Quick Tips on Doing Well in Your Classes
Don’t ever miss a class. I can’t stress this enough. There are tons of distractions in college; don’t let them interfere with attending class. There are two reasons for this. The first is obvious: attending class helps you stay current on course material and deadlines. The second reason is less obvious but just as important: it sends positive signals to your professors about how much you care. Trust me; we notice the students who always show up. This matters for all sorts of reasons beyond just understanding the material. For example, professors are much more willing to give the benefit of the doubt (on, say, a late assignment) to a student who always show up than one who does not. And it’s always really helpful to note in a letter of recommendation that students never missed a class. That signals to a potential employer or graduate school admissions committee that the student is professional, motivated, and disciplined. [Side note: there are, of course, times that it’s okay to miss class. For example, most professors are okay with missing class if you are sick or have a family emergency. Make sure you know your professor’s attendance policy if something like that should happen].
Be attentive in class. As important as attending class is, it’s only half the story. Being attentive while in class is just as critical. Don’t sleep in class. Don’t play games on your laptop. Don’t stare at your phone the entire period. Being attentive while in class is beneficial for the same reasons as move. First, it helps students understand the material. Second, professors notice the students who pay attention. Students often assume it’s really easy to disappear in a class with 50, 100, or even 500 classmates. But trust me — it is really, really, really obvious which students are and are not paying attention, even in a large class. We love students who make eye contact, nod their heads, ask questions, provide thoughtful discussion points, and/or are clearly taking notes (oh, and laugh at our jokes!).
Attend office hours. Office hours are so helpful!!! They can help you understand the material, prepare for exams, and complete assignments correctly. But they can also help you bond with a professor. One way this becomes particularly helpful is if ever need to ask for a letter of recommendation. Professors will have so much more to discuss in their letter if they have gotten to know you during office hours.
Contact your professor immediately if you run into any issues. Contacting your professor in week fifteen of the semester about something that happened in week four typically will not lead to any assistance. Usually, little can be done after so much time has passed. If something happens that leads you to miss a class, exam, or assignment — or perform poorly on an exam or assignment — contact your professor immediately. Most professors are reasonable and will want to help. But we can’t help if we don’t know about the issue, or find out about it so late that options are limited.
My basic advice is this: first, show up physically (see #1 and #3 above). Second, show up mentally (see # 2 above). Simply stated, just show up.
I will continue to add to this list over time… so check back often!