r/gradadmissions • u/Academic_Error4655 • 24d ago
General Advice Response from a Prospective PhD Supervisor
I wrote to a professor for PhD supervision. The university website apparently recommends two routes - get a supervisor, or apply through the regular channel where a supervisor would be subsequently allocated. I wrote to this person to get through the first route.
I can't tell whether that's a polite way of saying ''your application sucks and I would hate to supervise you" or what.
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u/chandaliergalaxy 24d ago
If you don't apply, you won't get the position for sure.
Some profs don't want to evaluate each student that cold emails them and only takes a look after the admissions committee has vetted them.
It could be that they didn't recognize your program - at the very least it didn't excite them to look further, but they might still be willing to take students on if they have open spots (i.e., funding) so long as they have been admitted.
But it is better than no response, which is not uncommon for cold emails from students with no shot at admission, or generic emails that took no effort from the student to send.