Is it really not good to contact POIs now?

[bluebluesky]

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I know that someone has raised this question before. But I kind of have an impulse to email a few POIs that I have emailed before and say that I have submitted the application. Quite a few of my schools seem to have started or finished sending out invites. And I feel that I would like to do something instead of sitting here worrying. I know that it may not help, but how much will it hurt? I guess someone will not just cancel the invite or the possibility of invite just because of a brief and friendly note? any thoughts is welcomed. Or is it too late to send it now? 😕

 

[psich]

I know that someone has raised this question before. But I kind of have an impulse to email a few POIs that I have emailed before and say that I have submitted the application. Quite a few of my schools seem to have started or finished sending out invites. And I feel that I would like to do something instead of sitting here worrying. I know that it may not help, but how much will it hurt? I guess someone will not just cancel the invite or the possibility of invite just because of a brief and friendly note? any thoughts is welcomed. Or is it too late to send it now? 😕

I don't think contacting POIs now is such a good idea since they are still looking over applications and sending out invites. Although the note may be brief, I worry that it may annoy them.

 

[starsinnight]

I 100% would not do this.

It sounds like you are totally stressed out, like many of us, but fight the urge.

Not only will you annoy them, but it might show a character flaw with how you handle stress, which is something I wouldn't want them to know. If I freak out and pull my hair out, I rather do that at home and annoy my friends instead of PIs. JMO 😉

Hang in there!

 

[erg923]

I would recommend that you start building your skills in dealing with stress/anxiety and ambiguity. Don't bug people and/or come off like you ate inpatient or obsessive. Neither a attractive qualties to potential POIs. If you have a legitimate reason to doubt that your app was revieved, that is a different story.

 

[AgapeBlue]

I know that someone has raised this question before. But I kind of have an impulse to email a few POIs that I have emailed before and say that I have submitted the application. Quite a few of my schools seem to have started or finished sending out invites. And I feel that I would like to do something instead of sitting here worrying. I know that it may not help, but how much will it hurt? I guess someone will not just cancel the invite or the possibility of invite just because of a brief and friendly note? any thoughts is welcomed. Or is it too late to send it now? 😕

I would advise against contacting them. It's the beginning of the semester for many of them, and they have so many people making demands on their time...do you really want to bug them?

I know it is difficult to wait while others make decisions that have a huge impact on your life...but there isn't much you can do now. Let them do their job and trust that you've worked hard and done your best.

I have noticed from a few of your other posts (i.e., last minute applications to counseling psychology programs) that you might be getting a bit antsy. You're not alone (trust me), but it is out of our hands right now and all we can do is wait. You'll hear soon enough and we can all breath a sigh of relief together.

🙂 AB

 

[BiopsychStudent]

There was a thread on this a few days ago, and the general consensus was that its a bad idea; most professors are very busy around this time of year, and an email like that is a pretty transparent effort to get your name on their screen that may backfire and annoy them. You have to remember that in the summer and fall you have a justifiable reason to make contact with a POI: you want to find out if they're taking students, but at this point it really serves no purpose.

Good luck, anyways, at this point I think I just want to fast-forward to February so I can get some news too.

 

[FuturePhD2]

I know that someone has raised this question before. But I kind of have an impulse to email a few POIs that I have emailed before and say that I have submitted the application. Quite a few of my schools seem to have started or finished sending out invites. And I feel that I would like to do something instead of sitting here worrying. I know that it may not help, but how much will it hurt? I guess someone will not just cancel the invite or the possibility of invite just because of a brief and friendly note? any thoughts is welcomed. Or is it too late to send it now? 😕

Just as others have said, short answer is no.

At worst, it will annoy them. And at best it's not going to get you anywhere. They're not going to extend an invite if they wouldn't have already just because you sent another email.

 

[bluebluesky]

Before I see your replies, I have tried sending out a couple short emails. I guess I am not sure I totally agree with all of you. I know what your points are. But I think a reminder wouldn't hurt that much? And one of them knows my advisor. Isn't this a kind of connection too? I don't know why I can't imagine myself being annoyed if I were a professor. I would just probably appreciate the continued interest.

I am not sure if I will be at ease by not trying it and just wait for a rejection letter. But I guess this can be seen as an experiment now.
But anyway...I do agree that I am under stress now. And I guess I have to think more about this.

 

[bluebluesky]

Btw, I just received a kind reply from a POI saying that she will be excited to read my application. I felt like I did it right this time, for this particular POI. I mean...that's just how I felt.

Well..I guess like someone said before..this may be pretty individualized thing. And I think it's a cultural thing too. I hope someone can do a survey about this. 🙂

Thanks.

