美国教授对于套磁信的看法与建议

美国教授对于套磁信的看法与建议发表日期:2009-09-0913:47收藏阅读(25)回复(1)Anopenemailtoaprospectivegraduatestudentandtothedozensofothersuchstudentsthatcontactme,andhundredsofotherfacultymemberseverysemester,seekinghelpwiththeiradmissionorfinancialaid.On1/30/06,*******wrote:Iam********,aprospectivestudentfrom****.IamseekingadmissionforFall2007.IapologizeifIamputtingforwardawrongquestion!Agistofmybackgroundis;Iamagraduateof...Dear********,YouneedtodirectyourinquirythroughthepropergraduateadmissionsprocedurelistedatevenifIwereinvolvedingraduateadmissions,andeventhoughyourinquiryiswordedverypolitelyandsincerely,andeventhoughyouappeartobeaverycapableandqualifiedapplicant,youwouldprobablybewastingyourtime.Thefactis,manygraduatefacultymembers(notjustatDelaware,butatotherUniversitiesaswell)consideremailssuchasyourstobeanannoyingformofundesirablespamthatisunlikelytohelpyourchancesofadmission.Mostlikelyisthatyouremailwillhavenoeffectwhatsoever.Itcouldevenhurtyourchances.Ifsomeoneisencouragingyoutosendsuchemails,youaregettingbadadvice.Clearly,someonemustbe,becausefacultymembersgetdozensofsuchemailseachweekandmostareroutinelydeleted.I'msorrytobesohardonyou.Iknowyouaretryingyourbesttotofurtheryourchances.Ijusthatetoseesomuchsincereeffortbycapableprospectivestudentsdirectedtosuchameaninglessactivity.SoIwanttooffersomeadvicethatmayhelpyou.Unlessyouaretargettingaspecificfacultymemberwithspecificquestionsabouthisorherresearchprogram,youwouldbebetterofftonotsendsuchemailsatall.Examplesofgoodemailcontentincludespecificssuchas:Ireadyourpapertitled_____.Ifounditinterestingthatyourresearchgroup______________.IthinkImightliketodoresearchinthisarea.Inparticular,Iaminterestedininvestigating_______.Someofmyownideasaboutthistopicare_______.Notethatyoucouldtrytofakeitbydoingakindofformletterwhereyoufillinthetitleofafacultymember'spublicationsandoneortwosamplesentenceswithsuperficialcontentrelatedtothefacultymembersresearch.IhaveseensuchattemptsintheunsolicitedemailsIget.However,facultymemberswhosupervisegraduatestudentsareNOTlookingforstudentswhocanfakeit.Theyarelookingforstudentswithgenuineoriginalthoughtsabouttheirresearchareas,andgenuineinterest,andtheabilitytoreadresearchpapersin-depthanddrawnon-obviousconclusions.Youindicatethatyourinterestisinsecurity.EvenacursoryexaminiationoftheUDCISDepartmentwebsitewouldindicatethat(a)Iamnotnowdoing,norhaveIeverdone,anysignificantworkinsecurity.Myresearchactivitiesandpublicationsareintheareoftransportprotocolsandmultimedia.(b)IntheUDCISDepartment,unlessIhaveoverlookedsomething,thereisonefacultymember(andreallyoneonly)withafocusonsecurity.Thefocusofthatfacultymember'sresearchisalmostentirely100%security.Sincesecurityistheonlyresearchareayoumention,whywouldyousendemailtoanyoneelse?Ifsincere,diligentandwise,youwillseekoutthatfacultymember'spage,readthatfacultymember'swork,anddecideifitisinterestingtoyou.Ifso,youshouldbeabletowriteaveryeffectiveindividualemailtohim/herwithspecificcommentsandobservationsabouthis/herresearchthatgobeyondthesuperficial.Thatisaneffectivewaytoincreaseyourchancesofadmissionandfinancialaid.Anythingelseisjustspam.Toemphasize:ifarewillingtotakethetimetoREADINDEPTHparticularfacultymemberspapers,andwriteaverythoughtfulindividualemailtoeachfacultymember,thenthisemailingmayhavemerit.Thatwilltaketime,andmaybeabletosendonly3or4suchemails,ratherthan300-400.However,yourtimewillbemuchbetterspent.Youaremuchmorelikelytogetapositiveresponse.Furthermore,evenifyoudonotgetanyresponseatall,youwillhavespentyourtimelearningaboutrecentpublicationsinaresearchareathatinterestsyou.Goodluckinyourstudies.Respectfullyyours,PhillConrad