Can professors accept appointments from prospective applicants of their program?

Question

I am applying for graduate school. The one I'm applying to is looking for students who have similar academic interests as the ones the professors who teach there do.
So, I found 2 who have the same interests as me, but I was wondering if it was appropriate to email them and see if I could meet with them during their office hours to discuss the program. Yeah, I'd like to meet them to learn more about the program, but I'd also like to mention it in my personal statement.

Do professors generally accept appointments from prospective applicants???

Answer 1

Yes, we do. It is a good chance for the school to meet the prospective students.

Answer 2

Of course this is appropriate.

And ALL graduate programs want students whose interests dovetail with those of current faculty. In fact, admissions often hinges on this "fit."

However, your best course of action is to email the director of graduate studies (DGS) of that program FIRST.

The DGS will be delighted to set up a campus visit, and may even be able to defray some of your expenses. (My program does that for all prospective grad students.) The DGS will also be able to set up appointments between you and the other professors with whom you'd like to speak.

It is the job of the DGS to do this. Please don't hesitate to contact that person.