A few months ago I saw an article detailing the best way to reach out to professors. The author talked about all of the various ways college students had reached out to her, and why she chose not to respond.
The article was hilarious, but a great reminder to students to pay attention to the small details that come with email etiquette. So, in honor of that article, I am sharing five ways to get your professor to respond to your email.
1. Avoid Typos. Everyone should proofread their emails, before sending them. I repeat: EVERYONE SHOULD PROOFREAD THEIR EMAILS, BEFORE SENDING THEM. Typos, although small, can easily make a future employer, possible mentor, or even professor make assumptions about how seriously you take your request and their time. Try to avoid them as much as possible.
2. Introduce Yourself in the Email. Who are you? What class are you in with that professor? What year are you and what is your major? You should treat an email as if you were introducing yourself to someone in real life.
3. Add a Greeting at the Beginning of the Email. Now, this one may not get your email overlooked, but similar to number two, you want to treat an email as if you are talking to someone face to face. You would (hopefully) never jump right into your request if you were face to face- you would agree the person first. Do this in an email as well.
4. Be Clear About Your Request. Professors get a lot of emails. Help yours to stand out by making your request early. If you would like a meeting, a letter of recommendation, etc. just ask!!
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