In what order to list potential future advisors? In the department form I have to turn in each academic quarter (before I find a thesis advisor), there is a question:


  Which faculty members do you consider to be your thesis advisor (in the future)?


Suppose my answer includes four different professors, what’s the right order to list them? Should I list them alphabetically by last name, list them by academic rank, or something else?
@Bill Barth, @Jon Custer and @jakebeal said "Order of Preference" (subjective, of course), and requested their comments be written as an answer so that it could be upvoted. I'm happy to oblige!