Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Surviving Graduate School: Three Reasons to Get a Mentor

Let's admit it right here - grad school is tough. Although some schools let you off easy, there are always going to be tough classes and major challenges while you're in grad school. Having a mentor can help you successfully navigate the sometimes tricky waters of graduate school and keep you on the road toward success.





Reason #1: Mentors Can Help You Make Class Choic
fff
es





Some graduate programs give you a lot of room for choosing extra classes. These are usually the ones that will someday help you, but you may have trouble determining which would be best right now. Mentors are great at giving you guidance, particularly if they work in the profession which you're going to enter or went through the same program.





Reason #2: Mentors Have Experience





Whether your mentor has experience in the field or in your specific program, their advice and understanding will be just what you need to keep you going through the hard times. If they have experience in the field, they can help you see the roadblocks to studies you might conduct or challenges you'll face after school. If they've actually been in your program as well, they can tell you which teachers to watch out for and which classes should or should not be taken during the same semester. A mentor's experience can save you time, money, and stress, whether you're designing a study or planning your semester.





Reason #3: Mentors Can Help You Focus on the Goal





After a semester or two in graduate school, you may start feeling a little burned out - okay, maybe a lot burned out. Having a mentor can help you focus on the ultimate goal. If you are in school to be a dentist, then your mentor might be a local dentist whose office you could visit sometimes. Your visits will remind you that you love the profession and the prospect of being your own boss.





Reason #4: Mentors Can Keep You Sane





When you're angry at a professor's bad decision or another student's lazy attitude, a mentor can help you remain calm. They will be there to let you talk through your problems and come to conclusions instead of just getting angry. Your mentor may be the one person during graduate school, particularly if you're in a Ph.D program, who will be rooting for you and helping keep you sane.





Everyone needs a friend during graduate school - an objective person to help them make the hard choices and walk through the difficult problems. A mentor can help you deal with all those things that you'll face in graduate school so that you'll come out successful when the time finally comes to graduate.


Thanks To : Babygirl Bedding Best Price

1 comment:

  1. Without a doubt having a mentor alleviates many graduate study challenges. But it is also important to work in developing a connection to a mentor outside of academia, especially if the objective of being in grad school is NOT to end up working in academia. Cultivating such a relationship can take time. So it is wise to start early in your grad school career.

    ReplyDelete