how do you talk to your professors???

[qualityhealth]

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This might be an obvious question, but I just wanted to know. I get so intimidated that i feel i they can sense it, and brush me off as just another crazy premed. Even though, i love talking to my profs, its intimidating when there's a chem class of 600 kids, and you're the one who has to stand out. I want a really good recommendation. Besides getting As on the exams how else are you supposed to cultivate a meaningful relationship that will reward it self with an AMAZING rec letter????

 

[inaminute]

wash their car

 

[Bartelby]

Even though, i love talking to my profs, its intimidating when there's a chem class of 600 kids, and you're the one who has to stand out. I want a really good recommendation. Besides getting As on the exams how else are you supposed to cultivate a meaningful relationship that will reward it self with an AMAZING rec letter????

Work in their lab. If you want just a science or other letter, though, don't just walk in and chat unprepared (although you can do this). Actually spend time reading and reflecting on the material and come up with questions that you really want answers to, preferably that extend beyond the basic reading. Become genuinely interested in the topic and let your curiosity form the questions you will ask. Then go into his office with solid knowledge about the topic and a desire to know more, not a desire to get a good rec letter. If you find that you cannot do this, you probably don't deserve a good rec letter.

 

[[pj]]

go to office hours, ask questions, show genuine interest. even if they don't seem to want to talk to you at first, if you're able to show you're not just another "crazy premed" they'll loosen up. if not, they're probably naturally cold like that.

 

[Smctbone]

Work in their lab. If you want just a science or other letter, though, don't just walk in and chat unprepared (although you can do this). Actually spend time reading and reflecting on the material and come up with questions that you really want answers to, preferably that extend beyond the basic reading. Become genuinely interested in the topic and let your curiosity form the questions you will ask. Then go into his office with solid knowledge about the topic and a desire to know more, not a desire to get a good rec letter. If you find that you cannot do this, you probably don't deserve a good rec letter.

👍👍

...and if they notice youre genuinely interested, at least in my experience, theyre also likely to want to get to know you better. I've spent MANY hours sitting around talking up a storm with a few of my profs about non-academic stuff, it's awesome! 😎

 

[Hyperstudyosis]

Think about the material, formulate questions that you are truly curious about and ask them. Go to the office hours. I was nervous the first time I did this, but so glad afterward because it was the beginning of a great relationship with one of my profs. She's told me several times how glad she is that I come and ask her questions and I've gotten to know her really well as a person. The other day after class, I asked her if I could go with her to see her new office (she moved her office since last semester). She was happy for me to come with her and when we got to her office, she said, "Why don't you sit down." I did and we talked for an hour and a half about all kinds of stuff, some related to the class and some totally unrelated. Last semester she wrote me a letter of recommendation for a scholarship and it was AMAZING! I know she will be happy to give me a great LOR for medical school, especially since she is the one who suggested to me that I should go to medical school.

 

[Zendoc]

Maybe the reason you feel intimidation is because you are placing these individuals on a higher level than you. Yes, it's true, they are older and therefore deserve respect and they are more educated, but this does not make them better people or more worthy than you. Remember this and perhaps you will feel more like an equal when conversing. If that fails, just imagine your professor going to the bathroom. Everyone does it and it's a great equalizer...always helps me feel a little more carefree. 🙂 Good luck!

 

[GoldShadow]

I talk to my professors using my mouth and larynx. I formulate sounds in such a way that it forms words and sentences. I find this to be more effective than being silent, or simply grunting incoherently.

 

[Compass]

I talk to my professors in English. So they aren't afraid of me.

 

[IceMan0824]

This might be an obvious question, but I just wanted to know. I get so intimidated that i feel i they can sense it, and brush me off as just another crazy premed. Even though, i love talking to my profs, its intimidating when there's a chem class of 600 kids, and you're the one who has to stand out. I want a really good recommendation. Besides getting As on the exams how else are you supposed to cultivate a meaningful relationship that will reward it self with an AMAZING rec letter????

Give happy endings.

 

[ElisaBailey]

for your reference letters, get at least one person who isn't a premed course instructor. people outside of the medicine regime are fascinated and excited when asked to write a med school letter and often do an amazing job

 

[Inuranic]

This is why I love going to a small state school. I hang out with my Professors all the time. Last semester I went to one of their houses for a small dinner party. It was sweet (she's a good cook). Over the summer one of my LOR writers treated me to coffee and we chilled for awhile.

It's gotten to the point where I'm annoyed that schools keep asking me to have them sign more forms - I don't want them to feel used.

Professors (usually) have great stories and advice, especially if you plan on duking it out in the academic world longer than usual. I've learned a lot from 'em.

 

[blargh]

I talk to my professors in English. So they aren't afraid of me.

I talk to my professors in Engrish so they feel more comfortable.

 

[Quix]

Maybe the reason you feel intimidation is because you are placing these individuals on a higher level than you. Yes, it's true, they are older and therefore deserve respect and they are more educated, but this does not make them better people or more worthy than you.

Yes, we are.

