and overall background.  The graduate admissions committee will ask - is the applicant hoping to study something that we're also interested in?  Do they meet the minimum qualifications for our program?  Do they have any publications or research experience that makes them stand out?  

Obviously, when slogging through (often) hundreds of applications for a few number of slots, graduate admissions committees will have to take a hard look at the entirety of your application.  But one thing that can help you stand out is a pre-existing relationship with the faculty you are interested in working with.  This, however, is far from a guarantee that you'll get in to your favorite program.

Once you've decided who you want to write to at each school, craft an e-mail with your academic interests and reasons for applying to the program.  Have your parents read this, have your friends read this, have your friend's friend read this - avoid any silly mistakes or typos. Then send the e-mail off and wait for a reply. 

When you hear back from potential faculty advisors at your list of schools - consider a few things.  First, what is the tone of the response.  Do they sound as though they are interested? Uninterested?  

I applied to two of the top five programs in my field.  The faculty of one of the programs responded back to e-mails quickly and professionally.  Their responses showed interests in my potential research and they were even quite friendly - written in an overall positive tone.  The second program responded to e-mails as though their keyboards were stuck in molasses.  They were far less friendly and appeared generally uninterested.  This caused me to switch the two programs on my own personal list of schools.  

To conclude, don't be afraid to contact potential advisors at the schools that you're interested in applying to.  Be polite, craft an e-mail that avoids silly mistakes, and read between the lines a bit in their responses.