10 Mistakes Graduate Students Should Avoid

Mistake #9:
Not maintaining consistent and meaningful contact with the committee as the Thesis/dissertation unfolds

Last month I wrote about "Looking for a Friend When You Need an Expert:. In this newsletter I want you to remember The Golden Rule: "Those who have the gold make the rules." One of the most common mistakes graduate students make is not understanding that academia is http://www.blogger.com/logout.g
Sign out business and your job title is "graduate student", "research assistant (RA)", "teaching assistant (TA)," or "graduate assistant (GA)" . . . Read the Entire Article.

10 Mistakes Graduate Students Should Avoid Cont.

Mistake #8: Looking for a Friend When You Need an Expert

I get plenty of emails asking me what to do if the advisor is not an expert in the student’s academic field, is unfamiliar with the student’s topic or the student does not get along with the advisor.

Success in graduate school often depends on a successful mentoring relationship between you and your advisor. Because graduate school is based on the apprenticeship model, admittance to a graduate school ideally will mean that there are potential advisors available in the student’s areas of interest. Hopefully you did your homework of trying to match your area of interest with department faculty’s area of expertise before applying to graduate school.

Choosing a good advisor is critical to your success in graduate school. This relationship is one that will extend beyond your graduation. It is important that you choose correctly. Read the Entire Article.

Mistakes Graduate Students Should Avoid

The start of the academic year can provide a sense of a new beginning. Let's start the academic year off right by envisioning the completion of that thesis, proposal, coursework, or dissertation by the end of the academic year.

10 Mistakes Graduate Students Should Avoid:

Mistake #7: Assuming Your Advisor/Principal Investigator Knows More about Your Project than You

Success in graduate school requires a certain degree of confidence and maturity. You will need to be able to defend your ideas and take constructive criticism — of your writing, working style, your experiments, or your ideas. Let's face it, you and you alone are in charge of your program and the degree that you will get has one name on it, yours. Expect and demand to be treated like an adult and a colleague; act like one and you will be treated like one. Read the entire article.