How to approach a college professor

IAN LACK Reporter

As students transition from high school to college, gone are the high school teachers. With their arrival to campus, students must learn to interact with professors and instructors for their new courses.

Interacting with a college professor is different than interacting with a high school teacher, according to junior ecology and environmental science major Jenna Hayungs.

“With [college] classes, you might not know your professor as well, especially when it’s a bigger class,” Hayungs said. “But it’s usually easier to approach them because you’ll usually see them outside the class with projects and different events and stuff.”

Hayungs said she has often had to contact her professors with questions, and that usually starts with an email.

She recommended a formal email with a letter format that begins with a greeting. This allows the students to appear more professional in front of their professor and shows that they care about the class.

Jason McEntee, head of the Department of English, stresses the importance of professors’ office hours and using them to meet about concerns that are more complex than can be contained in an email.

“The important thing to remember is: don’t wait,” McEntee said. “I’m happy to help students at any time and it’s actually a part of university protocol that we be able to meet with you guys.”

Office hours are usually posted on the D2L page for the class and in the syllabus.

“Talking to your professors will really just help you in the long run,” Hayungs said. “It’ll tell them that you want to do well in the class and it’s a good way to score brownie points with them.”