 

[FuturePhD2]

Before I see your replies, I have tried sending out a couple short emails. I guess I am not sure I totally agree with all of you. I know what your points are. But I think a reminder wouldn't hurt that much? And one of them knows my advisor. Isn't this a kind of connection too? I don't know why I can't imagine myself being annoyed if I were a professor. I would just probably appreciate the continued interest.

I am not sure if I will be at ease by not trying it and just wait for a rejection letter. But I guess this can be seen as an experiment now.
But anyway...I do agree that I am under stress now. And I guess I have to think more about this.

If you don't like the answers from people (most of whom are in grad school and know how their POIs would feel about this), then why ask the question again? Sure, to some, it may not be a big deal and it may not annoy them. But it's also not going to make a difference to your application. Someone is not suddenly going to offer you an interview just because you emailed them again. So you have the weigh the risk that it might annoy and make you appear high-strung and inpatient with really no benefit to doing it other than it makes you feel better.

 

[bluebluesky]

If you don't like the answers from people (most of whom are in grad school and know how their POIs would feel about this), then why ask the question again? Sure, to some, it may not be a big deal and it may not annoy them. But it's also not going to make a difference to your application. Someone is not suddenly going to offer you an interview just because you emailed them again. So you have the weigh the risk that it might annoy and make you appear high-strung and inpatient with really no benefit to doing it other than it makes you feel better.

Got your point. But is it for sure that this will not make tiny difference? I am a data person and need evidence. Sorry...really no offense. So that's why I truly hope that someone's opinion is from faculty or faculty can answer this question themselves.

But I can understand both sides and I am just not totally convinced. I think it's a delicate question. Or maybe now it is getting a little sensitive because it's close to decision time. confused...

 

[FuturePhD2]

Got your point. But is it for sure that this will not make tiny difference? I am a data person and need evidence. Sorry...really no offense. So that's why I truly hope that someone's opinion is from faculty or faculty can answer this question themselves.

But I can understand both sides and I am just not totally convinced. I think it's a delicate question. Or maybe now it is getting a little sensitive because it's close to decision time. confused...

What information does it give a PI that could weigh in your favor? PIs care about research experience, fit, and whether you could handle grad school. What data does an email basically fishing and trying to get your name in again give them? It's a nice idea to think that a nice email will make them like you and want to give you a chance, but from what I've seen, that's just not the case. Unless you have an update or change to make on your application, there's really no good reason to email them at this point and waste their time when they're already pretty busy.

 

[Student4Life0]

Blue...I understand where you are coming from. I have not heard from any schools, and am also anxious. I have also had the urge to contact my POIs, but have resisted, and will continue doing so. I often feel that if I do something like this, I will gain a tiny bit of control. Taking such actions often helps ease my worry. Perhaps you feel the same way. However, I think in this case it is best to just sit back and realize that at this point, it's out of your hands. You had control over your application/PS/who you chose for letter writers, etc. At this point, you no longer have control, so just know that you did the best job that you were able to do with what you had control over. The rest is up to the schools 🙂

 

[bluebluesky]

Blue...I understand where you are coming from. I have not heard from any schools, and am also anxious. I have also had the urge to contact my POIs, but have resisted, and will continue doing so. I often feel that if I do something like this, I will gain a tiny bit of control. Taking such actions often helps ease my worry. Perhaps you feel the same way. However, I think in this case it is best to just sit back and realize that at this point, it's out of your hands. You had control over your application/PS/who you chose for letter writers, etc. At this point, you no longer have control, so just know that you did the best job that you were able to do with what you had control over. The rest is up to the schools 🙂

Thanks everyone. These all make a lot sense and I will take them into consideration.

 

[somedude14]

try to take up a hobby or something so you don't think about it as much.

i know how you feel and i thought the waiting couldn't get worse but i got heard that i got an interview today and now i'm stressing about the interview!

the stress never will go away, you just have to control it the best you can 🙂

 

[Student4Life0]

try to take up a hobby or something so you don't think about it as much.

i know how you feel and i thought the waiting couldn't get worse but i got heard that i got an interview today and now i'm stressing about the interview!

the stress never will go away, you just have to control it the best you can 🙂

I second this! I just got an invite about an hour ago and now I am already panicking and looking at hotels! But all day before this I was worrying that I would never hear from any schools. The key is patience I guess..

 

[bluebluesky]

I second this! I just got an invite about an hour ago and now I am already panicking and looking at hotels! But all day before this I was worrying that I would never hear from any schools. The key is patience I guess..

How much I wanted this kind of stress. haha...
congrats!