Setting clear expectations early
First conversation with your advisor
- How often do you want to meet? (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
- How do you prefer to receive work? (email, document comments)
- What's your feedback timeline?
- What are the major milestones?
Communication best practices
- Be proactive: Bring drafts regularly, don't wait until stuck
- Be specific: Ask for feedback on particular sections, not "what do you think"
- Document decisions: Email summaries after meetings
- Manage expectations: Advisors have heavy workloads; give reasonable turnaround time
- Take initiative: Don't rely on advisor to solve problems; come with proposed solutions
Handling feedback and criticism
- Separate criticism of your work from criticism of you
- Ask clarifying questions: "What would make this stronger?"
- Don't argue about feedback; take it, think about it, then respond
- If you disagree, propose an alternative approach with justification
Red flags: If your advisor is rarely available, dismissive of your ideas, or not supportive, consider whether you need a co-advisor or to change advisors (if your program allows it).
Having advisor conflicts?
Our advisors help navigate difficult advisor relationships and coach you through feedback cycles.