PhD Student Advising Articles

Doctoral student success requires more than strong academic performance. These pieces explore recent research on co-curricular practices influencing degree completion, career preparation, and well-being. Tips and links to resources are included.

All PhD Student Advising Articles are written by Shannon E. Williams, Director of Student Engagement at the Schar School.

Outgrowing Grades: The Mindset of an Emerging Scholar

It happens several times a year. A student is struggling in her graduate program. A grade on an assignment or exam has tipped the balance so she comes to my office. She describes difficulty connecting with a professor, failing to engage committee members, or unwelcome feedback on writing projects. Not too far into the conversation, the student discloses what she perceives as the true insult at the heart of the matter.

From Putting Off to Digging In: How to Beat Procrastination and Get to Work

The phenomenon of putting off important life tasks has been the subject of decades of psychological inquiry. Academic procrastination is of particular concern because studies show that 80-95% of all college students procrastinate, and 50% …

From the Ground Up: Building a Sound Advising Relationship

As you have heard since beginning your graduate program, working well with a faculty mentor is critical to academic success. Selecting the appropriate advisor for your research is only the first step. Choices you make …

Orienteering for Academics: Mapping your Scholarly Community

At the beginning of the academic year, motivation is high. Most doctoral students greet the new term with plans to immerse themselves in their research and produce volumes of high quality writing. Momentum can diminish …

Truing your Wellness Wheel

In 1948, the World Health Organization proposed a definition of health that recognizes its mental and social aspects in addition to the physical components. Today, the WHO still relies on this same definition to gauge …

How to Teach so Students Learn

At some point in their careers, most doctoral graduates will find themselves responsible for guiding student or employee learning. High quality instructional, training, presentation and facilitation skills are in demand in almost every professional setting. A …

Writing Better Together

Research and writing need one another. Clear prose is the most effective way to share research insights with policymakers and the wider world. In graduate study, however, written material often serves as an assessment tool …

Habits in Training: Six Tips for a New Year

Have you managed to keep your New Year’s resolutions? In last month’s post, we discussed stress and its role in performance. The start of a new year is a great time to plan improvements to keep …

Rest for Success

Stress Reduction. It’s the buzzword this high-pressure time of the semester. While it sounds like a laudable goal, how can you possibly slow down enough to take care of yourself with so many demands on …

Avoiding the Scholarship Scam

Did you recently receive an exciting offer to apply for a “prestigious membership” from a self-proclaimed scholar program? If so, you were one among thousands who did. The email has been making its rounds in …

Get a Life! (Connecting to Success)

Happy New Year! The holidays are over, Qualifying Examination is in the hands of the reviewers, and fall grades are in. For those of you still in the coursework stage of the program, another week …