How to get in good with your Professor

By Jessie Bhangoo

Return to: College Success -- College Tips

I suggest math, science, engineering students take a few obvious and simple steps to enhance your connection to your professor.  I mention them here because they are easy to forget. You have to do all the class work for these suggestions to actually succeed.

Note that these ideas are targeted to senior students for classes in their major area of interest.  But especially the first three points can apply to first or second year students or if you are serious about a class outside your main area. 

1. First and most important -- pay attention in class. 

Sounds obvious, but it's easy to just take down notes and tell yourself that you will read them later.  It's more important to pay attention to what the professor says than to write it down. 

 
2. You have to pay attention so you can follow the professor's logic. 

If you can't follow a step, stop and ask.  If you don't get it, probably (at least) half the class doesn't either. 

3. I understand that you don't always want to stop the class and ask questions. 

Maybe you can until after class when you have time to review your notes.  It might make more sense if you go over it yourself slowly.  If you do that and still don't see it, go to the professor's office hours.  He/she will appreciate that you are trying to understand the material.  You will get much better help than if you waited until the exam, when the office will be full of confused students who didn’t review the material until the last minute.
 
So don’t wait until exam time.  Definitely ask for help on homework.  If you have honestly tried to figure it out yourself before asking for help, the professor will sometimes give you a hint.

4. If you have free time between classes, visit the department and walk around. 

You will see postings for discussion groups or colloquia on topics of your interest.  Definitely attend these, but if you can, also take time to meet or email the person leading the discussion.  You will get much more out of the talk and maybe hear something that later turns into a term project or independent study.  Don't laugh!
 
At these talks, eventually one of your own professors is bound to attend.  They might even be speaking.  If you are an undergrad, you will probably be the only one attending the talk.  Seeing you in the audience, the professor will be much more accommodating when you come and ask for help later.  It shows that you are serious about the area of study.  Of course, if you fall asleep during the talk, this approach will backfire.
 
WARNING: Do not attend a PhD defense even though they are open to the public.  They focus on a small topic in detail and will almost definitely not fit anything you are doing.  You will be bored and look like a clueless undergrad.

5. As you walk around the department and talk to professors, you might hear about internships or jobs in your area. 

With your new-found connection to the professor, you could get some useful tips for applying (e.g. "When you email Dr. Yu, mention that we covered plume contamination in class.")

Jessie Bhangoo has performed academic research and worked with students at Universities in several different countries.  He has degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science.