Naming Professors / specificity of research preferences

Post Reply
cylon_destroyer
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:27 pm

Naming Professors / specificity of research preferences

Post by cylon_destroyer » Wed Dec 11, 2013 7:25 pm

I'm finishing up the final drafts of my SOP for astronomy grad school, and I'm a little unclear on how detailed to be when it comes to research preferences. I've heard multiple suggestions, but in general I've been advised against naming a specific professor of interest unless you already have contact with that professor. As far as research interests go, though, how specific should I be? I don't want to commit completely to a research topic (because I really don't know) but I don't want to be too broad. I'm not really sure how to convey this in my writing (serious writers block). Any suggestions/advice? Thanks.

bfollinprm
Posts: 1203
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:44 am

Re: Naming Professors / specificity of research preferences

Post by bfollinprm » Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:50 pm

Quiz time! Circle one (or more) from each category:

1. Instrumentation/observation/data analysis/simulation/phenomenology/fundamental theory

2. Solar System/Milky Way/Local group/near field/far field/high redshift

3. radio/millimeter/optical and infrared/xray/gamma

4. single object characterization / rare object searches / complex systems / survey (large data sets)



Post Reply