help me, obi-wan flist

[bedlamsbard]

So this weekend I have resolved to actually do what I've been being told to do since sometime last year: e-mail the professors I'm interested in working with at the grad schools I'm interested in going to. Only I have no idea what to actually say in said e-mails. And many of y'all are in or have been in grad school! So -- help?



Dear Professor [X],

My name is Katrina [Surname] and I am currently in my final year at Tulane University, where I will graduate in May with a double major in Medieval and Early Modern Studies and Classical Studies. I am interested in pursuing a postgraduate degree in [classics/history] at [university] because of [size/specialty/location/omgwtfbbqidk]. As an undergraduate my main interest has been in the intersection of the classical, medieval, and early modern worlds, specifically in early modern English literature (my senior honors thesis is on Edmund Spenser's use of Ovidian and Virgilian source in book three of The Faerie Queene); my other interests include military history and culture clash in the classical and medieval worlds, with a particular emphasis on the Punic Wars. [Or something else, for a medieval history program.] [And then how would I finish this heeeeeeeelp.]

Sincerely,

Katrina [Surname]
Tulane University 2012
Candidate for B.A. in Medieval and Early Modern Studies
Candidate for B.A. in Classical Studies
[uni e-mail]
[phone number]



Or am I totally off-base and it should look like something else?

Comments

[highlyeccentric]

That looks... ok, so far? I don't know, I hope your flist provides advice, then perhaps I will copy you!

[bedlamsbard]

*crazy eyes* This was way more exhausting than I thought it might be! Yeah, I was kind of frustrated because all my professors told me that I need to e-mail people at schools I'm interested at going to, but they wouldn't tell me what to write or how to write it. Also some of them told me that it sort of didn't matter except that it did, it was just to get your name out there but not to get any actual information. BECAUSE THAT IS HELPFUL. *crazy eyes*

*cough* The one I ended up sending (to one specific school) is down below, if that's of aid.

[sara]

When I get letters of inquiry from students, what I want them to make clear to me within the first sentence or two is why they are contacting me in particular and what they think having an internship/volunteer position/job at Place of Business would do to further their goals (I expect them to have goals, too).

So I would structure a query letter more like this:

drfarthingable@uforbodia.edu:

Good morning! I'm applying for the M.A. program in Applied Woolgathering at the University of Forbodia for the 2012-13 school year. While working on my B.A. in Biology and Linguistics at Hootenanny State, I've developed a real interest in lanolin and cold cereal. Dr. Worknurble, my thesis advisor, assigned me your 2004 paper on lanolin viscosity, and I was really intrigued by the way you handled the tackiness problem. I would like to be part of the work you're doing now on fluid dynamics and how lanolin behaves under changing temperatures.

I checked the department web site and am not sure your office hours there are current -- the page says it was last updated in 2005. I'd like to call you sometime in the next couple of weeks so we can talk about graduate opportunities with your department. I'm free Tuesday afternoons after 2 p.m. and all day Thursday and Friday. Please let me know what would work best for you.

Thanks much!

[rymenhild]

+1. Definitely explain why your project matches up with the work of the professor you're writing to. That should be an addition to the already good material in the letter you have.

[starlady]

I actually think what you've got there so far is fine. I would end it by asking something along the lines of, "I think I'm a good fit for your program based on my interests and [XYZ], but I'd like to get your thoughts on whether my research would fit in your department. Also, can you tell me a bit more about the resources that are available at your campus for the study of [discipline]? Thank you very much for your attention. [Closing]"

I'd also advise contacting current grad students if their emails are on the department website. Ask them flat-out what the environment in the department is like, collegial? or not? Because that makes a huge difference.

[bedlamsbard]

Thank you! Hmm, would something like this be all right? (This one is aimed at a specific school, but I've stripped out the names.)

My name is Katrina [surname] and I am currently in my final year at Tulane University, where I will graduate in the spring with a BA in Medieval and Early Modern Studies and Classical Studies. I am interested in pursuing a postgraduate master’s degree in the Archaeology of the Roman World at the University of Leicester, which was recommended to me by Professor [dude who made me cry] here at Tulane. As an undergraduate my main interest has been in the intersection of the classical, medieval, and early modern worlds, specifically in early modern British literature (my seniors honors thesis is on Edmund Spenser’s use of Virgilian and Ovidian source in the ekphrastic scenes of book three of The Faerie Queene); my other interests include military history and culture clash in the classical and medieval worlds, with a particular emphasis on the Punic Wars. As a graduate student I would like to pursue this more closely, perhaps looking at the rise of imperialism in the Roman Republic. This past summer I attended the Association for Cultural Exchange’s British Archaeology Summer School at the University of Cambridge, which spurred an interest in Roman and post-Roman Britain as a topic of possible research. I believe that I am a good fit for the University of Leicester based on my interests and the opportunities offered by the university and faculty, but I would like to get your opinion on whether my research interests would fit in your department. I would also like to ask if my comparatively small experience in archaeology (aside from my summer program, I only have classroom knowledge of archaeology in the Greek and Roman worlds) would negatively affect my participation in your program, if I am accepted. Thank you for your time.

