Contacting supervisors? (Help)

[sapphire17]

I'm considering doing an masters (in psychology) before I apply to med school, however, I don't know how I should proceed regarding contacting supervisors before I apply. The gist I'm getting is that I should email them expressing my interest and send my CV? I was wondering if any of you have any advice for me for how to contact them by email (what information to provide, any documents I need etc)

 

Thank you guys!

[FuturePT216]

Well this is not exactly MA-related, but contacting supervisors is relatively the same. I contacted supervisors for summer co-op this year, and what I did was a letter expressing my skills, interests, what I hope to get out of it, and my interest in their work specifically. There is no specific way to do it, but it's a good idea to get someone to proofread and edit your letter and resume before sending them. This is sort of how I outlined mine (kind of more on the science-y side, but I hope it helps!):

 

Paragraph 1-

Include that your resume is attached (You can also include transcript if it's a strong aspect of your application). Include the program you're applying to (if its a specific department/research competition etc.) What I hope to get out of the experience. Why you're interested in their research/the specific aspect of their research that appealed to you.

 

Paragraph 2:

Your program, highlight its strengths, the courses you take, your soft skills as well as lab skills and techniques, if you have any experience with stats/specific software that might be relevant, research/literature searching skills, etc.

 

Paragraph 3:

Given this background....I would love to join your team because ___. And talk about you would contribute to their research/add to their team.

 

Also, it's a good idea to personalize each letter to the person you're applying to and pick which experiences/skills you have are most relevant.

 

Good luck!

[sapphire17]

Thank you so much for your help. I also was wondering how far in advance of applying to the graduate school should I be contacting supervisors?

 

Thanks again!

[Nasket]

Thank you so much for your help. I also was wondering how far in advance of applying to the graduate school should I be contacting supervisors?

 

Thanks again!

 

I would recommend at least 6-8 months in advance. It also depends on the official deadlines for the program, supervisor funding, etc.

 

Good luck.

[atomickitten86]

I don't know exactly how it works in Arts, but in Biology you can contact the supervisors even before you apply to the program. I contacted potential supervisors probably 10 months in advance (better to be the first person than the last... in most cases). Then again, some programs have rotations and you don't necessarily need a supervisor right away (this is in biology at least).

I think e-mails should be several paragraphs: intro, why you're interested, some highlights about you, why you're a great fit. Attach your CV and transcript (if appropriate).

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.