bad experience with advisor

[masterblaster]

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Guys,
Does anyone had bad experience with advisor ?
I worked in one professor's research lab for 2 years, working on literally 95 % on his few projects, and without making much complain about nature of work or quantity of work (as work sometimes not exactly dental related).
At the end of 2 years, when I asked him for letter of reference, he took long time, and finally refused to write positive letter.
I talked with other students who worked in his lab earlier, they had similar experiences.
I am feeling I'm being used.
can anyone help, how to deal with this ?

 

[LestatZinnie]

frankly, i don't think there is anything you can do. think positively- you can still talk about your research experience and at least he did not agree to be your reference, then write a negative reference (which happened to a friend of mine...sad).

i think the best thing to do is to ask him why he can not provide a positive reference and what areas you need improvement in. this at least shows that you're willing to better yourself.

many admission books advise to choose a potential reference wisely, and it's very true. talk to others students to see which profs give good references. some profs are just grumpy and picky-stay away. if you choose the wrong mentor often it results in a waste of time and energy.

good luck!

 

[masterblaster]

Thanks,
that may help, But I'm not sure.
When I asked him reference letter , he gave me long list of assignments to be done, there is no way I can work on it. As most of the work seemed to be his personal project work .

He argues that, those were my 'commitments', and I need to complete those in order to get positive recommendation. ( on his list of 10, there was only one , which was my commitment, and I completed it a week back, but rest of work is just riduculous, I am not willing to do his other work, as it is all non dental related.

As I am talking faculty members about it, most of them told me, other professors or program directors already stopped sending students to him, for his one non-clinical masters program (he is a director of that program), which residents have to complete in order to get MS.

He sent a letter to student affairs today, ( even I didn't request him), I am not sure whats in that letter. I am thinking how much negative letter can affect me ?

 

[LestatZinnie]

sounds like you really just had bad luck. i feel that he's exploiting your need for a reference, by the way he says to you that "you can only get a reference for me if you do this and this and this", which is really not what it's all about. One thing i've learned that it's important to know your references PERSONALLY, not just on an academic level. Even if you do 10 projects for him and don't know him well, all he can say on the reference is "this guy did an excellent job on the projects"- it doesn't reflect on your CHARACTER, which is what references are primarily for.

i hope the negative reference you mentioned is not sent to dental schools, because a negative reference pretty much abolishes any chance of admission, generally speaking. that's why you should be very, very careful about who you choose to follow- if you're not sure the person will say nice or at neutral things about you, don't ask!!

good luck- there are still good profs out there!

 

[masterblaster]

It was good lesson for me, I have to pay for not leaving him immediately when I came to know him personally.
well, yes, there are good profs out there, I met one of them today, and will continue my research work with him.

 

[endotom]

Masterblaster,

This guy's a prick. Get away from him. Find someone human to help you. Things didn't work out, cut your losses.