Aside from doing well in your classes, having good relationships with professors is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, aspects of a successful college experience. Many students don't realize that professors are often the gatekeepers to a multitude of opportunities in college, and even after college. Therefore, how to make a positive impression on professors is critically important.
Four Proactive Steps To Take
1. A positive impression cannot but help a student with the subjective part of a course grade. As one student said, "A friendly relationship is sometimes worth the difference between a C+ or B (or even an B or A) in a course. Add a great smile and a positive attitude and you're in cool territory."
2. Students frequently need recommendations from professors for certain selective campus activities and special programs, e.g., a study abroad or leadership experience, internship, research assistantship or honors programs. If you have made a good impression on a professor, he or she is more likely to write an effective recommendation or make a personal phone call on your behalf. If a professor thinks you're really special, he/she might hire you to be a TA or grader for an upcoming course.
3. College students also need excellent recommendations for graduate school and job applications. Effective recommendations entail people truly singing your praises. Having a professor who knows and likes you will make a big difference in what he or she says about you.
4. Many professors end up mentoring a handful of students they really like, often extending this to after they have graduated from college.
What are some good ways of making a good impression on professors?
One of the best ways of impressing a professor (and assuring yourself of doing well in a class) is to ace the first exam. There are a number of reasons why this is a good idea:
A. College courses are often like a pyramid, i.e., basic information is offered at the beginning and then other material builds upon that. If you learn the basics really well, then the rest of the class should fall into place.
B. By acing the first exam, you accomplish the following:
- If you start out strongly, you are much more likely to do well in a class.
If you start out strongly, you will immediately distinguish yourself from your peers. By acing the first exam, the professor will have an immediate picture of you (or at least your name) as one of the class "stars." And if for some reason you don't do as well on a subsequent exam, the professor is more likely to perceive this as a temporary lapse, rather than a permanent, negative measure of your ability.C. Another way of making a good impression on a professor is to help him or her get to know who you are as a person. At the very first class, go up and introduce yourself. Sure, he or she might not remember your name, but at least your face will become familiar.
D. Early on, stop by the professor's office for open office hours. Before you do this, though, prepare yourself. Look up the professor in the online departmental listings to see what his or her research is on, what he/she has written and what her/his interests are. If your college offers teacher evaluations, check out what former students say about the professor. Before you arrive at the office, think about what you will say to the professor and write out some questions to ask. Let her or him know about particular interests you have in the different aspects of the course.
E. Finally, another way of making a good impression is to bring to a professor a problem you want help in solving, such as "I'm interested in (topic X), but I'm having difficulty finding recent, really good research. Or you might ask, "I'm fascinated by Y. Who do you consider to be the real authorities on this subject?" What are some of the best books?"
Stay tuned. Next week I'll write about how students make bad impressions on professors.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.