Getting In To Grad School

     An Applicant's Guide to Graduate School Admissions

Response from prospective mentors

Submitted by Tyra Gunn on Sun, 2006-01-29 13:12.

When I first applied to grad school, I followed your advice and sent four emails out to four faculty members I was interested in. But I only got a reply from one who was fairly neutral about their opinion of my research interests. She proceeded to label my research as consonant to their dept's, suggesting I contact a 5th member and letting her know about the affinities between my work and hers. Needless to say I never got a reply, and despite that very same positive contact being on the selecting committee, they ultimately rejected my application.

Is this unusual?

Posted in The Process of Applying | | previous forum topic | next forum topic »





Typical response

Your experience sounds more or less typical. That's okay - they're busy people. You learned more about the school, got some personal feedback, and have a reason to call up both of those professors to discuss. By the way, did you send a thank you note after the first letter received? And a "thanks anyway" note when you were denied? The latter should have explained that you understood how difficult their decision was but that NEXT time you apply, you are going to be better prepared and you look forward to the opportunity.

Submitted by Dave Burrell on Tue, 2006-01-31 16:12.
Copyright David T. Burrell, January 1999-2006. All rights reserved.
Community Website Creation by Growing Venture Solutions