If you don't hear back from a PROFESSOR in a GRADUATE PROGRAM that you are interested in are you screwed?

Question

I have been told that you need to contact professors in graduate programs that you are interested in as well as include them in your Statement of Purpose such as “Professor Smith’s research in whatever is really interesting.” Two of the applications that I have or am filling out actually want the names of professors that I have contacted.

If the professors that you have tried to contact do any of the following : (A) they do not respond back, (B) they respond back but tell you they are on sabbatical, or (C) they tell you that they themselves are not taking on any new students, have your chances of getting into that particular grad program gone down significantly? 

Please ONLY RESPOND if you have graduate school experience!

Thanks!!

Yuu · Accepted Answer

No, you're not totally screwed.  Unless you specifically wrote that you want to work that professor and that professor alone... obviously, then, if they are not taking anyone on, you're going to have a problem.

Questions like this are being discussed at this forum - it helped me a lot in my graduate application process.  I'd recommend you check it out: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/graduate-school/

If you don't hear back from a PROFESSOR in a GRADUATE PROGRAM that you are interested in are you screwed?

1 Answer