creating good relationships with professors?

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Hi there,</p>

<p>I just started college this semester and I am kind of new to making good relationships with professors. In high school, you would ask your teacher to help him/her out with her minor work after you do well on an exam. But I am not sure if this is the same case in college...? I have been to my professors’ office hours, but I do not think it really has made a big difference. I even talked to one of my professors about my research interests, but I am still not satisfied. I know there are people who hang with professors in their offices all the time. I want to know how to build this kind of relationship with your professor...</p>

<p>Thanks a lot if you can help!</p>

2

<p>I don't know of anybody that "hangs with professors in their offices all the time"; no doubt profs would find this annoying as hell. They are busy, busy people, they don't have time to be shooting the **** with students.</p>

<p>However, it is a good idea to take advantage of office hours; I've found that profs also love it when you ask about their work/research, or if you ask an insightful question about lecture material.</p>

<p>But do make sure you're genuinely interested in whatever you're asking about, it helps.</p>

3

<p>Professors are not really that interested in having 19 year old friends, except the ones hitting on students (and many colleges have passed rules prohibiting these relationships, anyway). </p>

<p>Many are willing, in their professional role, to help students make more informed decisions. Their future colleagues will come from the current undergrads so they can give advice on preparing for grad school and help in choosing one. More generally, since they have devoted their careers to the study of a field of knowledge, they are happy to talk about it with someone who shares a genuine interest in the field (not someone brown-nosing trying to get points).</p>

<p>If you have an assigned advisor you could make an appointment and ask her/him for suggestions and guidelines. You could make an appointment with a dean or assistant dean in your college and explain just what you said, you want to understand more about how to interact with the profs. You could also talk with older students, such as your RA. And browse thru some of the "college 101" books at your bookstore; they usually have a section about office hours.</p>

4

<p>It's like making new friends. It really depends on whether you two will hit it off.</p>

<p>PS. your high school example sounds more like sucking up than forming good relationships with your teacher.</p>