Subject Line Savagery
"Research"
What is a bad subject line?
Hey Dr. Smith :)
What is unprofessional?
"I love your research and would love to join your lab."
What is too generic?
What is unnecessary?
"I'm really intrested in you're lab."
What are spelling and grammar errors?
A strong subject line should include your major and this.
What is the semester, interests, and/or GPA.
This is the safest greeting for a professor.
What is "Dear Dr. [Last Name]"
Mentioning a specific paper shows this.
What is genuine interest or preparation?
Emails should ideally be under this word count.
What is about 150-250 words?
Not including a signature block shows lack of this.
What is professionalism?
Rewrite this: "Hey I want a job"
What is "Prospective Undergraduate Researcher -- Petroleum Engineering -- Fall 2026"?
Using a professor's first name without permission is risky because....
What is it may appear disrespectful or overly casual?
This is what happens when you send the same email to 12 professors and forget to change.
What is immediate rejection?
This is better:
"I have experience with MATLAB and Aspen Plus" OR
"I am very hardworking and passionate."
What is listing specific skills?
Using emojis in a first email to a professor is....
What is unprofessional?
This subject line mistake often gets emails ignored.
What is being too generic or unclear?
Forgetting to check is they are "Dr." or "Professor" shows lack of this.
What is attention to detail?
This sentence improves personalization:
"I was particularly interested in your recent work on ____."
What is a specific research topic?
Saying "I need research for med school" signals this motivation.
What is self-serving interest?
This spacing mistake can completely change the meaning:
"Therapist"
What is dangerous spacing?