“Professor rarely attends to email,” does this conversation resonate with you? Have you ever heard a colleague make this complaint? If this has been your experience or that of your colleague, the experience is not only common among students but other professionals. The professor is human, and a delay in email response may be to some factors. Do not be hard on yourself or the professor for not responding to your email in time. In the next couple of minutes, this article will help you to discover the possible reasons why professors may not respond to your email after a week or more and what you can do to have it fixed. Let us know about ‘Professor not Responding to Email’.
Professor not Responding to Email:
It’s saddening needing something urgently and the best go-to place to have your need resolved is not responding as when you needed them. You might wonder if the mail has gone into the spam folder or if the professor has blacklisted your email. The truth is that most people are the reason for the delayed response they receive from professors. To get your email attended to ensure you are not sending an unclear message or making an impossible request.
Why Professor’s Do No Respond To Email:
As I mentioned earlier, some college graduates and undergraduates do not know the rudiments of sending an official email. Email to a professor is official, and if you use unofficial tones or modes of presentation, it will turn them off from reading the mail or responding to them. A poorly structured email will meet a dead end.
Also, it might be because they were caught up with other activities and forgot to send a reply. If you are sure that you maintained a professional conversation flow in your mail and still not receive feedback, you may consider sending a reminder to them.
You should also find out if you mailed within their work hours or if they had embarked on a holiday. It is not okay to assume that they probably ignored your email. You can share these concerns with your colleagues might put you in the know if the fault was yours.
It might also be that your email did not arrive in their inbox. If the email is in the spam folder it might be difficult for them to get it immediately. It is sometimes advisable to give a call, or message notification to inform them of a new mail. This will give an edge over just sending a mail and staying back to assume they will see it.
Finally, you have to know the professor’s primary way of communicating with his students. If he prefers email to messages, phone calls, or office visits then there is a chance of getting a quick response from your email, but if the reverse is the case, you will experience a delay in having an email response.
What To Do When Professor Does Not Respond To Email:
If you noticed that your email to a professor is without a response for even a few days. Then realize that something is wrong, and you may be guilty of either one or more of the tips shared here. With the tons of messages, they will receive daily from students and other professionals, you have to ensure that your email is composed in a pattern that they will instigate their desire to attend to when it lands in their inbox.
Your Email had No Subject:
An official email is the official letter writing we all learned in college, the difference here is in the medium of communication. An email without a proper title or subject headline will be left unattended. The headline will let the receiver know if it is something they need to attend to or not. When sending an email to a professor, ensure that you give it a professional headline. A professional headline or subject might read like, Application For Extension of Studies, Letter Of Recommendation, etc. Your purpose for the mail should be in your subject heading so they will know what to anticipate in the mail.
Lack of Proper Address and Salutation:
Some college graduates send emails without any form of salutation and this is already a turn-off to the receiver. You must use the proper salutation in your email, Dear Professor Charles, and not Professor, Hi, or Mr, this might be seen as an insolent act. They value their professional title, if you are not sure of what title to use, you can ask other members of your department or check your departmental brochure for the accurate title and name.
Unclear Content:
If the content of your email is not clear it will be difficult to get a response. You have to be precise as possible with clear terms that will communicate what you want at the snap of a finger. Do not make things complicated by introducing conversations that have nothing to do with the purpose of your email to them. Bear in mind that these are busy professionals with several other things and people seeking their attention. You are not the only one that they’ll have to attend to, keep it simple and clear. Avoid the use of ambiguous words or unnecessary details that are not necessary.
You Failed to Introduce Yourself:
You have to begin your email with an official introduction of yourself, this will help to create a quick connection if that was your first email. It’s okay not to bother with an introduction if it’s feedback from a previous conversation you both had via the same medium. You can start by stating your name, department, level, and the purpose of your email. For example, “I am Smart Chucks a final year student of the department of human psychology. I am requesting an extension of studies between the period of May 2022 to December 2022,” You can go ahead to state why you want to have your studies extended. Don’t leave them with the responsibility of figuring out who you are. Your introduction might also capture the occasion in which you meet them assuming you are not in the same department as they are and you need their attention.
Know your boundaries:
You are writing to a professor and not your homie or peer. Avoid unnecessary jokes or requests. If you are unsure if what you expect of them is right or not, you can seek opinions from other professionals. Know your limit and what to send an email. You can send an email requesting a recommendation letter, extension of studies, meeting reminder, application letter, review of scores, and other professional issues. Do not try being over-familiar with them by probing to know about their family life, requesting a grade, or personal details.
Let the conversation be professional:
Avoid the use of abbreviations, emojis, stickers, etc. Your email will be left unattended if this is being seen or you started with a “Hi'” or “Hello.”Do not try to be pushy in your request. For example, “I want you to give me money tomorrow.” This sounds pushy, but you may consider putting it this way, “Please, I will appreciate it if you help me with a recommendation letter for my advance academic studies as advertised by
Visit the office or initiate a call:
Depending on how urgent the need for your request maybe if there is a delay in an email response, it is necessary to visit their office to find out why or put a call to them. Most professors are not the ones handling their email inboxes, or they may be on research. A call or visit to the office will be the quickest way to get feedback from them. You can also use the opportunity to inform them of the email sent from your end.
Conclusion:
Professors are busy professionals as experts in other fields, and conversations with them must be at the official level. Never lose sight of their academic attainment, no matter how well-related you may be with them. Every conversation that relates to work must be
the same. If by the time you apply all the tips shared in this article and still don’t get feedback, you may have to resend the email or find out the appropriate channel in which initiating an official conversation with them might receive quick feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How long will it take to get feedback from an email sent to a professor?
Consider the volume of work they may have to attend to at the time. It might take up to five working days or less. Avoid sending an emergency email so you don’t feel disappointed.
- Why are email responses delayed from professors?
Some professors prefer to handle their inboxes by themselves, and this may bring about a delay in response. It might also be because your email was not clear or well-structured.
