Advice for advisers
Balance your duties as mentor and student
By Talicia Jackson
gradPSYCH staff
Whether running a lab, serving as an academic adviser, or TA-ing a class, graduate students often serve as advisers and mentors to undergraduates. It's a role that many find rewarding, says Melissa Cyders, a clinical psychology grad student at the University of Kentucky. You get peace of mind knowing that you are preventing some students from figuring everything out the hard way. At the same time, you gain valuable leadership experience, she notes.
"Advising other students, especially if you are volunteering your time, should be fun," says Cyders.
However, advising can also suck up huge amounts of your time, she adds. Here are some tips for keeping academics and advising in balance:
 Set up a schedule.
Advising undergrads is not a typical nine to five job, says Tywanquila Walker, a psychology graduate student and adviser in the Public Service Center at Cornell University.
"Although the workday is over, that doesn't mean my job ends. Students call and send e-mails at all times of the day and night," Walker notes.
A key to staying sane is to let your advisees know when you will—and won't—be available, says Cyders.
"It is difficult to say no to someone who is seeking your help," says Cyders.
"But if you provide help that prevents you from getting your tasks done, no one wins."
Dedicate a particular part of your day or week specifically to advising, including student appointments and correspondence, and reserve other times for your own academic obligations, she suggests. Then, post your "open hours" on a Web site, so students can refer to it as needed.
Educate, don't advocate
Most graduate students clearly remember the trials of undergraduate life. As a result, your advisees might expect you to take their side if they have a disagreement with a professor or administrator, says Amy Crook, a cognitive and organizational psychology grad student at Rice University.
"Sometimes, undergrads think that you will be able to help them out because you know their TA or professor," says Crook. "You need to make it clear that you are there to share experiences and help them develop their scientific skill set, not to lobby for their grades or class standing."
Instead, give students suggestions for working out issues on their own, says Frank Tambrello, a cognitive psychology graduate student at Rice University. That keeps you from serving as a middleman and provides your advisee with lifelong conflict-resolution skills, he notes.
Tap university resources
Your advisee wants to design her own cross-disciplinary major, and you have no idea if it's possible? Don't worry—even the best advisers don't have all the answers, says Cyders. A first step to answering tricky questions is to consult your department handbook or ask the dean's office. You can also ask fellow graduate students or tell your advisee how to track down the answer him- or herself.
Reap the benefits
Advising has many boons for both advisee and adviser, says Susan Perlman, a developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience student at Duke University. "Running subjects takes a lot of my time," says Perlman "So, I assign [undergraduate students] to a small part of a larger study that I am doing."
In doing so, Perlman provides her advisees with great research experience of having their own project while also getting her work done.
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