As a tenured professor (math), I generally agree but would say it a little differently: yes, definitely talk to students and avoid advisors when there are warni

As a tenured professor (math), I generally agree but would say it a little differently: yes, definitely talk to students and avoid advisors when there are warning signs. OTOH, even "great" advisors that everyone loves may not be a good fit for you. Like any other personal relationship, advisor-advisee is a function of both you and the advisor, and you need to find one who fits you well. This goes beyond intellectual interests into personality, advising style, etc. For example, some advisors are very hands-on in terms of giving guidance on projects, while others (like my own) are very much hands-off and lets the student find their own way. The latter worked for me, but isn't everyone's cup of tea. The former is great for students who like more guidance (esp at the beginning of research) but is not for every student. The same goes to other areas of advisor-advisee relations: paper writing, job hunting, etc. Edit: to address a main point in the article: don't get me wrong, there certainly is such a thing as abuse. "Compatibility" isn't everything. I was just pointing out that it is an important consideration in choosing advisors; a great advisor for your friends may not be great for you.