Customer Reviews

From Student to Scholar: A Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Steven Cahn gives a concise, thoughtful, practical and pragmatic description of how one can become a scholar. He explains the major points along the way to acquiring a Ph. D and then toward holding tenure in a university. He works through the following ideas, each chapter being about seven pages a piece:

1. Graduate School
2. The Dissertation
3. Networking
4. The First Interview
5. Dramatis Personae
6. The Second Interview
7. Tenure
8. Teaching
9. Service
10. Research

One can finish this book in probably two hours or less, depending on your reading speed. I finished it in about two hours.

Here are just a few tips, not in any particular order, which he gives that I thought were of help. First, in your road to being a scholar, above all be resilient. Brains are great, but resilience goes further. Second, you may fail a test, but take the test again and finish the degree. Third, when choosing a subject for your dissertation, have two things in mind: what are you passionate about and also finish it in two years. Fourth, when applying for jobs, pursue as many positions that are of any interest. That may mean applying at 50 schools. Fifth, when choosing a professor to study under, choose one that you like, think you will get along with and one that is similar to you. Lastly, when you are in an interview for a position, you will be asked about your dissertation. Have a two minute response prepared to share and don't talk for more than two minutes.

If I could sum up what Cahn says in one sentence, I'd say, "If you are going to become a professor and hold tenure some day, the most important thing you can do is publish your research, continue your research, and be a likeable person."

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to become a professor some day.

This slender volume is a practical treasure trove of information for anyone in graduate school who wants to be a professor. I always feel like I was absent the day the handbook of How To Do This was handed out, and that I am just faking my way through this experience, but THIS Is the handbook I was wishing for all along. It deals with the whole process from the dissertation to job searching to interviews to publishing. It maps out the process and includes priceless advice for not only how to conduct oneself but how to get what you need out of the whole process.

Seriously--if you are headed for a life in academia, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is clearly worded and well written and frankly downright indispensable.

After reading the reviews, I picked up this book and read it in a single sitting. I'm a grad student and was looking for something that would give me practical advice and a little inspiration to keep working hard and perservere. This is not that book. I'm not sure why the other reviews were so positive - After reading this, I doubted whether academia is really a good choice if I would have to endure people like Cahn.

Cahn's words echoed every other thing I keep hearing: research is number one, no one cares about teaching, and service is only somewhat important as long as you're seen doing it around the right people. There's no spirit of collegiality, love of the subject, or respect for students.

The absolute worst part of the book for grad students was the epilogue, which starts, "anyone who offers a book of advice risks leaving the impression of always having had all the answers and never needing any help." This was a very promising first sentence, and I was hoping that Cahn would actually reveal a little humanity. Instead, he goes on at length about how he was the only one in his class to answer a question right on his first day of graduate school and published a paper based on these thoughts. Not exactly a story of resilience, and more like an ego stroke for Kahn, thinly veiled as a tribute to his first professor. Should we admire you because you flew through grad school with ease? I don't... I think you're a little arrogant. What exactly was the purpose of this book again?

Whether you're an aspiring Ph.D. student, a committed doctoral
student, a hard-working ABD, or a promising (or less promising) assistant professor, you
most likely will find Steven M. Cahn's FROM STUDENT TO SCHOLAR: A
Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor (2008) to be the best of its kind.

This little book of advice is just great. Yesterday I read it
through at one sitting. And I've decided to buy a copy of the book for myself.

I agree with former MLA President Catharine R. Stimpson, who wrote the
foreword for the book: It provides "a road map for the men and women
who want to join an ancient and usually honorable company--that of
scholars and teachers."

The ten-chapter book discusses nearly everything you want to know
about how to become a successful scholar-teacher.

This book was concise, practical and helpful. It provides an excellent overview of the process of moving from graduate student to professor. Cahn gives some excellent advice on choosing a dissertation topic, how to evaluate your dissertation chair as well as how to interview and once employed, attain tenure. I especially liked his advice on compiling a dossier of letters of recommendation from professors as you go through graduate school to be kept in the career placement office. Very sage and forward thinking advice! That would be a tremendous asset to have as one starts to interview versus scrambling about during the last few months. The book is peppered with great nuggets like this. I will definitely re-read several times. I highly recommend this for all graduate students. It is written in a very readable style and only 78 pages.

I could not imagine a more wonderful book for someone seeking to become a professor! I am ABD in English. Many of the questions I had concerning the job market and the tenure process were answered not only thoroughly, but also with a great sense of humor! I borrowed this book from a friend, but I HAD to purchase my own copy! I read my friend's copy in one sitting, but I quickly logged on to buy my own because I needed a copy where I could write and highlight! You should DEFINITELY PURCHASE this book if you plan on becoming a professor!

I saw another graduate student didn't like the book because Dr. Cahn revealed the truth about graduate study and academic society. It is scary, and anybody may fell unhappy when reading it. But, if you want to survive, follow the advice. Or, choose another career, which may be uglier.

The author gave a good perspective on Academia life and it helped make my decision to pursue my Ph.D.