164
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Accepted
I contacted a professor for PhD supervision, and he replied that he would retire in two years. How should I respond?
He is telling you no. If you reply at all, just thank him for his time and wish him the best on his forthcoming retirement.
- 56.4k
85
votes
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How to help a successful high schooler who is failing in college?
I don't read this as an attempt to manipulate. I also don't read this as if the student is not aware that having As in high school does not mean he should have As in college. Quite to the contrary: it ...
- 12.2k
81
votes
Should I pick a time if a professor asks me to?
(Surprisingly, none of the 5 existing answers mentioned this option.)
Just do both! Choose a time (arbitrarily, if it's all the same to you) and state your availability for other options.
Thank you ...
- 1,406
67
votes
Should I pick a time if a professor asks me to?
When someone gives you a list of times to pick from, just pick one.
Otherwise, it just takes two-three more emails to be done with it, instead of being able to close the loop with just one email from ...
- 28k
64
votes
Accepted
Should I ask why they are interested in me in an interview for a faculty position?
I think a more traditional way to phrase it would be for you to ask what they are looking for in a candidate for the position or what they expect this position to add to their department. I'd expect ...
- 85.6k
56
votes
Accepted
How does one appropriately navigate the situation of having a lot of prior knowledge before applying to university + courses not on main interests?
I think part of the problem at hand is that your perspective is a bit idiosyncratic. This is obviously not your fault, since it's very difficult to get a clear picture of higher mathematics if your ...
- 5,993
47
votes
Can I decline a PhD offer after deferral, and how to communicate with my professors for reapplying other PhD programs?
Yes, you can decline, and should do so as soon as possible. Nobody benefits from you joining a program that you don't want to be part of. It wastes everyone's resources: time, money, space.
Declining ...
- 307k
44
votes
Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor
Perhaps you could apply for both and indicate which you'd prefer. Or, since it is a bit unclear, apply for the one you really want and indicate somehow, perhaps in a note (email) that you have ...
- 307k
41
votes
How to help a successful high schooler who is failing in college?
Cautiously assume the student is genuine for now, and point the student to academic resources that can help them. Their personal information is likely just a result of panic, I think. The student may ...
- 750
37
votes
Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor
I followed his profile on LinkedIn and emailed him that I would love to submit my application for position A.
After you have been invited to apply, an email saying "I would love to submit my ...
- 8,290
33
votes
Accepted
How do I tell a professor I don't find their research topic interesting?
Be polite but direct. "Thanks for thinking of me. I'm really looking for opportunities in [area] - I think that's where my research interests lie."
But consider (depending on your career ...
- 1,275
32
votes
Accepted
Etiquette: How many reminders should one send for conference speakers to submit their talk info?
As many reminders as it takes to get the information! I would keep a few things in mind. Decide on a firm deadline. Put it in the subject line. “Deadline 2/28: Submit program info for Name of ...
- 14.2k
30
votes
Accepted
Invited a speaker to talk at a conference which is part of a bigger conference and the parent organizers rejected their participation. What to do now?
The e-mail you propose is basically fine; there is no magic incantation for talking to professors or anyone else.
I do propose making it shorter and clearer, like so:
Dear Professor ...
I followed up ...
- 60.5k
29
votes
Accepted
After I chose a preferred referee for a submitted paper, is it un ethical to drop an email to the referee saying that I suggested their name?
You should note that the fact that you "nominated" two referees doesn't necessarily imply that they will be chosen by the editor to referee your paper. In fact, if the editor gets the idea ...
- 307k
22
votes
Is it appropriate to cold call a prospective postdoc PI?
Personally, I wouldn't attempt it. If you interrupt something they consider serious they won't like it much. And, what can they say but to look for published announcements? Do you think they want to ...
- 307k
22
votes
How does one appropriately navigate the situation of having a lot of prior knowledge before applying to university + courses not on main interests?
I worry that you think you know more than you really do. Or, maybe a better way to put it is that you may have only a superficial knowledge of many topics, rather than the required deep understanding ...
- 307k
21
votes
How to help a successful high schooler who is failing in college?
It's worth pointing out that many high school curricula (including AP courses in general) are based on memorisation, and making the shift from regurgitating information to thinking critically from ...
- 310
20
votes
How does one appropriately navigate the situation of having a lot of prior knowledge before applying to university + courses not on main interests?
For context: I am currently one of the second year external examiners for Oxford, and have had the same role for Cambridge in the past.
At places like Oxford, Cambridge, Warwick and Imperial you will ...
- 1,291
19
votes
Should I pick a time if a professor asks me to?
If they already offered a few options, simply pick one and be done with it.
But if the opposite happens: they ask you what time to set up a meeting (I assume that the event requires scheduling, ...
- 291
17
votes
Accepted
How to politely ask a professor if you can work under them as a contingency plan?
For professor mentoring an undergraduate student, the broad goals for their students should be:
Teach you about research - both how to do it and what it's like
Get you to your next position, which is ...
- 85.6k
16
votes
How do I tell a professor I don't find their research topic interesting?
Actually, I recommend keeping such thoughts to yourself. There is really no need to say you aren't interested. It is hard to say it in such a way that isn't negative since they are highly committed ...
- 307k
15
votes
Is it appropriate to cold call a prospective postdoc PI?
In this day and age, it is almost never appropriate to cold call anybody. This includes (but is certainly not limited to) any potential future employers.
Phone calls are a very intrusive way of trying ...
- 9,632
15
votes
Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor
Just explain everything to him:
I just realized that I was looking at another position (A) with a different deadline, when I sent you my earlier email, before I noticed that there is also position B. ...
- 1,647
14
votes
How should I write a letter to ask the author of a research paper some questions?
When I was a student I liked to also mention my advisor and my area of research, and maybe a few words about how the author's paper related to my research. Of course, this only makes sense if you ...
- 917
14
votes
Accepted
How should I approach my studies in the Humanities area if I'm a contrarian?
Whenever I want to give a counter-point to what is shown in class, I have a hard time finding academic sources that aren't totally wack or associated with the far-right.
That's because you are ...
- 1,661
14
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Should I ask why they are interested in me in an interview for a faculty position?
I guess I'd suggest that you hold that question until later. At least until you get an offer, but maybe even after you accept it.
It would be uncomfortable for an interviewer who wasn't wildly ...
- 307k
13
votes
Should I pick a time if a professor asks me to?
Since this is a question about etiquette, I would like to say that I personally find it annoying when I offer someone some specific times to select and then they reply "any time is good for me&...
- 8,619
12
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How does one appropriately navigate the situation of having a lot of prior knowledge before applying to university + courses not on main interests?
One advantage you have, as a young student, is time. It is great that you are ambitious and want to tackle hard topics. But, let's say you did get into a good program, and did spend two years on ...
- 8,075
12
votes
How to help a successful high schooler who is failing in college?
Like others, my interpretation of that email is that it is probably genuine. A lot of new students struggle with transitioning from strategies that worked in highschool to strategies that work in ...
- 38k
11
votes
How do I tell a professor I don't find their research topic interesting?
Just tell them straight-up that you don't find the topic interesting
Honestly, if I were in the position of these professors, it wouldn't bother me at all if you just told me straight-up that you don'...
- 56.4k
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