What Makes a Good PhD Supervisor?
What Students Usually Learn After the First MeetingMany students search “what makes a good PhD supervisor” when they are already feeling uncertain.Often, this question doesn’t come before applying.It ...
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Latest news, updates, and insights from Rate My Supervisor
PhD Supervisory Committee: What It Does — and Why It Matters More Than Students Expect
Many PhD students first hear about the supervisory committee as an administrative requirement.A form to fill.A few names to list.A meeting once in a while.Because it often appears procedural, students...
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Understanding Different PhD Supervision Styles
Why Expectations Often Clash — Even When No One Is “Wrong”When people talk about PhD supervision, it often sounds deceptively simple.You have a supervisor.They guide your research.You meet regularly.Y...
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PhD Supervisor Doesn’t Reply Emails: What It Usually Means (And What to Do Next)
Few things create as much anxiety during a PhD as silence.You send an email to your supervisor.A week passes.Then two.No reply.You start replaying the message in your head:Was it too long?Too direct?N...
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A Survival Guide for International PhD Students in the US
Being an international PhD student in the United States is often described as an opportunity.What’s mentioned less often is how fragile that opportunity can feel once you’re inside the system.Between ...
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PhD Supervisor Request Letter Sample: Why Templates Often Fail (And What Actually Matters)
Most students search for a PhD supervisor request letter sample because they believe the problem is wording.They assume that if they can find the right template — polite enough, formal enough, academi...
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How to Choose a PhD Supervisor：
Toxic advisor signs, management styles, and what students wish they knew earlierChoosing a PhD supervisor is often described as the most important decision in graduate school.It is also one of the lea...
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Before You Email a PhD Supervisor: What Students Wish They Had Known
At some point during the PhD application process, almost everyone searches for a PhD supervisor email.Not because writing an email is particularly hard —but because that first message feels heavier th...
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How to Decode a PI’s Personality in 30 Minutes: A Practical Guide for Prospective PhD Students
There is a moment every prospective PhD student eventually faces:You sit across from a professor—on Zoom or in a quiet office—and try to figure out whether this person could shape the next five or six...
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Red Flags During PhD Advisor Interviews That Most Students Miss (2025 Edition)
Most prospective PhD students walk into advisor interviews focused on technical alignment:Does the PI study what I'm interested in?Do I like their papers?Is the project exciting?These questions matter...
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How Lab Culture Shapes Your PhD More Than Your Research Topic
When students start looking for a PhD advisor, they often obsess over research fit.Is this the right field? The right methodology? The right project?But there’s something far more predictive of your h...
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When “Nothing Is Wrong” With Your Advisor — But You’re Still Falling Apart
No one ever warned me about this kind of advisor.They didn’t yell.They didn’t insult me.They didn’t send angry emails or publicly embarrass anyone.In fact, if you asked around, most people would descr...
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The Psychology of Toxic Advisors — Why Some PIs Harm Students Without Realizing It
A deep exploration of the behavioral, cognitive, and structural forces shaping toxic mentoring in academia.When students talk about “toxic advisors,” discussions often focus on visible behaviors—yelli...
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The Cost of Unclear Expectations in PhD Advising
Why “flexibility” often turns into constant self-doubtAt first, it felt like freedom.My advisor didn’t micromanage.There were no strict rules about working hours.No fixed publication timeline taped to...
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When Your Advisor Is “Available” — But You’re Still On Your Own
They reply to emails.They show up to meetings.They never say no outright.From the outside, everything looks functional.That’s why it took me so long to admit something felt wrong.The replies that arri...
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When “You’re Doing Fine” Slowly Stops Meaning Anything
There’s a kind of feedback that looks harmless on the surface.Not praise.Not criticism.Just a steady stream of:“Seems okay.”“That’s fine.”“Let’s keep going.”At first, it’s comforting.No alarm bells.No...
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How Some Advisors Teach You to Avoid Risk — Without Ever Saying So
No one ever told me not to take risks.My advisor never said,“Don’t try that.”“Stay safe.”“Stick to what works.”In fact, they often said the opposite.“You can explore.”“Try different directions.”“Follo...
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PhD Supervisor or Advisor: Why the Title Matters Less Than the Relationship
If you’re new to graduate school applications, you may find yourself asking a surprisingly common question:Is it a PhD supervisor or a PhD advisor — and what’s the difference?Universities use these te...
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Subtle Warning Signs Your PhD Lab May Not Be a Healthy Place
What students often notice too lateWhen people warn you about a “bad PhD advisor,” they usually describe extreme cases.Yelling in meetings.Public humiliation.Threats about funding or visas.Those situa...
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What Is RateMySupervisor?
Why this site exists, and what it’s meant to be (and not be)RateMySupervisor exists because there is a gap most academic systems never acknowledge.If you are a PhD student, postdoc, or prospective gra...
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Why Toxic Advisors Still Thrive in Academia — And How Students Can Protect Themselves (2025 Edition)
Walk into any university research building past midnight and you’ll find a familiar scene: dim lights, half-empty coffee cups, and a graduate student staring into a glowing monitor with a mixture of e...
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