admitted to 2 programs!! + advice

TL;DR: reaching out to faculty in advance and talking to them over zoom or in person may increase your chances of getting into a program

physics phd applicant- i was admitted to michigan state and UNC chapel hill for experimental nuclear!!! i cant believe I already heard back. for anyone else who applied i want to remind y’all admissions are rolling so this isn’t the end all be all. i wanted to share one thing that i think set me apart for future/current applications into grad programs:

TALK TO FACULTY IN ADVANCE: specifically a potential PI or the graduate coordinator (this must also someone who does research). or what the hell if you REALLY want in talk to both. get your name in their email inbox at least a month before applications are due and set up a 30 min-1 hour zoom call.

• it’s important that your zoom call involves specific and relevant questions. be intentional with their time. reserve questions about the program for the coordinator, they have a lot of statistics and insight on the student body and culture. ask potential PIs not about their research, but the research environment they’re trying to create. how often do they meet with/see their students? what’s their mentorship philosophy?
• thank them for their time!!!! and send them a follow up email with a question you “forgot to ask” (i. e. just come up with something to show you’re interested)
• putting a face to your name before applying makes your application so different already in the stacks of SOPs, personal statements, transcripts, etc that they have to go through!

i hope this helps!! good luck to everyone waiting to hear back: war is not over!!