“Click here for more information!”
We get it. You’re probably exhausted from seeing this highlighted hyperlink on every graduate program website you visit. Yes, you’d love more information about the program you’re researching, but do you really want your email inbox to be inundated with information about the university, none of which you really care about?
Probably not.
If you’re going to be on a contact list for a graduate program in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University, we want to make sure every email you’re receiving from us is offering you value, not just plugging what’s great about our institution.
The biggest benefit you’ll receive from being on our contact list? Access. While the emails that will be sent to you might answer a lot of questions you may have about the program, any other questions may be sent directly to the program’s graduate director. Each graduate director happily supplies their or their department’s contact information to provide direct answers to all of your more specific questions. The search for the right graduate program can be a long and extensive process, the last thing you want to do is try to figure out who’s going to be the right person to answer your questions.
When we’re talking about access, we don’t just mean to our program directors. Being on our contact list may also get you invited to on and off campus events sponsored by either the college or your program of interest. These events put you in front of graduate students, professors, and coordinators that can answer any additional questions you might have about your application process or program of choice. More importantly, you’ll see firsthand what being a Mason student can be like.
In addition to access, the emails you’ll receive also provide information on what your future professors are doing, as well as the opportunities that might be provided to you if you choose that particular program. There are multiple stories about PhD students who are doing impactful work both in and outside of their immediate communities as part of their dissertation research. You’ll read stories about professors who closely mentor students, while working on their own research to advance their field. Why would we send you this kind of information? To help you understand that a graduate degree can be so much more than just sitting in a classroom and getting a diploma. If you’re looking for a school that allows you to be creative and offers you the tools you need to complete the work you’re passionate about, we can help. The profiles you’ll read are just the tip of the iceberg to what might be possible for you.
Finally, being on our contact list means getting important reminders. Assuming you have a pretty busy life (searching for graduate programs can be a full-time job in itself), sometimes, you just need a reminder for that all-important application submission deadline. While we won’t be annoying about it, we do want to make sure that you’re submitting your application (and all the requisite components) on time. You may receive reminders months, weeks, and days out. These aren’t sent to panic you. Rather, they’re simply sent to let you know that you can take a breath – because you still have time to submit everything. Additionally, you’ll receive a few emails from professors and program coordinators checking in to make sure you have everything you need before you submit your official application for review. We want to make sure that you’re getting started on the right foot. Sending out a few reminders is the least we can do.
In the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, we recognize that the space in your email inbox is precious. It’s entirely understandable that the last thing you want is for it to be flooded with typical higher ed content that, more often than not, belongs in the spam folder. When you click on that “request more information” button on our website, know that you’re going to be receiving information that is actually pertinent to YOU.
September 11, 2018
