{"id":3203,"date":"2020-06-01T13:38:11","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T18:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abound.college\/gradschool\/?post_type=advice&#038;p=3203"},"modified":"2020-06-01T13:38:11","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T18:38:11","slug":"how-and-why-you-should-utilize-a-professors-office-hours","status":"publish","type":"advice","link":"https:\/\/abound.college\/gradschool\/advice\/how-and-why-you-should-utilize-a-professors-office-hours\/","title":{"rendered":"How and Why You Should Utilize a Professor\u2019s Office Hours"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some students spend four to five years on a college campus and never once visit a professor\u2019s office. By definition, office hours are the posted days and times a professor can be expected to be in their office available to students. This is a job requirement for all instructors, so technically students are paying for this time and should use it! The purpose of office hours is to give busy students access to busy teachers. Most professors post their office hours on the syllabus, online, or even on their office door.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here are some reasons why you should visit your professor during their office hours:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>You missed class.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It\u2019s perfectly acceptable to send an email explaining why you\u2019ve missed class, but it will be even more helpful if you visit your professor to make sure you\u2019re still on track and haven\u2019t missed an important concept.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>You don\u2019t understand the material.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A professor\u2019s entire job is to help teach students, so if you don\u2019t understand a concept or have questions about a homework problem, take the time to ask for further clarification from your professor. Your professor is there to educate you as fully as possible on the topic at hand, so take advantage of their expertise in this personalized learning environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>You need career advice.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Most professors have also worked in industry before teaching and know a fair amount about career opportunities within their respective fields. If you are trying to narrow down your future career options or need help debating between job offers, visit a professor and ask for their insight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>You need help developing an idea for an essay or project. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you visit with plenty of time in advance, your professor can help flush out an idea for a big essay or project due that semester. But don\u2019t show up empty-handed asking for ideas\u2014come to their office with options you\u2019ve already thought about and ask for their advice on what you\u2019ve prepared.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>You need someone to talk to. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Professors are often trained as advisors, and some even join student support committees. If you\u2019re struggling during the semester and need someone you know just to listen to what you\u2019re going through, a close and trusted professor can be that listening ear. But know your professor may be more comfortable referring students to professional counselors. Either way, it\u2019s good to know that turning to your professor is an option.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>You\u2019re interested in extracurricular work or research. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most professors are often working on outside projects and seek out students interested in earning internship credits or who want to expand their resumes with published articles and lab experience. If your professor can\u2019t offer these projects, they will most likely know of another professor who could use your assistance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>You\u2019re an alumni visiting campus! <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Office hours aren\u2019t just for undergrads. Once you graduate, your professors still want to know how you\u2019re doing and what you\u2019ve chosen to pursue as a career. If you find yourself near your alma mater, drop in and say hello.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here\u2019s how to best utilize your professor\u2019s office hours:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Don\u2019t stay quiet. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s your job to lead the conversation if you visit a professor during their office hours. Put together a list of questions or topics you\u2019d like to discuss with them and use your time wisely! And if you don\u2019t understand something they say while you\u2019re in their office, then say so. Your professor may not realize they are being misunderstood and will appreciate your intellectual honesty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Arrive prepared. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Start by introducing yourself if it\u2019s your first time visiting their office. If you think you\u2019ll be nervous to talk one-on-one with your professor, write down your questions beforehand and read from your list! The more prepared you are for the office hour, the more you\u2019ll get done.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Be honest with your professor.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> If you didn\u2019t do well on a test because you\u2019re struggling with the stresses of college life or are slammed with work, tell your professor the truth. They are human and understand that life happens. If you\u2019re honest and open with them, they will more likely than not help accommodate your situation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Take notes. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You may be worried that it\u2019s rude to write while talking with your professor, but you aren\u2019t visiting for a social conversation. You\u2019ll likely cover important details on assignments or even advice they give, and you won\u2019t be able to remember everything discussed. Be okay with some silence between you both while you are writing down notes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Don\u2019t waste time with small talk. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other students may be waiting, so be sure you get right to your most important questions early. Getting to know your professor is fine, but if you have specific questions about homework or a concept, prioritize your discussion and ask them first.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Go in pairs or groups. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you have the same question as a friend or the members of your study group, you can all visit your professor\u2019s office together. Professors are happy to talk to more than one student at a time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Go while there\u2019s time.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Don\u2019t wait till the day before a project is due or right before a midterm. Visit your professor early so you have time to implement their advice and ideas into your studying and homework.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Follow up.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> If you have additional questions later in the week, you can always email the professor and visit their office hours again. There isn\u2019t a rule that you can only visit once a week or once a semester.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Be polite.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Professors work hard for their students, and deserve to be treated with respect. They are human beings, and appreciate such niceties\u2014especially when you mean them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most professors understand that students have schedules that often conflict with posted office hours, so they are usually willing to accommodate your schedule. If you need to meet with your professor, talk to them after class or via email and briefly explain your predicament. Then offer a range of days and times when you\u2019d be available, having already made sure none of them conflict with your professor\u2019s other classes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Don\u2019t wait until just before an exam or due date to talk to your professor. Visit them early on during their office hours and address your concerns and questions directly. You\u2019ll be surprised how much your work improves as well as how much more connected you\u2019ll feel toward your college experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Learn More About <a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/gradschool\/school\/southern-utah-university\/\">Southern Utah University<\/a><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Southern Utah University (1897) provides a personalized, career-ready experience that prepares students to be successful upon graduation. The valuable educational opportunities ensure students enter the job market with a competitive advantage. Students come first at SUU, where small, personalized classes are the norm. Its 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio and more than 144 undergraduate and 18 graduate &amp; certificate programs make SUU an incredible place to grow.<\/p>\n    <div class='ab-youtube-wrapper'>\n        <iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"iframe-WdobZWUDUzyp\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hdWK72RL0_w\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\"><\/iframe>\n\n            <\/div>\n    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Don\u2019t wait until just before an exam or due date to talk to your professor. Visit them early on during their office hours and address your concerns and questions directly. You\u2019ll be surprised how much your work improves as well as how much more connected you\u2019ll feel toward your college experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3204,"template":"","class_list":["post-3203","advice","type-advice","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","abound_advice_topics-college-resources"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How and Why You Should Utilize a Professor\u2019s Office Hours - Abound: Grad School<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Improve your grades, address your concerns, and gain a better understanding of your coursework by utilizing your college professor&#039;s office hours.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/collegesofdistinction.com\/advice\/how-and-why-you-should-utilize-a-professors-office-hours\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How and Why You Should Utilize a Professor\u2019s Office Hours\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Improve your grades, address your concerns, and gain a better understanding of your coursework by utilizing your college professor&#039;s office hours.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/collegesofdistinction.com\/advice\/how-and-why-you-should-utilize-a-professors-office-hours\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Abound: Grad School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/gradschool\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/06\/boardroom-brainstorming-business-2977547-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abound.college\\\/gradschool\\\/advice\\\/how-and-why-you-should-utilize-a-professors-office-hours\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/collegesofdistinction.com\\\/advice\\\/how-and-why-you-should-utilize-a-professors-office-hours\\\/\",\"name\":\"How and Why You Should Utilize a Professor\u2019s Office Hours - 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