Professor Accessibility, TA's, and Relationships

<p>^^ I’m sure it’s possible for them to get access to professors if they really try the right things though. If it’s possible where I come from, it’d better be extremely possible anywhere. Though it takes much more effort (which can be exhausting and thus a negative) in some places. Just a thought, though I’m sure you know best about those schools.</p>

<p>A point in favor of a school like Harvard is the sheer size of the offerings. A friend of mine is a transfer to our school from Williams, and said he basically cleaned their department out in a short period of time, although he confirmed the teaching was terrific. He also didn’t have any special credits coming in to transfer to Williams.</p>

<p>Also Mollie, that’s rather interesting. I guess this also goes back to how different your graduate program setup is, as compared to ones where a graduate student is basically an entity with an office residence inside a certain building with proximity to the doors of scholars, means by which to bother them, coffee machines, and some writing instruments and paper.</p>

<p>

The responses in this thread suggest that MIT is, in fact, different, and they’re coming from students, parents, and alums, not from the school.</p>

<p>i’ve struggled academically pretty much for the entirety of the last two years, but lack of access to professors was not part of the problem. i don’t know what it’s like to be a star student who wants to develop a more level relationship with a professor, but i do know that as a struggling student all the professors i have had so far have been encouraging, available and dedicated to teaching.</p>

<p>that’s not to say i don’t have friends with professors who can’t be bothered to reply to their emails-- those exist too. but as someone who has needed help consistently since getting here, i can say i have gotten to know a number of kind and accessible professors.</p>

<p>ta’s are hit or miss. sometimes they speak english, sometimes they don’t.</p>