I went through graduate school at a major state university - a Research I institution that had a top-ten ranked program in my field. While I am happy that I pursued my Ph.D. and I would not change it, graduate school was arduous and difficult. Some of the difficulty stemmed from within myself. I, like many other grad students, would often psych myself out, put a lot of unneeded pressure on myself to perform, and compare myself relentlessly to other students. On the other hand some of the unnecessary stress of grad school resulted from interactions with my advisor and other professors. I have noticed some advisors who due to their own insecurities about tenure, professional reputation, publications, etc., will put undue pressure on their students to perform. These professors live vicariously through their students. Students are treated like research machines rather than as students who are learning to do research. I feel that this is unhealthy and disturbs the learning process of graduate school. Perhaps a board that oversees the management techniques of advisors would be very useful. It could be a great benefit to not only students but also to advisors. This board could suggest training seminars for advisors with management problems. This would ultimately work out for the departments best interests because well-managed students are happier and will get more higher quality work done than students who are constantly intimidated with negative reinforcement. On the other hand, troubled students often do not seek the help they need, maybe due to an overly undependent nature. Most schools have counseling and mental health services with programs designed to help students through these difficult situations. Even if an advisor never changes his/her ways, students can learn to cope effectively with difficult behavior.
JOIN THE DEBATE Be sure to include your name and affiliation. Legitimate requests for anonymity will be honored. Submissions may be condensed or edited for clarity.
| ||||||||
previous response
Copyright © 1998 by The Chronicle of Higher Education