This point of view clearly expresses the importance of an adviser’s managerial skills that, in some
instances, may become more significant than the adviser’s expertise in a specific research topic.
One of the many available references that discuss attrition in PhD programs suggests that the
most important factor in a student’s decision to continue or withdraw from a program is their relationship
with the faculty adviser (Lovitts & Nelson, 2000). A concerned faculty adviser is the
person best placed to assess an individual’s progress and reinforce the student’s sense of selfworth.
Students who complete their degrees are twice as likely to express satisfaction with their
faculty advisers as students who leave the doctoral program.