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I applied for some programs in the USA for a Ph.D. program for the fall semester and was very busy with my academic jobs, resulting in having no time to email the department faculties. So, I applied blindly, mentioning just three of the most related faculties to my interests in my application. Now, it is February, and I have got no admission offer right now. However, nowhere rejected me too.

I still have a hectic work schedule, and searching all the universities' faculties' pages and customizing the email for each cannot be possible. Nevertheless, If I can gather enough time to email them, isn't it inappropriate to email them after a long time after the deadline? For instance, two months after the deadline? Can I email them now, requesting them to look at my application? I am afraid of being neglected by some of those fantastic faculty members who I will fit their research groups.

It would be great if you could provide more advice in your answers.

Soroosh Noorzad
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    Are you aware that most US institutions have fall (or so) deadlines for admissions applications to doctoral programs. If you missed the deadlines, you aren't in the pool for this fall. See: https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/176908/75368 – Buffy Feb 15 '23 at 22:40
  • Thank you @Buffy. It was helpful. I read this answer: https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/176909/167992, and there was something a little unusual about the answer. Many professors mentioned on their web pages that if an applicant is interested in working with them, he should email them. Isn't it another form of saying that the committee is not the only decision-maker? I feel the committee is not the main responsible for admission here. – Soroosh Noorzad Feb 15 '23 at 22:55
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    @SorooshNoorzad Typically admissions committees make all final decisions in the US. Someone else asked a question about the influence of potential advisors recently here: https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/192700/what-impact-does-a-potential-advisor-have-in-phd-admissions/ where I wrote an answer. – Bryan Krause Feb 15 '23 at 23:04
  • Thank you @BryanKrause . So, based on your answer, is it good to stop emailing professors? As Azor Ahai -him- mentioned in his answer, can it act like a backfire? – Soroosh Noorzad Feb 15 '23 at 23:23
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    @SorooshNoorzad I think by far the most likely outcome (in either direction) is "no effect", but yes I suppose it could. More generally, when people say they "have no time for X", what they really communicate is that other things were more important to them than X. Sometimes that's perfectly reasonable, but I don't think you give a good impression if you're too busy with work to write an email to a professor you're interested in spending the next 5 years working with. – Bryan Krause Feb 15 '23 at 23:30
  • Thank you @BryanKrause . But I think you are missing the point. Commitment is the key. If I don't act well with my current professor's tasks, I will never be a good student for my next professor. I think the current professor should be more important. By the way, thank you for your advice. – Soroosh Noorzad Feb 15 '23 at 23:36

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February is generally past time to email US faculty to try to increase your chances of being admitted. Likely, the committee has already started making offers or interview requests. In fact, emailing now may backfire as it might make you look unfamiliar with the US system.

searching all the universities' faculties' pages and customizing the email for each cannot be possible

You should not be reaching out to so many professors that this isn't possible.

Azor Ahai -him-
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