I am in my 7th year of a science Ph.D. at MIT and I need to graduate. I have invested an incredible amount of time and energy in this process, and I definitely have a Ph.D. level of skills and knowledge by now. 7 years is not outside the norm for my department. The problem is that a number of circumstances occurring in a row have lead to a bad/toxic relationship with my advisor and slow performance on my part. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 7, 2012 - 11 answers

My girlfriend has been going through undergrad half-time. Adviser keeps telling her that grad schools will not look upon this favorably. True? [more inside]
posted by wires on Apr 8, 2012 - 17 answers

Graduate school issues. Starting my thesis this upcoming semester. Just the other day, my tentative advisor suggested that I switch to another advisor. Is it weird to ask a professor to be an advisor for my thesis a week before the semester starts? And what's the best way to ask? [more inside]
posted by mcmile on Jan 8, 2012 - 11 answers

What is an appropriate gift to give one's advisor after filing a PhD dissertation and graduating? [more inside]
posted by k8t on Jun 7, 2011 - 23 answers

I feel totally aimless and adviser-less in this, my last year of Ph.D. coursework. How did this happen? How do I fix it? Sorry if this is a bit long. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 1, 2010 - 6 answers

I'm a grad student who was promised some funding this year that has yet to materialize. What can I do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 25, 2008 - 14 answers

How do I convince a research advisor to take me on as a grad student? [more inside]
posted by you're a kitty! on Dec 11, 2007 - 13 answers

[Gradschooletiquettefilter] I'm currently working on an MS in geology. I'm just into my second year. For a number of reasons, I'm pretty unhappy with my current project, and am considering switching, and would like some advice on how to do so respectfully. There is, of course... [more inside]
posted by HighTechUnderpants on Nov 21, 2006 - 6 answers