Tips for Getting to Know Your Professors

Making an effort to get to know your professors will do much more than just earn you better grades. Interacting with your professors one on one can also deepen your understanding of the subject matter and open up research opportunities if you’re interested in the field. Additionally, solid connections with your college professors can produce networking opportunities and perhaps even get you a great letter of recommendation for graduate school or a future employer. Read on for seven tips on how to get to know your college professors.

1. Attend class every day. Don’t underestimate the importance of showing up. Your professor might not recognize you instantly in a lecture with hundreds of students, but if you attend consistently, your face will get more familiar.

2. Ask relevant questions and participate in class discussions. When you do your reading for the class, write down questions you have about the topic that you will cover in class the next day. Also contribute to discussions whenever you have something substantive to say. This will help your professor get to know your name and voice during class.

3. Turn in your work on time. Professors usually know the names of students who don’t turn in work on time, but that’s not the kind of notoriety you’re going for. Your professor should notice you for the timeliness and quality of your work, not your habitual tardiness.

4. Listen to your professor give a speech or attend a club meeting that he/she oversees. Professors commonly give speeches and lectures both on campus and off that are open to the public. Attend these events whenever possible. You might also attend a meeting or join a club that your professor oversees or advises.

5. Take advantage of office hours. Usually, an undergraduate professor’s office is a desolate place during office hours unless it is finals time. Don’t squander this opportunity for precious one-on-one time with your professor. Stop in during office hours regularly for help with your assignments, feedback on your papers, or to seek your professor’s opinion on a course-related topic.

6. If your professor teaches other classes, ask to sit it on one of them. If you really enjoy your professor’s teaching style and the discipline in which he/she teaches, you may end up taking more classes from him/her in the future. Ask your professor for permission to sit in on any other classes he/she is currently teaching. This will give you an idea of what you can expect if you do take the class, and it can open a dialogue between you and your professor about your academic interests and goals.

7. Participate in research opportunities. Many professors are looking for research assistants, lab assistants, etc. that allow students to earn money while gaining research experience. You might also participate as a subject in your professor’s research. For instance, psychology professors are usually looking for college students to participate in research studies.