After we announce our projects for the term, we get many emails from students. Some write too short (“I am interested in your project”), others too long (their whole career plan in a page, ending with some specific question or request somewhere in the mail). They both sit in the inbox waiting to be answered, while someone else writes and commits to the project and gets accepted!

To secure a place in a project (e.g. TUBITAK Star or Pure in SU etc), you should read up/think as much about the project as you can, give relevant info about yourself (especially citing related coursework and stating why you would like to be in that project…) and then, ask me to consider you to the project. Also, do not assume the prof has only one project, so indicate which one clearly (so don’t just say “I am interested in your project”).

Similar problem with other requests… Rather than sending us a course override request on email, send your request through the formal channel (bannerweb on SU) already, where we you can explain yourself and we can see your schedule, credits, GPA… You can also follow this with an email. Instead, I am getting an email first with zero information (“Can you allow me to do an overload?)!

Same with reference requests (send your transcript, what courses you took from me and your grade, with your initial email).

In short, when you ask someone something, please give all the necessary details to reduce unnecessary emailing back and forth. Consider that there are possibly 10-20 students like you at one time, so give all the info at once and preferably in the main channel first.