Advising Tip | Professors’ Office Hours: Go Early and Often

By Sara Berens
Academic Advisor & Retention Specialist

Sara Berens

Office hours can be an invaluable resource for your development as a student. Attending office hours can help you do better on exams and assignments, as well as feel more connected to your professors and college.

However, many students feel intimated or overwhelmed by speaking with their faculty one-on-one, especially if they’ve never gone before.

So while there is still plenty of time left this semester to visit your professors during their office hours, I wanted to give you some tips so you feel like a pro before you go.

• I promise you’re not bothering your professors! Office hours are specifically set aside to meet with students. The number one complaint is that students don’t go enough!
• Remember, professors are people too and they were once an undergraduate, believe it or not.
•  Professors are experts in their field and can be a wealth of knowledge to help you understand the material more deeply.
• Time can be limited, so go prepared and be on time. Think about what questions you have or issues you want to address ahead of time. If it helps, write down a list and bring it with you.
• Don’t wait to attend office hours until the day before a big exam or paper is due. Go early and go often.
• Even if you don’t have an issue in class, it can be incredibly valuable to stop by and say hello, especially to those professors in your major. This will help you to build a solid relationship and possibly utilize them as a reference when it comes time to look for graduate programs or employment.