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In this season of grad applications, a few humble words of advice to #prospectivegrads. When reaching out to prospective advisors, please do so with patience, persistence, & positivity. Here& #39;s why: (1/n)
On patience: yes, we& #39;re all busy, & no - that isn& #39;t an excuse for a non-response. But: we really love our jobs, & sometimes that means we& #39;re *really* bad at saying no to things. We& #39;re often especially bad at saying no to an outstanding prospective student. (2/n)
We have to say no for all sorts of reasons - funding limitations, maxed-out lab groups, or personal commitments. These reasons aren& #39;t the fault of a prospective student, and they& #39;re rarely something you can change. (3/n)
We want to handle that interaction well - perhaps with a personalized response, perhaps with advice, or perhaps pointing you to another opportunity in another lab/institution. (4/n)
But, that e-mail that is really important paradoxically gets put off, because we tell ourselves we want to find that perfect moment to give it the thought & care it deserves. So, please be patient... (5/n)
...and be persistent. If you& #39;ve identified a prospective advisor who& #39;s a really perfect fit for you, & you haven& #39;t heard back, get after it! Send a follow-up e-mail a week after the original, or pick up the phone (phone calls are good). Be ready to talk projects & goals. (6/n)
And finally, positivity: this is the most important thing. If you ultimately don& #39;t get a response, please understand that that is *in no way* a reflection of your potential as a student & scientist. (7/n)
We all get ignored - a lot! But that& #39;s life in a crazy, over-committed world. If you have any doubt about that, ask a professor/professional how many prospective advisors either never responded to them or ghosted later in the process. My record is in the double-digits. (8/n)
