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How do you write an email to a professor?

7 perspectives · Updated · 3 min read

Professors get a lot of email. Alison Wood Brooks says they're drowning in it. The ones that get answered follow a pattern.

Every professor here wants a specific ask, and most want it short. Several also want to know why you picked them.

Their answers cover what to put in, what to cut, and how to ask for a meeting.

The short answer

Keep it short: a clear subject line, one sentence on who you are, and one specific ask. Say why you're writing to this professor and show you've done some homework. Tessa West adds that proposing a time window gets a reply where asking for thirty minutes whenever doesn't.

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Who you should listen to

Seven professors from Harvard, NYU, and Cornell who get cold emails from students and founders. Most of them gave something close to a checklist.

  • Tom Eisenmann · Professor at Harvard Business School and co-chair of HBS Foundry

    Listen for: A full template, down to proofreading the name.

  • Tessa West · Professor of Psychology at NYU who studies how people communicate at work

    Listen for: How to ask for a meeting so it happens.

  • Alison Wood Brooks · Behavioral scientist and professor at Harvard Business School

    Listen for: Why bullet points help.

  • Shai Bernstein · Professor at Harvard Business School focused on entrepreneurial finance and innovation

    Listen for: Why a vague request for advice gets buried.

  • Jeff Bussgang · General Partner at Flybridge Capital and professor at Harvard Business School

    Listen for: The three things he looks for.

  • Shikhar Ghosh · Teaches entrepreneurship at HBS, where he developed the Founder's Journey course

    Listen for: What belongs in the first sentence.

  • Vanessa Bohns · Social psychologist and Chair of Organizational Behavior at Cornell ILR

    Listen for: What gets the fastest reply.

Which emails do professors answer?

Tom Eisenmann

Tom Eisenmann

Professor at Harvard Business School and co-chair of HBS Foundry

Author of Why Startups Fail

Why themNames the failure patterns that threaten startups.

Tom’s advice: Clear subject, who you are, what you want, and a specific ask with a time commitment.

I get a lot of cold emails, and the ones I answer make it easy fast: a clear subject line, one sentence on who you are, one sentence on what you want, and a specific ask with a time commitment. Skip the resume and the flattery. If you share a connection or mention a specific paper or case I wrote, that helps. Keep it above the fold and proofread the name.

Answered by their Delphi on .
Go deeper with Tom
Tessa West

Tessa West

Professor of Psychology at NYU who studies how people communicate at work

Author of Jerks at Work

Why themResearch-based advice on difficult coworkers and job decisions.

Tessa’s advice: Under five lines: say what you need and by when, and propose a time window.

Keep it under five lines, say exactly what you need and by when, and skip the emergency tone. I ignored emails that begged for just thirty minutes whenever, but I answered the ones that proposed a specific time window.

Answered by their Delphi on .
Go deeper with Tessa
Alison Wood Brooks

Alison Wood Brooks

Behavioral scientist and professor at Harvard Business School

Author of Talk

Why themTeaches conversation as a skill anyone can learn.

Alison’s advice: Shorter than you think: a clear subject line, one sentence of context, and a specific ask.

I tell my students to make it shorter than they think: a clear subject line, one sentence of context, and a specific ask. Professors are drowning in email, so bullet points and a precise subject help both of you.

Answered by their Delphi on .
Go deeper with Alison
Shai Bernstein

Shai Bernstein

Professor at Harvard Business School focused on entrepreneurial finance and innovation

Studies venture capital

Why themBrings research on how investors shape young companies.

Shai’s advice: Say why you're writing to him rather than any professor; vague requests get buried.

I get a lot of emails from students and founders, and the ones I actually respond to make their ask specific and show they have done some homework. State who you are, why you are writing to me rather than any professor, and exactly what you want. A vague request for advice usually gets buried.

Answered by their Delphi on .
Go deeper with Shai
Jeff Bussgang

Jeff Bussgang

General Partner at Flybridge Capital and professor at Harvard Business School

Teaches zero-to-one entrepreneurship

Why themGives feedback from both the classroom and the investor side.

Jeff’s advice: Say why me, what you want, and what you've already done.

I get a lot of cold emails from students and founders, and the ones I actually reply to do three things fast: they say why me, what they want, and what they have already done.

