Ask Doctoral Advising

Developing relationships while you are progressing through your PhD program is not only prudent, it’s essential to your long term success at the doctorate level.  The professors that are teaching your courses will likely be your peers at some point in the future.  This is also true for your fellow Learners.  Why WOULDN’T you develop relationships with these groups?  Don’t hesitate to reach out to people you connect with… and return the favor when people my reach out to you.

Here is a good example of a clear benefit to developing relationships as you progress through your program.  Each quarter I work with a number of Learners that are finishing their coursework and are just about to start the process of selecting a dissertation mentor.  I will often get the question of “who should I choose?”  Really?  Let me see if I’m understanding this correctly.  You have gotten through all of your coursework (which is typically 2-3 years), attended three Colloquia, and had roughly 18 formal instructors… and through all this, you’re not sure ‘who you should choose’?  My sincere hope is that at this point in your program, any learner would be asking how to narrow down their choices vs. just coming up with one.

Develop those relationships every chance you get!!  The payback you will receive will be well worth your time and effort!!