What does a career adviser do?

If people get an adviser in their first year, what percent of them stick to the same adviser all throughout their entire grad school career?

• Answer:

  >95%. If a student has a personality conflict with their PI, they are faaar more likely to simply leave the program. That's because other PIs do not want to take on a student that is likely "broken goods". The only exception to this is because the PI is obviously an asshole, AND the new advisor won't suffer any interdepartmental backlash by taking the student. That said, I know a couple students that switched (the <5%), and they were much happier in their new lab. So, difficult to switch, but certainly possible, especially if you're crazy enough to want to stick with the program after dealing with a toxic PI.