Graduate school is a time of growth, discovery, and learning. Throughout your journey, you will receive support in different ways. Two of the most important types of support are advising and mentoring. While they are sometimes talked about together, they serve different purposes and can support you in unique ways.
At Boise State, every graduate student is assigned an academic advisor to help guide your academic progress and ensure you meet program requirements. In addition to working with your advisor, we encourage you to build mentoring relationships with faculty, staff, peers, and professionals who can support your personal, professional, and scholarly development.
Understanding how advising and mentoring work can help you take an active role in shaping your experience and reaching your goals in graduate school.
What’s the Difference?
Advising focuses on your academic progress. Your assigned advisor helps you:
- Choose classes and meet program requirements
- Complete required forms and follow academic policies
- Stay on track toward graduation
- Meet deadlines related to your degree
Mentoring supports your overall development as a scholar and professional. A mentor can:
- Offer guidance on research, careers, and graduate life
- Help you navigate challenges or transitions
- Encourage you to grow your skills and confidence
- Connect you with people and opportunities in your field
Students interact with both advisors and mentors over time. You will be assigned an academic advisor, but mentors are usually chosen by students. Many graduate students find multiple mentors to support different parts of their journey, such as research, teaching, writing, career planning, or personal well-being.
Visualizing the Relationship
The diagram below shows how advising and mentoring can work together to support your success.
Where Advising and Mentoring Overlap
Both advising and mentoring:
- Offer guidance and support
- Involve regular communication and trust
- Help you set goals and make progress
- Contribute to your success and sense of belonging
You can build strong relationships with both your advisor and your mentors and, when they work together, you’re more likely to thrive.
The information on these pages was developed in collaboration with the Faculty Advisory Council on Graduate Mentoring and Advising.
Learn more about the council and Boise State’s Graduate Mentoring & Advising Initiative here: Graduate Mentoring & Advising Initiative: Faculty Fellows and Advisory Councils.