Dear Prospective Graduate Students,

Thank you for your interest in our research program.  Students such as yourselves are extremely important to our progress.   This letter contains information I repeat often to prospective students. 

If you are interested in becoming a graduate research assistant in my research group, PLEASE apply through the normal process of submitting a formal application and waiting to hear back from us as to our decision.  You can find online application materials through the ECE department homepage.  There is no way to be accepted without first filing a formal application.

Every week I receive several e-mail messages from students around the world.  These students inquire about their prospects for admission into our program.  Many of these messages include resumes and cover letters.  Some of them are obvious form letters that probably have been sent carelessly to many other professors. Many of the letters are from ambitious students that sincerely want to join the University of Illinois program.  I cannot blame them for wanting to contact a professor to help their chances of being admitted.

Unfortunately, I cannot afford the time to respond personally to these.  In addition, even if I did have time to respond, I don't know the prospects of admission without seeing a full application and comparing it fairly to all the other applications.   Our current funding and staffing needs influence my decisions to make assistantship offers. 

If you are coming to the Urbana campus, and would like a meeting, you may schedule an appointment with me by calling my secretary at 217-333-6592. 

I wish you the best of luck.

Regards,

Patrick Chapman

Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign