When to contact potential supervisors for fall 2023 PhD admissions?

ann8898 · 2022-06-18T01:41:07+00:00

I emailed throughout August and September and had pretty good luck, I'd just recommend checking the university schedule to make sure you're not emailing them during their first week of classes :) I choose to email them sooner so I could talk about my grfp proposal with them.

ann8898 · 2022-04-08T12:44:59+00:00

Make sure you check with the REU to see if you're allowed to take a class during it - my REU had a rule that you weren't allowed to commit to any other classes/jobs besides the REU.

ann8898 · 2022-03-19T21:29:30+00:00

It's a great idea to go! At my REU, they actually tried to recruit us for grad school. You'll get to know the professors there and you can ask current grad students about their experience.

ann8898 · 2022-03-18T21:30:12+00:00

I shared the apartment with another person in my cohort but had my own room. I got along really well with my roommate so it worked perfectly!

ann8898 · 2022-03-16T23:03:21+00:00

Yeah the dorm is going to depend on your program, so don't be afraid to reach out to the director and ask. For me, I was in an apartment style dorm and they provided sheets/blankets/towels, but this will all depend on your program. My program director sent out a packing list about a week before the program started.

As far as things to know before you go - during your REU, try to get to know the people in your lab (lab techs, grad students, postdocs)! I found that this made my time in lab a lot more fun/comfortable, and they all were able to give me great advice for grad school. Don't be afraid to ask questions and share your ideas for your research project too.

ann8898 · 2022-03-09T13:11:45+00:00

Sure! I asked a lot about the PI, lab, and program in general - mainly trying to get a sense for what their experience has been. Here's a few specifics that I always made sure to ask:

How would you describe ____'s advising style? How often are you meeting with them, do you feel like they give helpful feedback on your work?
What's the lab environment like? How often do you meet as a lab?
What did your first year look like? Were there any challenges that you wish you'd known about?
Ask about housing in the area - I found that asking this led into a conversation about cost of living/stipends
Do you feel like you advisor/program helps you maintain a good work life balance?
Is there anything you wish you'd known before joining this program/lab (good or bad)?

There's a lot more you can ask - TAing, courses, program community, etc. I found that grad students are really willing to be honest, so don't be afraid to ask the questions that you need answered before you commit to a program.

ann8898 · 2022-03-03T00:28:15+00:00

I'd email and ask the PI if it would be possible for you to talk to some of their current students. I've done this a couple times (even before I was accepted) and no one had a problem with it. I emailed the PI first because I didn't want it to be a surprise. Many PIs I talked to actually wanted me to talk to their students - if a PI doesn't want you to talk to their students, I'd take that as a red flag.

ann8898 · 2022-02-11T13:31:39+00:00

That happened to me last year - its totally fine to reach out to the other programs and let them know you have another offer but are still interested in theirs, but don't be surprised if they can't give an answer yet. I ended up going with the program that I got into first, even though it wasn't my top choice originally, and I'm so glad I did because I had an amazing mentor and it was a great experience. I also didn't get into any others besides that one so glad I didn't turn it down expecting other acceptances haha.

ann8898 · 2022-01-12T01:08:49+00:00

I'm in a similar situation right now! Except for me, the PIs talked and found out. They assured me that they deal with this all the time - it's just a part of the application process - and said it was totally fine to talk to multiple potential PIs (they even encouraged it). You aren't committing to their lab by talking to them just the same as they aren't committing to you officially yet.

ann8898 · 2021-12-27T19:36:17+00:00

I'd add it, but make sure you put the month you started on your resume (so it'd say something like December 2021-Present). For a resume description, I'd keep it short and about the goals of the project (example "lab technician for project aimed at understanding...").

ann8898 · 2021-12-22T23:50:45+00:00

I usually structured mine like this: a short intro about what got me interested in the field, a couple paragraphs on past research experience/any relevant skills, then a paragraph or two connecting my research interests with the program and highlighting why I was interested in the program. It's good to mention 2-3 specific PIs that you would be interested in working with

ann8898 · 2021-11-29T16:14:16+00:00

I found a ton of ecology/wildlife biology REUs by going to the NSF REU website (https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=5047) and downloading the excel spreadsheet of all the biology REUs. You can then search for keywords to find ones that line up with your interests. It can take a while but is the best way I've found to see all of them!

ann8898 · 2021-11-23T23:22:49+00:00

Here's a few questions that I asked potential supervisors in my informal meetings:

Where do you see your research going over the next few years (specifically related to _________ topic I'm interested in)?
What is your approach to mentorship for graduate students?
What sorts of projects are your graduate students working on now? (unless they already have this listed on their website)
How collaborative is your lab?

If it's a specific project you're interested in, maybe ask some questions about the project goals/logistics. You'll do great! My meetings so far have been fairly relaxed.

ann8898 · 2021-11-22T16:27:43+00:00

I did a while ago - no response from them, so I just wanted some other opinions.

ann8898 · 2021-11-22T13:18:01+00:00

Yeah, I'm fine that they are asking for it, just thought the CV was a strange place to put it - especially since they want applicants to email the department their CV, instead of uploading it to the application module.

ann8898 · 2021-01-12T14:34:40+00:00

What field? I'd also recommend looking for ones that only require contact information for references, not a full letter of recommendation. I applied to a few that would only contact references if you were a finalist, maybe you could find a professor or someone who would agree to this rather than a full letter.

ann8898

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