A “magnet” is a term used in American graduate school applications in which applicants contact professors at their dream schools by Email to increase their chances of admission and scholarship.
1 Generally speaking, the magnetic suite is more important than the master’s in the process of applying for a doctorate.
The decision for admission to the master’s degree is made by the college admissions committee, while the decision for admission to the doctoral degree is made by the professor.
Therefore, if you want to apply for a master’s degree, you may not consider applying for a master’s degree. However, if you can work with Professor Daniel and get his recommendation letter, it will add a lot of gold to your application.
And science and engineering is more useful than business, because for science and engineering students, the scholarship is actually part of the professor’s research fund.
Therefore, it’s not so much the school that gives you a scholarship as the professor who gives you one.
In the liberal arts, however, the situation is quite different, where research funding is generally determined by the department and the role that professors can play is limited.
In the United States, there are two kinds of graduate scholarships, TA and RA. TA is evaluated by the admissions office of the department, and it will pay attention to your speaking ability and the content of the recommendation letter.
The decision of RA is in the hands of the professor. It is the only scholarship that is directly related to the professor, so it is necessary to “set the magnetic field”.
In addition, although the magnetic set seems to be a “long line” thing, but the set is good, really can catch big fish.
If the professor is interested in you, you can smoothly determine the school of your intention, the desired professor, find out the graduate study orientation and future career development direction.
Knowing that a professor who is right for you, who appreciates you, and who knows you, can guide you in the right direction, at least in graduate school, will benefit you a lot.
2. However, is it suitable for everyone?
No No No…
First of all, if your hardware is not good enough.
There is no denying that many students in China have impeccable grades in class. They don’t have to think about TOEFL and GRE when they have the same learning ability.
But in general such a high score and excellent performance of the student group, there will always be only study and ignore the scientific research internship students, and it is not a minority…
You know, when you’re talking to a professor, the point is to talk about academics, and there’s no scientific research, no project, and no academic direction.
So if you happen to be one of those students, it is advisable not to take hasty action, lest you make a mistake.
Second, the conditions are mediocre.
The scores are not up or down, and there is no deep research in the professional field.
For such students, there should be a certain strategy in the way they apply.
In the end is to protect the comprehensive ranking, or priority professional ranking, is not a full award or at his own expense can also be considered.
In short, it is necessary to choose and know your limits.
And then there’s the third one, the bull.
The concept of the great man is your own definition.
For such people, as long as they submit the materials, there are always offers, lots of offers.
Magnetic sleeve is unnecessary.
In addition, it is recommended that everyone (especially the Expo) come to the set of magnetic, our set of magnetic ultimate purpose is to let the professor admit us, but one is more important than the admission, is to clarify their professional field and application direction, to prepare for the selection of schools.
3. After figuring out whether to set the magnetic, let’s talk about what kind of professor should choose the magnetic set.
It is impossible to say which professors are more likely to get offers, but it is still relatively high and low to contact which professors will get a higher response rate.
In my opinion, the response rate from high to low is: assistant professor>associate professor>professor.
Generally speaking, assistant professors are in a hurry to set up their own laboratories and recruit new staff, so there may be a greater need for students.
On the other hand, the department may consider that AP will not have students at the beginning, so they will recruit several students to AP at the beginning.
As for professors, both the operation of the laboratory and the number of students enrolled remain relatively stable.
It’s probably one new student in a year or two.
It depends on whether the laboratory is currently saturated, whether there are objective issues such as project renewal.
associate professor is somewhere in between.
4 Next is the question of time: when to set the magnetic?
This kind of thing, there are always people like to give it delimited a clear month of time, but it is really different from person to person.
As soon as you think you’re ready, set it up!
Don’t worry that just because you’re surrounded by applicants, you’re out of mentors.
In fact, such fears are misplaced.
Even though mentors may be bombarded with contacts, it’s important to understand that applying is a merit-based process, not a first-come, first-served one.
If you have everything in place and you have an understanding of your area of expertise, when can you start applying for a job?
The answer is sooner rather than later.
In the process, you will correct your existing professional knowledge and have a clearer grasp of the professional direction.
More importantly, you will get an accurate picture of yourself in the process of connecting with your mentor.
As you gradually realize what kind of schools you can apply to, the subsequent application process will become a natural process.
5 Pay attention to the following 13 points, your set of magnetic message will not go back.
(1) As far as possible to customize the set of magnetic message, even the template, it is better to add something related to the professor’s research content, the best can talk about his thesis.
