Requesting a different undergrad adviser?

[deekin]

Have any of you requested a different physics undergrad adviser before? I met with the adviser I was assigned, and she didn't seem to be a good fit. She said that she didn't like being an adviser because she doesn't understand the American undergraduate system (I'm assuming program requirements, etc) and recommended that I study a different subject because of the amount of competition (I think she believes American students are unprepared compared to students from Europe and Asia). I don't think these are good signs. However, I don't want to offend anyone or anything.

How should I go about this? Just ask for someone else? Do people get offended when you do this? Thanks for your help.

 

[kylem]

I would directly contact another adviser and just ask if you can make an appointment with them. If you have to go through the department I would ask for an appoint with another adviser and tell them your previous adviser was unable to answer all of your questions.

Personally, I've ignored the "requirements" to meet with my advisers (they assign me somebody different every semester anyway) and have simply contacted a person of my choosing when I needed help and never had any problems. Nobody ever told me "I'm not your adviser, go meet with him instead."

 

[deekin]

Awesome, thanks man. Doesn't seem like a big deal at all then.