Top Mistakes to Avoid When Emailing Potential PhD Advisors

Top Mistakes When Emailing Potential PhD Advisors (and How to Avoid Them) 📧
Emailing professors is one of the most important steps in your PhD application journey — but it’s also where many applicants go wrong. In this video, Dr. Lace Padilla (Professor of Computer Science & Psychology) shares the 8 biggest email mistakes students make when reaching out to potential PhD supervisors. Avoid these common errors to make a strong first impression and boost your chances of admission.

🎓 What You’ll Learn:
How to address professors correctly in emails
Why form letters and ChatGPT-written emails fail
The ideal email length and structure
How to show genuine knowledge of a professor’s research
Making a clear connection between your background and their lab
Fixing spelling/grammar issues before you hit send
What NOT to ask for in your first email
How many follow-ups are too many

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:27 Mistake #1 – Unprofessional addressment
01:18 Mistake #2 – Using ChatGPT or form letters
02:02 Mistake #3 – Emails that are too long
03:20 Mistake #4 – No evidence you know their work
04:09 Mistake #5 – No clear connection to your background
05:32 Mistake #6 – Spelling and grammar errors
06:01 Mistake #7 – Too big of an ask
07:40 Mistake #8 – Sending three follow-up emails

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