Too many POI's?

[Psych528]

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I'm working on some personal statements and have been describing the professors who I want to work with. For one of the schools, there are four potential POI's that I am interested in working with. Is this too many to list? Is 2-3 more customary? I don't want admissions to think my research ideas are scattered, but these professors share similar interests. Thanks

 

[Wildcat06]

If you really would be interested in working with any of the four, go ahead and list them. If their research interests are similar, the school will know this and won't think much of you listing several people. I think the only thing that would cause them to think you were scattered is if you list four who have no relation to one another.

 

[buzzworm]

Agreed. You could also try to group them together verbally by saying something like "Given my interest in ______, I would be happy to work with ____, ___, ___, or ____, who all do great work in that area." I'm sure you can find a better way to word it, but you get the idea. I think it's a good idea to concretely lay out the similarities instead of assuming that the school will make the connection without prompting.

 

[Psych528]

Thank you everybody! That definitely helps🙂

 

[deadmau5]

i have listed up to 6. of course, space restrictions meant that I couldn't "reach out" to each of them, but I suggested many possibilities, so that at least they all read the application.

 

[researchgirl]

list as many as you have interests in, especially if their interests overlap because that makes sense, but one thing i just remembered... at least two of my schools last year reviewed applications by dividing them into piles by the POI you listed first. then, that faculty member was (almost 100%) in charge of deciding who to invite for interviews. in at least one case, the 2nd faculty member actually never had the opportunity to read my application. SO, if you have to list them in order, be thoughtful about it.