4 Tips for Getting to Know Professors

By -

One of the most valuable resources available to college students is the faculty at the university. Getting to know some of the professors at Purdue has been a very rewarding experience for me, especially when I have needed career advice or help with a course. Additionally, having an established relationship with professors is useful in the case you need a reference for jobs or letters of recommendation for graduate school, medical school, scholarships, etc. Here are four of my tips for getting to know professors!


Kat on Campus

1. Attend class regularly

As simple as it sounds, attending class is a good way to get to know your professor. Especially in smaller lectures, being in class is a great way to get your professor to recognize your face. If your professor has time after class, you can also introduce yourself and share your interests, what you are looking forward to in the course, or your interests related to the class.

2. Engage in the course

Asking or answering questions in class is another great way to get your professor to recognize you. If you do not feel comfortable asking questions during class, you could also see if your professor has a couple minutes after class to answer any questions that you have. If there is a topic I want clarification on or am interested in learning more about, I definitely will try and ask the professor after class or email them with my questions.

3. Go to office hours

A fantastic way to get a professor to recognize you is to attend their office hours. Professors often have office hours for at least one hour per week. This time is dedicated for students to come and ask questions about the course. If you cannot attend office hours, email your professor to request a meeting at another time to discuss your questions.

4. Ask about research or job opportunities

One of the best ways to form a mentor relationship with a professor is to work in their research lab or be employed by them. If you are interested in getting involved in research, you can check out this blog for my tips for getting a research position. I got my research position by emailing the professor I currently work for and asking to meet with him to discuss his research. Through my employment with the Women in Engineering Program, I have been able to form a relationship with the Director of WIEP. These long-term mentorship relationships also give you a resource to go to for topics outside of classwork, such as career advice and networking. Additionally, long-term mentors may be able to write detailed letters of recommendation to best represent you to reviewers or employers.

If you have questions, comments or want to find more about getting to know professors, tag us, leave a comment, or follow us!



Kat Kerr, Biomedical Engineering 2021
WE Link Leadership Team


Stay Connected With Purdue WIEP!
Twitter: @purduewiep 
Instagram: @purduewiep
Email: welink@purdue.edu

Use the hashtag #PurdueWIEP on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Purdue Women in Engineering

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Purdue Housing

By -
Image
One of the many concerns incoming freshmen have is what to do regarding their housing options. In addition to the roommate selection process, you may be interested in seeing your on-campus options in terms of amenities and the communities available within the building. For example, when I accepted my admission to Purdue as a freshman, I knew I was interested in a standard double that I had experienced at a summer college program. To ensure my University Residences housing, I applied to Vertically Integrated Projects so that I would be able to pursue a research project as a freshman while also guaranteeing my housing within Earhart Hall through the connected learning community. For more information on learning communities, read our previous blog! Many freshmen will live in a residence hall, even if they are not in a specific learning community. Now, as a Resident Assistant or RA in Earhart Hall, I have been trained on the term “residence hall”; our halls go beyond a traditional “dormito...
Read more

Top 10 Extracurriculars Purdue Students Want You to Join Outside of Engineering

By -
Image
1. Purdue University Dance Marathon (PUDM):  The biggest student-run organization on campus! You can join as a dancer, where you get to fundraise leading up to the 18-hour long event or be even more involved and join a committee! Some of the committees include Riley Relations, where you fundraise to sponsor events for the Riley families throughout the year & are paired with a Riley family for the night of the event, Special Events Committee, where you organize 5K’s and other events around campus throughout the year, and so much more! 2. Boiler Gold Rush (BGR):  Whether it be as a new student, a team leader (TL), or even a Supervisor, there are so many ways to get involved with BGR! This week-long event is held the week before classes start in August. As a new student, it is your first chance to meet your new colleagues and participate in many games, fountain runs, and other fun activities throughout the week. It is also a great way to familiarize yourself with the ...
Read more

A very (sub)objective review of dining options at Purdue

By -
Image
Jenn and her friends after the Thankgiving dinner Food is an integral part of our day. For some people, the very first thing they do in the morning is eat breakfast. I personally prefer my cup of coffee to a stack of waffles. Nonetheless, food has the power to pick up a bad mood, enhance a good mood, and even ease the stress you are feeling about exams and homework. The awareness I have of how food impacts my mood is recently found since I started college in August. at home I usually came home to my mom or dad making something delicious in the crockpot. Suddenly I arrive at college and there are so many options that it can get overwhelming at times to figure out what to eat. Navigating the dining options at college did not seem like something I should have been worried about, yet it was something that took a month of experimenting to perfect.  The key is knowing where to go and what is consistent. I decided to help you out and give you some insight into how I view each dining optio...
Read more