Recruitment & Communicating with Prospects

Consider how statements about “fit” may create pressure to conform, or discourage diverse applicants when the focus is on “culture fit.” Help applicants understand what “research fit” means, and how differences in theoretical perspectives and training goals are valued and engaged within your advising practices. 

Help applicants understand that there are different pathways to a strong application and leverage the flexibility within holistic application review:

• What alternatives to “traditional” research experiences could applicants consider when describing their preparation?
• What strategies might an applicant consider for identifying strong recommendation writers if “traditional” faculty recommenders are not available (i.e. student has been out of school for several years)?
• How could applicants emphasize their unique strengths and demonstrate that they can thrive when they have appropriate support and resources? 
• In what situations might an extenuating circumstances statement be appropriate?
   

Guidance on the impact of the July 2023 Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admissions is provided by the Graduate School. All admissions decisions makers must be fully compliant with these requirements for the Fall 2024 cycle forward.

In the context of admissions, verbal and written statements are considered legally binding. Therefore, it is important to keep all discussions hypothetical. For instance:

Use qualifying language when offering advice: “you may find it helpful…” or “...may strengthen your application.” This can prevent suggestions from being misconstrued as a promise that by following the advice, an offer of admission will follow. 

Communications with prospective applicants must focus on answering an applicant's questions about the program, area, faculty advising practices, and similar topics. To preserve the integrity of the admissions process, these conversations must not be used as informal interviews, as all applicants must be evaluated with the same criteria and process. Information obtained about the applicant's identity (particularly race/ethnicity) cannot legally be factored into admission decisions.

We cannot comment on any applicant's chances of admission; applicants must use their best judgment in deciding whether to apply. Please encourage applicants to determine for themselves if the program is a good fit for their research interests and goals, and review our Admissions Guidelines to assess whether they would consider themselves to be a competitive applicant.

• UMN Graduate School’s Diversity Recruitment Toolkit
• Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center, Inclusive Graduate Education Network (IGEN)

• General inquiries for information on how to apply can be referred or forwarded to psyapply@umn.edu. 
• Applicants interested in working with specific faculty are advised to reach out directly with questions about faculty members’ research, advising approaches, and similar questions. To preserve the integrity of our admissions process, please limit your focus to answering applicants' questions about the program, area, faculty advising practices, and similar topics. Such conversations cannot be used as informal interviews.