Advice for Prospective Students

I’m glad you’re considering pursuing graduate studies and potentially joining our research community. Here is some advice to help you navigate the admissions process effectively and understand the expectations of faculty members during this period.

Understanding the Admissions Process

  • Holistic Review Process: Admissions decisions are made through a fair and comprehensive evaluation of all applications. This ensures every candidate is assessed equally based on their merits.
  • Role of Faculty: While professors, including myself, participate in selecting Ph.D. students, this typically happens after all applications are submitted and reviewed together. This approach maintains fairness and objectivity.
  • No Early Commitments: Faculty cannot admit or guarantee spots to individual students before the official admissions process is completed by the admissions committee.
  • Advisor Assignments: In many programs, the match between students and advisors occurs after admission, allowing for better alignment of research interests and working styles.

Strengthening your Application

  • Mention Specific Faculty: In your application, name faculty members whose work aligns with your interests. This helps direct your application to the right reviewers.
  • Demonstrate Alignment: Clearly explain how your research goals connect with the faculty you mention. Refer to specific projects or publications that interest you.
  • Highlight Relevant Experience:
    • Academic Achievements: Showcase your performance in relevant coursework.
    • Research Experience: Detail any projects or work that demonstrate your research skills.
    • Skills and Abilities: Mention technical skills, programming languages, or methodologies you’re proficient in.

Email Etiquette

  • Before Applying: It’s understandable to consider reaching out to faculty. However, emails without clear goals are unlikely to be returned. We can think through possible responses to your email to see why most pre-application inquiries are not answered:
    • “Yes”: If a professor were to say “yes” to your inquiry, it wouldn’t guarantee they would take you on as a student or that you would be admitted to the program. Admissions and advisor assignments involve multiple factors and are decided after reviewing all applicants. For this reason, faculty members often avoid making positive commitments.
    • “No”: Conversely, if a professor were to say “no,” it might discourage you from applying, even though the admissions committee might see your application differently. For this reason, faculty members often avoid making negative commitments.
    • Limited Practical Benefit: The combination of these factors means that pre-application inquiries are unlikely to provide useful information to you, and so faculty members often avoid them to maintain fairness and objectivity in the admissions process.
  • After Admission: Once admitted, feel free to reach out to faculty to discuss potential research opportunities. This is a more productive time to establish contact.

Lengerich Lab Application Process

My Communication Preferences

While I appreciate your interest in my work, I am unable to respond to individual inquiries from prospective students prior to admission. This policy helps ensure a fair evaluation process for all applicants. Rest assured, your application will receive full consideration if you mention my name in your application and align your research interests accordingly.

Programs I Advise In

I am able to advise students in the School of Computing, Data & Information Sciences, and co-advise students in Biomedical Data Science.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will Contacting You Improve My Chances of Admission?

    • Answer: No. Admissions decisions are based on your application materials. Focusing on making your application as strong as possible is the best strategy. If you are particularly interested in my work, mentioning it in your application is the most effective way to communicate this.

  • Are You Accepting New Students Next Year?

    • Answer: My ability to accept new students depends on factors determined after reviewing all applicants. Even if I anticipate accepting students, I prefer to consider all candidates together to ensure fairness.

  • Do Professors Directly Select Students?

    • Answer: Professors participate in selecting students after a fair, holistic review of all applications. Early selection is not practiced to maintain fairness and objectivity.

  • How Can I Make My Application Stand Out?

    • Answer:
      • Tailor Your Research Statement: Mention specific faculty and explain how your interests align with theirs.
      • Highlight Relevant Experience: Emphasize research projects, publications, or presentations.
      • Strong Recommendations: Choose recommenders who can attest to your research abilities.

Please note that while I appreciate your enthusiasm, I am unable to respond to individual inquiries from prospective students prior to admission. I look forward to the possibility of connecting after admissions decisions are made.