The short answer is Yes! Coaching a student in their academic work is very much like coaching an Olympic athlete.
Graduate students are leading performers in their fields, just like sports stars. Higher-level thinkers have the same aspirations as high-achieving competitive athletes. Both academics and athletes are working at an elite level and they need support, advice and encouragement.
However, while sports coaches are celebrated and valued for what they do, academic coaches are suspect. Coaching in dissertation and thesis writing is viewed as suspicious and even unethical. Surely, being coached to complete a graduate degree is cheating?
It’s ridiculous to imagine that the ski coaches we’ll soon be seeing in Milan would actually jump on the slopes and do the skiing for the competitors. We’ve never seen a coach on the ice, replacing an ice dancer. There's no room for a coach in a bobsleigh!
Yet, professors and university administers imagine that an academic coach would be doing the research and writing the thesis in place of a student. Instead of doctoral candidates doing their own work, coaches would jump in and do all the thinking, investigating and writing for them? It’s just as ridiculous as seeing a coach competing at the Olympics.
In fact, there’s a greater threat from AI. Students are finding ways to let AI prepare their dissertations for them, and TurnItIn has found new purpose in catching them. How much better for students to discuss their work with a real, live coach who can provide support and encouragement, but doesn’t do the writing.
My Testimonials Page shows how much the candidates with whom I work appreciate my coaching approach to helping them. If you need help and support on your academic journey, I invite you to try it. I think you’ll be happy... and you will come out on top!