[starlady]

Yeah, I think it looks good.

[bedlamsbard]

Thank you!

[delfinnium]

You can also ask for contact numbers of the professor's present and past students.

I've been writing letters like this (and still am. *depressed*) for PhD profs and sometimes I get some enthusiastic replies.

You want to know whether this prof is good for you (so you should ask the students in seperate and private emails whether the university and the department and that prof in particular is good, because a professor can seriously make or break your phd career).

Also, you could/should include a bit, usually in the beginning, where you say 'your whatsis area is of interest to me' because blahblah blah. Or if you are ventureing into a newish area, then explain why or what you want to do with the prof.

um. yeah.

[bedlamsbard]

Thank you! I kind of feel like I want to first express interest, then ask for contact information for present/past students? *hands* If you don't mind, this is what I've come up with for a specific professor/school, with the names stripped out:

My name is Katrina [surname] and I am currently in my final year at Tulane University, where I will graduate in the spring with a BA in Medieval and Early Modern Studies and Classical Studies. I am interested in pursuing a postgraduate master’s degree in the Archaeology of the Roman World at the University of Leicester, which was recommended to me by Professor [dude who made me cry] here at Tulane. As an undergraduate my main interest has been in the intersection of the classical, medieval, and early modern worlds, specifically in early modern British literature (my seniors honors thesis is on Edmund Spenser’s use of Virgilian and Ovidian source in the ekphrastic scenes of book three of The Faerie Queene); my other interests include military history and culture clash in the classical and medieval worlds, with a particular emphasis on the Punic Wars. As a graduate student I would like to pursue this more closely, perhaps looking at the rise of imperialism in the Roman Republic. This past summer I attended the Association for Cultural Exchange’s British Archaeology Summer School at the University of Cambridge, which spurred an interest in Roman and post-Roman Britain as a topic of possible research. I believe that I am a good fit for the University of Leicester based on my interests and the opportunities offered by the university and faculty, but I would like to get your opinion on whether my research interests would fit in your department. I would also like to ask if my comparatively small experience in archaeology (aside from my summer program, I only have classroom knowledge of archaeology in the Greek and Roman worlds) would negatively affect my participation in your program, if I am accepted. Thank you for your time.

[delfinnium]

Looks good! And looks like you have a good idea on what you want already.

Of course you could mention whether your research interests lie in the approximate direction of the prof ( like does this prof do roman republic research? Or military histry? that sort of thing. Usually so that they know you'd read at least their bio).

Then at the end, you can attach a 'I know you're busy and so on so I'd like to know if I can contact any of your present or past students to ask some questions about the university and logistical matters.'

[bedlamsbard]

Thank you!

Hmm, I know that almost everything I said is also something pursued by the professors in the department, I'm not sure if I can find a way to say it diplomatically? Or at least in such a way that it actually says, I have read none of your research, but you seem like an interesting person.

...now I'm trying to figure out what the international calling code for the U.S. so I can attach it to my phone number.

[delfinnium]

LOL! if you have your state/area code whatever

the number is +1.

so if your number is 419-223-9998 or whatever, then your international number is

+1-419-223-998

[bedlamsbard]

Thanks! I was googling and I was just like, this is too easy. Is the international code for the U.S. really just +1? APPARENTLY SO. (Because that is how we think of ourselves, natch.)

Okay, sent! Thank you for your help!

[delfinnium]

I think it's because the USA just grabbed 1 for its international code first.

I know this because I have to call international and when I was in the US it was just, easier to input all the phone numbers in international format. :D

[bedlamsbard]

Heh, that's probably it! You know, I tend to put a lot of phone numbers into my cell as 1-phone number, I never realized that the 1 was the international code. I thought it was just what you did when you were calling a number outside of your area code! So I have learned something now.

[delfinnium]

hahaha!

+1 is the international code, the next three numbers is the state code. or area code whatever. Each country's different (boy did it take a LOT for me to realise...).

You could, also, if you have skype, actually call them from your computer. It's cheaper that way. Though I understand about the paranoia.

[cursor_mundi]

You might also add a query about what the professor is currently working on -- that helps you see where their interests are heading, and to get a sense for how far out from what their "official" specialty they can range. I did this when I applied to schools, and it was how I knew that my current university was likely going to be a good fit...the professors had their regular field work and then were also researching stuff far outside their periods but with thematic connections. (Ie., no intellectual navel gazing here!)

But yeah, state who you are and why you're writing, right off the bat -- the sooner the professor can see why they should read the email, the better they'll feel about investing the time in a response (and thus, the better the response will be).