😀

In all seriousness, it really depends on context. I encourage students to make themselves interesting and memorable, but we're not buddy-buddy. Professor-student is still a professional relationship unless we choose to make it more peer-oriented (e.g., you can't just decide to be buddies with your professor and go in using first names), at which point the nature of the conversations can change. I worked rather hard to get into this position; it really bugged me when students would assume familiarity.

 

[BluePhoenix]

Working in a lab is pretty much the easiest way to get to know professors better and get a nice recommendation. As a student in a large class, you're lucky if they know your name. The only students I ever really knew were the ones that came for help and I got to know them over the course of a semester and would be much more likely to write a more personal (and positive) recommendation for those students.

At my undergrad there was a fund that would reimburse students that went out to eat with professor to encourage students and professors to interact and get to know each other. Often, professors would attend on campus parties and events (mostly the younger ones) - evening talks, catered dinners and such are another good way to strike up conversations with professors.

You are NOT on the same level as your professors, they have a higher level of education and a higher position than you. However, they are people and most do exist in some form outside of class/research. You can always check their website and see if you can find out about any interests they might have.

 

[161927]

Is it inappropriate (or even crazy) to send a "thank-you email" to a professor after a class is over, where you write how much you enjoyed the class, how much you learned, blah blah blah. Not a long note, but a short email that will help the prof remember you when it comes time for recommendations?

 

[Quix]

Is it inappropriate (or even crazy) to send a "thank-you email" to a professor after a class is over, where you write how much you enjoyed the class, how much you learned, blah blah blah. Not a long note, but a short email that will help the prof remember you when it comes time for recommendations?

That's fine; but if we get inundated, you might not stand out. In all seriousness, the best way to make yourself memorable is to use office hours and show a genuine interest in the material.

 

[Gut Shot]

Besides getting As on the exams how else are you supposed to cultivate a meaningful relationship that will reward it self with an AMAZING rec letter????

This is one of the beauties of attending a small undergraduate college. There were so few students in upper level courses that you couldn't help but develop relationships with your profs. It made rec letter time a breeze, even without a lick of research. The thought that you would have to ***** yourself out in someone's lab in order to get to know them is depressing... and rather sick.

 

[Picklesali]

Doing research is not the only way. One of my best recommenders I had, was one that I took his course and then TA'd for him. If your school has opportunities for undergraduate teaching, you should definitely consider it.

 

[GoldShadow]

I talk to my professors in Engrish so they feer more comfortabre.

Fixed.

 

[mvenus929]

This is why I love going to a small state school. I hang out with my Professors all the time. Last semester I went to one of their houses for a small dinner party. It was sweet (she's a good cook). Over the summer one of my LOR writers treated me to coffee and we chilled for awhile.

This is one of the beauties of attending a small undergraduate college. There were so few students in upper level courses that you couldn't help but develop relationships with your profs. It made rec letter time a breeze, even without a lick of research. The thought that you would have to ***** yourself out in someone's lab in order to get to know them is depressing... and rather sick.

Ditto. My physiology professor last semester made an extreme effort to get to know everyone's name in the class. And I've gone in and talked to him a couple times. He's also my seminar professor this semester, so he gets to hear all about my interest in diabetes.

For chemistry, which is a little larger at my school, I always sat towards the front of the room, I'd ask a few questions during class, and I'd see him around the school and say hi and things like that. I also volunteered some for him (he was going to do a demo for home schooled students, run by us students, but they decided not to come because it was snowing).

For my humanities professor... I had him in a short class (10 days before spring semester), and he got to know everyone's name there. So on the day of my regular semester class with him, right before class started, I ran into him and started talking about what I was doing this semester and things like that. I went to his office right after class. We talked briefly before class started every week after that, and we ran into each other outside the library once, and ended up talking for 20 minutes about what I was planning on doing. It was pretty cool.

 

[blargh]

Fixed.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[Hyperstudyosis]

Is it inappropriate (or even crazy) to send a "thank-you email" to a professor after a class is over, where you write how much you enjoyed the class, how much you learned, blah blah blah. Not a long note, but a short email that will help the prof remember you when it comes time for recommendations?

I do this with most of my professors. Sometimes if it's a professor I really liked, I give them a small gift as well. I'm working on designing an anatomy & physiology calendar to give to my A & P prof at the end of the semester.

 

[njbmd]

This might be an obvious question, but I just wanted to know. I get so intimidated that i feel i they can sense it, and brush me off as just another crazy premed. Even though, i love talking to my profs, its intimidating when there's a chem class of 600 kids, and you're the one who has to stand out. I want a really good recommendation. Besides getting As on the exams how else are you supposed to cultivate a meaningful relationship that will reward it self with an AMAZING rec letter????

Go to office hours and discuss concepts presented in class/text etc. Even if you believe you understand everything, a "knowledge tune-up" is not a bad idea. Ask about organization or ask about experimental techniques but go to office hours. You are not going to get much meaningful contact with a professor in a class of 600 students.

You might also become familiar with your professor's research and discuss some point of the research. If you don't understand their research, then ask questions about what you don't understand. I had an organic chemistry professor who studied a very interesting class of compounds. When I read his papers, I couldn't figure out where these compounds fit in. After a chat with him, I ended up synthesizing one of his research compounds (with applications in the pharmaceutical industry) and ended up on one of his papers. I still keep in touch with him today.