To make the very most of your time with your instructor during office hours, you should: 1. Reasons to attend office hours. That time is set for professors to meet with students, not their parents. ; Forget introductionsProfessors may have hundreds of students and may not always be able to … Now that you are an adult, you should be the sole person handling any discussion of your … How to Approach Your Professor . They hold them just for your questions. A one-on-one meeting is a great place for you to ask a professor to explain a complicated concept in detail. Your professors can give you their input about the outside world. For topics that are sensitive in nature (e.g., grades or a late paper), mention the topic you’d like to discuss in your email (or when you check-in after class) and ask for a time that you could talk in person. Ask yourself: Is this urgent? Study your textbook and lecture notes thoroughly and attempt the assigned problems before you go to office hours. Ask questions that you have about the text or what has been covered learned in class. Contact.Determine the preferred mode of contact; check the course syllabus as professors indicate their preferred methods of contact and related information. ; Get defensive about a bad gradeComing to office hours to discuss concerns about a test score is okay, but don’t come with a bad attitude. Otherwise, you can try e-mail. Fewer students take advantage of office hours than you might expect, and being a student who does interact with their professors can make you stand out from the rest of your classmates and give you extra insight on how to succeed, in both your classes and your general academic career. If you are confused about class material, ask your professor to explain it differently or walk through it slowly with you. Ask obvious questionsRead the syllabus before attending office hours and make sure the answer needed isn’t already on there. 3. By going to office hours, you are getting to know your professor as they get to know you. You should definitely be taking advantage of office hours. "Office hours are a way for your professor to get to know you," explains Anthony Abraham Jack, a professor at Harvard University and the author of The Privileged Poor. If so, then contact by phone or stopping by his or her office during office hours is probably the most logical step. Here are some questions to ask to get the conversation started. Can you check-in with your professor after class or during office hours? Seriously, I mean it, I literally am here in my office so you could come in and talk to me! Establishing a Relationship. Bottom line for professors: If you’re considering going to office hours, then go. Your parents have no place visiting your professor during his or her office hours. 2. Meeting with your professors during their office hours is one of the easiest ways to improve your learning, grades and future career opportunities while in college. Get study ideas. Remember, your professors are required to hold office hours, so make sure you’re taking advantage of this by visiting them and asking the right questions! “[Students attending office hours] is a relatively rare occurrence, which I find frustrating,” said Stewart. If so, usually you can get more info on the spot. By now you’ve probably been told that you should be using office hours. Try to identify specific questions or concepts you need to address during the office hours. You can talk to them about different subsets of your field, how much school or experience they needed to get where they are now, or pretty much anything. Sending an anxious email and hoping for a reply within 20 minutes isn’t the way to understand your homework. Clarify and ask questions about course content. NONONONONONONONO you coming to my office hours is THE REASON FOR ME SITTING HERE in the office!!!!! If you haven’t then let’s start there.