GradPSYCH - March 2012 - (Page 32)

DEgrEE INSIgHT Absentee bY emilY woJCik advisers Your adviser’s insights can be critical to your academic success. But what should you do if yours goes AWOL? W hether you are selecting classes, navigating exams or applying for internships, an academic adviser’s help can be invaluable to graduate students. Good advisers not only guide you through the administrative aspects of school, but also offer feedback on your research, therapy techniques and much more. In a 2010 survey by the Council of Graduate Schools, 70 percent of new social sciences doctorates reported that having an engaged adviser was crucial to their success. But what if your adviser is not returning your emails or calls? What if he or she is simply not available to you? Walking the delicate line between being assertive and needy can be a difficult task for psychology students with less-thanresponsive advisers. Short of stalking, what can students do to get the attention they need? Grad students and professors offer this advice: • Know what to expect. Dana,* a school counseling graduate student, says she often feels unsure whether she should consult her adviser about smaller administrative details and advice, so she tends to wait for him to contact her. That’s a mistake, says University of Connecticut’s Gregory Colón Semenza, PhD, author of the 2010 book, “Graduate Study for the 21st Century, Second Edition.” He points out that you should hold your adviser to his or her minimal duties: helping you choose classes, providing advice on research and guiding your writing and career development. Remember that not all advisers excel in all of these areas, says John Norcross, PhD, a University of Scranton clinical psychology professor and author of the 2010 book, “The Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology.” Even dedicated mentors might need you to nudge them in the right direction — or ask for support from other faculty. • Schedule regular meetings. It’s especially important to meet regularly with your adviser if your relationship has moved from the administrative tasks you need to perform to a researchoriented partnership. The “role-fusion” of research mentor and academic adviser can be a wonderful thing, says Norcross. “It’s like having a spouse who is also your best friend — when it’s clicking and everyone’s on the same page and has the same goals, it works well,” he says. But beware of conflicting agendas, Norcross cautions. “There can be tension between what the researcher needs from the student and what the student needs from the adviser,” he says. It’s important to keep the line between research assistant and advisee clear. Meet early and often to establish clear expectations and limits, says Norcross. “Being clear from the start can prevent anger or frustration on both sides.” • Set and meet deadlines. During those meetings, set deadlines and goals for your graduate career. “An adviser really needs to sit down with a student to work out a long-term 32 • gradPSYCH • March 2012 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GradPSYCH - March 2012

GradPSYCH - March 2012
Contents
Psychology practicums reflect the field’s growth
How evidencebased is your trauma treatment?
Media Picks
Chair’s Corner
Odd Jobs
Research Roundup
Chart your own adventure
Matters to a Degree
Killer apps
The oil spill’s reverberations
A student of synchrony
Literature reviews made easy
Absentee advisers
What’s behind the internship match crisis?
Potential solutions
Steps to the match
Bulletin Board
Jobs, internships, postdocs and other opportunities
The Back Page

GradPSYCH - March 2012

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