Basically discuss the professor’s project, the paper will give a reply.
Some professors will also ask for a special label in the subject of the email so that they can filter the email. It is best to check the requirements on the professor’s home page.
Some professors will ask you to make a google site for him, and some will ask you to read his thesis and iscuss with him in the set of magnetic letters. All these require you not to go to the sea.
(2) Attach a small CV to the text of the envelope.
Don’t send your CV as an attachment. It turns out that no professor will read the attachment because you don’t know what will touch the professor in the CV.
(3) Ensure the match degree of the professor’s research.
In view of the current application situation, even if research is not a special match, as long as your previous project or your ability is useful to the professor, you can apply for it, and there is a possibility of applying for it.
You can say “Dear Prof. XX, I worked on xx project before and used xx algorithm, what problems did I solve? I found out how your research is going, I don’t know if your project team still has an opening, I hope to join and make contributions”, basically the professor will reply.
Because when you set the magnetic, maybe the PS hasn’t come out yet, or the professor hasn’t seen your PS at all, so go ahead and say it.
(4) Look clearly at the professor’s project team. It is better not to have professors from the same project team at the same time.
(5) It is better to be direct about the contents of the magnetic letter, say what you have done, what are your thoughts, what are your views on his research, hope to join in the research, and ask him if he has any ideas.
Generally so professor found you are not a template, will give you reply.
If there is an opening to start doing some academic sleeves.
Generally, just look at the paper and the introduction of the project.
Personally, don’t ask too many questions. It’s a mistake to talk too much, and you may not know much about the professor’s research before.
A good way to do this is to relate the professor’s research to your previous project or research and say something that resonates with me.
Don’t pretend to know what you don’t know.
If your research has nothing to do with the professor, and you still write happy in the email, it will give the professor the impression that you do not match.
(6) to be ready for a long time set of magnetic preparation, but do not hold too much hope, this kind of thing is similar to winning the lottery, too invested may be affected, will cater.
In fact, it is not necessary to maintain academic independence. You and the professor are equal, and it is a two-way choice. There is no need to beat your chest and vote your heart at the beginning.
There’s no need to get an offer from a professor in a field you’re not interested in.
(7) When selecting universities, rank them according to the proportion of professors who are likely to be recruited in the future.
If there are too few professors, please pass. After all, more people go out to get RA, while TA and fellowship are much less.
Then according to the research of the professor you can set magnetic, slightly modify the PS, if you are brave, you can mention the name of the professor in the PS.
(8) Generally speaking, assistant professors and associate professors are easier to recruit, and research groups are easier to recruit.
If you look at the professor’s homepage, the time when he started his research and the funing status of his current project, you can find that the money of a project of some professors is only ten thousand yuan, or the level of the project is in the department. It is difficult to get money from such professors.
(9) Find out if the professor has recruited students in recent years, and where the students are going.
If you don’t have a list of students, look at the public list.
If all the students were in 2005, they would almost never be there.
Again, the most recent list of papers is 2002, so that’s pretty much out of the question.
(10) If there are Chinese students in the professor’s student list, then you can try to contact the elder brother and ask about the situation.
Note that some professors may still have student lists, but most have left.
Analyzing student lists can be used as a basis for determining whether a teacher is a psychopath.
The students of a professor at the National University of Singapore are very abnormal.
Looking at the ranking of students in their papers, few students have to be careful.
Pay attention to the number of papers distributed by the professor in a year, and pay attention to too many cases.
If it’s all conference papers, it’s a wake-up call.
(11) Many Chinese professors are interested in their research ability and coding ability, which should be highlighted in the magnetic letter.
Chinese professors generally value ability, GPA, GT basic ignored, but may want you to promise as soon as possible, or like to assault the interview, and ask the very thin, and some will be inside the phone will give offer, some Chinese professors are Chinese noodles, or students to area, if this close to interview, your CV, ability to pass muster,
The interview is to see your intention, don’t be too water, the offer is basically in the hand.
(12) White AP’s attitude is generally good, but they may also be busy, and the subject of the email is particular.
Generally speaking, “xx questions to consult” this kind of theme is generally not returned.
“PHD applicants want to join a research group” has been written many times, and “2019 PhD students want to join a research group” must be written every time.
So it’s not too late to take AD and set magnetic.
(13) Papers written in recent years are OK. It is meaningless to read too many papers. Papers related to the professor’s project are OK.
