<p>I've heard many many times that going to office hours is extremely helpful for getting that grade. Is it just to suck up to the teachers? Im not really sure what Id do at office hours besides just asking questions from the book which I could just easily figure out or ask my discussion group. What do you guys do when you go to a professor for office hours?</p>
<p>Going to office hours without anything to say is a bad idea. If you have a question about something in the class or something related to the class, by all means go.</p>
<p>Going to office hours is helpful because it’s much easier to sort out what you’re not understanding. It’s most helpful if you actually figure out the problem specifically beforehand.</p>
<p>I can’t emphasize enough how important going to office hours is. Especially in large classes, where you are just a number, but equally important in upper division. Used not to “suck up” but rather for a variety of different reasons. </p>
<p>First, to introduce yourself, which is always just a nice thing to do, and establish a connection (potentially useful for recs and other things later on). Second, if you find in your studies that you have brain blockage as to some particular issue (i.e. go to pick their brains). Third, if your thought process is all over the place, to get focused. Fourth, if you have a project or paper, to brainstorm and/or find out if you’re headed in the right direction (often your idea of what is expected is a bit different than what the prof. wants). Fifth, if it’s a subject that gives you passion, to kibbitz and show your passion – could get you an internship, or give you more depth in the subject – profs like talking about what they got into whatever it is that is their expertise. They love sharing their passion of the subject they’re teaching (or sometimes, will tell you why they hate it!). </p>
<p>This is the best part of education and the best part of learning. You can gain so much insight into a subject that you might not get just sitting in lecture.</p>
<p>Study the material, make a list of things you’re confused about, and get those things sorted out with the professor.</p>
<p>Even if I didn’t have any questions, sitting in for office hours a couple of times turned out to be pretty helpful because lots of other students would bring up things that I might have found confusing but just forgot about. It’s for your academic/intellectual benefit.</p>
<p>I suppose, if you’re struggling with a class and if you go to office hours a lot, the professor may see that you’re really trying and might give you a slightly better grade than you deserve. They may also be more willing to look over /regrade a test or quiz that you missed out on a couple of points than normally, perhaps. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t really go there for nothing, unless you know the professor’s cool with that. I suppose if they ask if you had a question, instead of responding no, you could just say that you think you sorta get it, but was hoping other students may be able to phrase your uncertainty or bring up things you hadn’t thought about. (I had a professor who would make students come back later if no one in the office hours room had a question.)</p>
<p>It’s also going to be different depending on whether you’re North Campus or South Campus. Usually there are a lot more people going to OH for south campus classes, and it’s more like extra lecture time to see sample problems done by the professor. OH in north campus classes seem to be more like a one on one chat.</p>
<p>If you have classes during all of your professor’s office hours, how willing are they to meet you by appointment? I know this purely depends on the professor, but I want to know how often it has happened for other people.</p>
<p>Are office hours one on one or a small classroom setting? I don’t want to look stupid when I walk in for my first office hour and have no questions lol.</p>
<p>Also who usually grades tests? TA’s or professors?</p>
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<p>north campus: former
south campus: latter</p>
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<p>north campus: TA’s
south campus: usually the professors, TA’s and graders each take a few questions to grade</p>
<p>in general - YMMV</p>
<p>A bunch of students go to office hours to “suck up”, not necessarily for a better grade but often times for recs and research opportunities. </p>
<p>Anyone (from public school) who intends to go to grad school has to show up for office hours to suck up to professors.</p>