Research on mentoring in higher education is increasingly widespread. This article aims to provide insight into different kinds of mentoring programs and the research conducted to determine the effectiveness of these programs. A review of the literature revealed multiple definitions of what mentoring means, how programs operate, and types of research conducted. This investigation concluded in findings that the majority of mentoring research is incomplete and methodologically unsound. Additionally, the literature conceptualizes mentoring in dichotomous forms: informal/formal and traditional/non-traditional. Understanding how these forms operate within higher education can impact the overall effectiveness of the mentoring relationship. Suggestions for improved research methodology and program design are provided.