很多学生都非常困扰为什么套磁邮件发了很多封，但大都石沉大海，了无音讯。在University of Massachusetts的一个教授的官网上，有这样的一封A Message to Prospective Students，可以解释大家的疑问。

A Message to Prospective Students

Thank you for taking the time to peruse the pages of the Laboratory for Perceptual Robotics and my web pages. I am pleased that you are interested in my research and the activities of my group here at UMass. Due to the huge connectivity we enjoy on the web and the large interest in the LPR (due to the incredible creativity of many students like you) I receive an overwhelming number of inquiries from prospective students who want to get involved. Unfortunately, there are too many messages for me to respond personally to each one, so please accept this reply as a response to my very limited bandwidth.

Cheers,

XXX

Prospective Graduate Students

Working with exceptional graduate students is the highlight of my job here at UMass. The relationship is based on: (1) the negotiation of an appealing fundamental research question; (2) the mastery of a body of background literature; (3) the development of a strong technical background that supports independent and innovative research; (4) strong experimental tools and methods of empirical analysis; (5) and the development of communication skills that support the presentation and publication of research results. Success depends on a clear emphasis on research and preparation for leadership in an international community of researchers and educators. If you find these objectives are consistent with your goals and you find the LPR's approach to robotics compelling, then you should apply to UMass.

I am primarily interested in working with students that have are interested in earning a Ph.D. Each January, we consider up to 800 applications for graduate study in our department for approximately 30 graduate students. About 30 of the 800 mention a desire to study in the LPR and we will accept between 1 and 3 new roboticists each year depending on new grant activity and slots left open by graduating PhD students. I look for students that write thoughtful personal statements that speak to the agenda of the LPR, that have interesting backgrounds and experiences, that receive recommendations from trusted colleagues whose work I know, that have demonstrated a mature approach to school, with good grades (and acceptable GRE). US citizens should apply for outside fellowships (NSF, NDSEG, NASA). This is one of the best approaches to graduate study because it provides significantly more control to you in terms of your research topic and agenda. Previous research experiences are very attractive and publications are impressive if you have them. Most of all, I look for students who are self motivated and willing to make mistakes often in search of a "diamond in the rough."

I know your search for the right graduate program and Laboratory affiliation is extremely important. I hope this page helps you to make the right decision about whether UMass is right for you.

从上面的这个message可以看出，教授每年都会收到大量的套磁邮件，没有时间每个人都回复。除非教授觉得你具备他/她所看中的一些因素。每个教授可能都有自己的偏好，但是大同小异，都喜欢针对自己的方向有所研究，能和教授探讨一些科研问题的，这样的套磁邮件回复率是最高的。同时有的教授可能当年没有空缺，不招生，但因为套磁邮件很多，也不会挨个学生发邮件解释自己不招生，就直接不回复了。

所以套磁的过程需要耐心，更需要技巧，需要展现出我们对教授方向确实很感兴趣，也很有想法，这样才能吸引教授的注意。当然因为每个教授招生的学生数量极其有限，即使得到了教授的鼓励申请的回复，也并不表示自己就一定能被录取，也许教授后来又收到了更优秀的学生的申请，而决定接受他/她呢，所以对教授的回复也要抱有平常心，不能大喜过望，孤注一掷。作为稳妥起见，还是需要多申请一些学校的。