Before choosing an advisor, ask yourself:
- What is the average time for a student to finish a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. with that advisor?
- How much monetary support is there for research?
- How independent is the research of the students?
- How frequently is the advisor available?
- Do the students present their work at national conferences? Who pays for attending such conferences?
- Does the advisor take an active role in placing her/his students? Do students go into industry or academia?
- Does your advisor give you a thesis problem or do you find your own?
Issues for women…
- Is your prospective advisor sensitive to women’s issues?
- It has been said: “do not attend a graduate school where there are no female faculty.” Talk to female graduate students in the department.
- Do they have women’s support groups? What do they do? Do they have one specific to your field?
- Is there a women’s center?