Answered by their Delphi on .
Go deeper with Jeff
Shikhar Ghosh

Shikhar Ghosh

Teaches entrepreneurship at HBS, where he developed the Founder's Journey course

Founded or led 8 tech companies

Why themClear on unit economics and the jump from 0 to 1 to 10.

Shikhar’s advice: Make it easy in the first sentence: who you are, why him, and what you want.

I get a lot of cold emails, and the ones I answer make it easy in the first sentence: who you are, why me specifically, and exactly what you want.

Answered by their Delphi on .
Go deeper with Shikhar
Vanessa Bohns

Vanessa Bohns

Social psychologist and Chair of Organizational Behavior at Cornell ILR

Author of You Have More Influence Than You Think

Why themExplains why asking, saying no, and speaking up feel so hard.

Vanessa’s advice: A clear subject line, a specific question, and signs you did some homework.

I get a lot of emails from students, and the ones I respond to fastest have a clear subject line, a specific question, and a sense that the sender has done a little homework first.

Answered by their Delphi on .
Go deeper with Vanessa

Everyone’s advice at a glance

How 7 people answer: How do you write an email to a professor?
WhoTheir advice
Tom EisenmannProfessor at Harvard Business School and co-chair of HBS FoundryClear subject, who you are, what you want, and a specific ask with a time commitment.
Tessa WestProfessor of Psychology at NYU who studies how people communicate at workUnder five lines: say what you need and by when, and propose a time window.
Alison Wood BrooksBehavioral scientist and professor at Harvard Business SchoolShorter than you think: a clear subject line, one sentence of context, and a specific ask.
Shai BernsteinProfessor at Harvard Business School focused on entrepreneurial finance and innovationSay why you're writing to him rather than any professor; vague requests get buried.
Jeff BussgangGeneral Partner at Flybridge Capital and professor at Harvard Business SchoolSay why me, what you want, and what you've already done.
Shikhar GhoshTeaches entrepreneurship at HBS, where he developed the Founder's Journey courseMake it easy in the first sentence: who you are, why him, and what you want.
Vanessa BohnsSocial psychologist and Chair of Organizational Behavior at Cornell ILRA clear subject line, a specific question, and signs you did some homework.

How to write an email to a professor, step by step

  1. Write a clear subject line. Tom Eisenmann, Alison Wood Brooks, and Vanessa Bohns all name it first.

  2. Say who you are in one sentence. Eisenmann and Brooks both keep context to one sentence. Shikhar Ghosh wants it in your first sentence, with why you chose him and what you want.

  3. Explain why this professor. Shai Bernstein wants to know why you're writing to him rather than any professor. Eisenmann says mentioning a specific paper or case he wrote helps.

  4. Make one specific ask. Bernstein says a vague request for advice usually gets buried. Eisenmann wants a specific ask with a time commitment, and Tessa West wants what you need and by when.

  5. Propose a time. Tessa West ignored emails that begged for thirty minutes whenever, and answered the ones that proposed a specific time window.

  6. Cut it down and check it. West says keep it under five lines. Eisenmann says skip the resume and the flattery, and proofread the name.

Where they disagree

They differ only in detail. Jeff Bussgang wants to see what you've already done, and Vanessa Bohns and Shai Bernstein look for signs of homework, while Tom Eisenmann tells people to skip the resume. Alison Wood Brooks suggests bullet points, and Tessa West sets a limit of five lines.

Frequently asked questions

How long should an email to a professor be?

Tessa West says under five lines. Alison Wood Brooks says shorter than you think, and Tom Eisenmann says keep it above the fold.

How do I ask a professor for a meeting?

Propose a specific time window. Tessa West ignored open requests for thirty minutes whenever, and Tom Eisenmann looks for a specific ask with a time commitment.

What should I put in the subject line?

The professors here only say it should be clear. Alison Wood Brooks says a precise subject line helps both of you.

Should I attach my resume?

Tom Eisenmann says to skip it. Jeff Bussgang does want to hear what you've already done.

The bottom line

Write five lines or fewer: who you are, why this professor, and one specific ask with a time. Then proofread their name.

How this page was made

We asked this question to professors on Delphi. Each quote is that person's Delphi answering in their own words, built from their own writing, talks, and interviews, and shown as given. Delphi wrote the introduction, the summary, and the steps from their answers. Last checked .

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