How to Get the Most from Your College ProfessorI. Daily routine in college—Get

How to Get the Most from Your College Professor
    Good morning, today we are talking about how to get the most from your college professor. Do you still remember your first year at college? It might be a daunting experience. You’ve been told it’s not like high school, but now you’re beginning to understand exactly what that means. You have to get yourself up in the morning and off to class, sit and listen to the professor’s lecture, then go and read the textbook to try to make sense of whatever it was that the professor said.
    Sometimes you may have trouble understanding what the professor is talking about. Surely,for the tuition you’re paying,you can expect more out of your professor than just listen to their lectures at the front of the class. In fact, there’s a lot more that you can get from your professors if you’re willing to speak up on your own behalf.
    Your first move is to know your professors. New students are often frightened by their professors, especially if the student is just one out of a vast sea of faces in a large lecture section. True, some professors are more approachable than others, but it’s in your best interests to overcome your problem and work up the courage to talk to your professor every now and then. If the professor knows who you are and knows you’re interested in the class, he’ll often be willing to extend more help when you need it. Make a point to talk to your professor early in the term just to chat about the class. You’ll get a better sense of his expectations, and may pick up some useful tips.
    Want to get to know your professor even better? (2) Use your school’s website to find out more. What is his area of expertise? (3) What are his research interests? How about his personal interests? (4) Strike up a conversation with your professor to learn more about his interests. You never know—he may be your lead to a job, a scholarship, or other opportunity you never know about.
    One thing to bear in mind, though, is that professors are busy people and may not always be ready to chat. Some professors come dashing from lunch or another class and have only a few moments to get class ready. (5) It’s not a good idea to try to talk to the professor about the term paper while he’s busy cleaning up because there’s another class coming in,it’s not an appropriate time to ask about your grade. It might be a good chance to grab an eraser and help out, then ask if the professor has a few minutes in his office after class to talk to you.
    The second step is to get a syllabus. Every professor should have a syllabus available on the first day of class, whether it’s a printed document or something you need to download from the professor’s website. (6) The syllabus is in essence a contract between the professor and the students that spells out what the professor expects of you and what you as a student can expect in return.
    At the minimum, a syllabus should have the professor’s contact information, office hours, grading policy, readings, and dates for exams and projects due. Once you get the syllabus, don’t lose it. Transfer the test dates, readings and projects due dates to your study calendar so you can plan ahead. Keep the professor’s contact information handy so you know where to get help.
    What you do next is to have courage to ask questions in class. Sure, it’s pretty scary to speak up in class when you’re in a big lecture section. (9) Try to sit up front so you’re less aware of the size of the class. Listen and take notes during class, and jot down any questions that you have. Put a hand up any time you’re not clear on something. Others in the class will appreciate that someone else asked the question they were thinking, and your professor will get the feedback he needs to know if students are getting the information or not.
    The last but least is to use the professors’ office hours. Most universities require their professors to keep a certain number of office hours. These are the hours you can expect your professor to be in or near his office so you can visit and ask questions. It’s surprising how few students take advantage of this offer of free extra tutoring.
    To get the most out of your office hour visits,come with some specific questions. Just before an exam, for example, you might have some questions about the study guide or about a topic you’re having trouble with. (10) If you’re working on a project or term paper,bring in a proposal or an outline early in the term and ask the professor to give you some feedback. If you’re not clear on an assignment, discuss it with your professor. Don’t wait until the end of finals week to see your professor and beg for a better grade. By then it’s far too late.
    In the end,I want to sum up what we mentioned above. Always remember,what you get out of any situation is what you put into it, and the same is true for your relationship with your professors. If you just come to class, read the book, take the test,and walk away,you may retain a little of the knowledge but that’s all you’ll have. If you take the time to get to know your professors each term,you’ll walk away with a better understanding of the subjects and perhaps a better understanding of the world. You never know what opportunities a new acquaintance may open up for you, so take a chance and say " Hello !" to your professors today.