How the heck do you become close to professors?

[buymecookies]

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This is something my big sister who's in dental school has been drilling into me since I was in highschool. "BECOME CLOSE TO YOUR PROFESSORS. MAKE THEM KNOW YOUR NAME."

I've always been a little shy about talking to older people. Yes, I can talk to them, but only if I feel like the conversation has direction & purpose. I hate small talk & forcing meaningless conversation. I feel like I'm just wasting their time. I also have this complex about not feeling like I'm being respectful enough when talking casually to professors & adults in general /:

I typically go to tutoring or the internet for homework help. I feel as though my professors would be way too busy to answer every little question I might have over the homework or tests. Am I supposed to walk in and just ask them about their day? I don't get it. What do you guys usually do? Are you BFF's with your professors? If so, how did that come to be?

Help me. I'm scared about rec letters.

 

[mrh125]

step out of your comfort zone, raise your hand and ask questions in class, talk to them afterwards, read about their research interests and act genuinely interested if they bring up that sort of stuff, go to office hours. If you're shy and it's a little awkward, it gets better if you keep trying. just keep working at it and you'll get close. the key is to show genuine interest in the subject matter and that goes farther than anything with professors.

 

[ciestar]

That's where office hours are great. You ask questions you have at a time that professor set aside specifically for that purpose! Also, at the end of lectures if you have some though provoking question, ask it. It's a great way for them to start to recognize you, but office hours are really a wonderful way to start a relationship.

 

[sakata8242]

Go to lecture. Pay attention. Go to their office hours and ask questions about the material, their area of research. If you don't have any questions, come up with some. Show some interest in the subject matter. Most professors enjoy talking about themselves and their work.

 

[ciestar]

step out of your comfort zone, raise your hand and ask questions in class, talk to them afterwards, read about their research interests and act genuinely interested if they bring up that sort of stuff, go to office hours. If you're shy and it's a little awkward, it gets better if you keep trying. just keep working at it and you'll get close. the key is to show genuine interest in the subject matter and that goes farther than anything with professors.

Omg I could never do that. I also went to a rather large state school and had lectures with 700 other people.

But I agree. Some genuine interest is a good place to begin. Show you care, it goes a long way.

 

[Mr Interesting]

How the heck do you become close to professors?

crying.

no seriously, go to their office hours and talk about their research.

 

[mrh125]

Omg I could never do that. I also went to a rather large state school and had lectures with 700 other people.

But I agree. Some genuine interest is a good place to begin. Show you care, it goes a long way.

LOL I did it in classes w/ 500 people. meh some people hated me for it, but they're not paying for my education and I'm here to make the most of my circumstances. It gets easier if you keep doing it and usually other students in the front become friends with you. I ended up with a girlfriend for a while because she dug the questions and that was my introduction to her. Participating in class leads to all sorts of interesting outcomes including professors recognizing your interest and face 🙂.

 

[buymecookies]

Hmm maybe I'll reserve one or two questions to ask them personally then instead of looking them up online or asking tutors? That could be a start..

Also, my Chem 2 professor is really well known and seems like he'd be a great guy to get a rec letter from (omg I sound like such a user). Although I've asked questions a few times in class & review sessions, I've been too intimidated, as you can see by this thread, to go to any of his office hours. The semester is almost over and I really don't want him to never have really known me. There might be one or two more office hours before the final exam. Would it be worth it to go to those and at least get my foot in the door? Or have I pretty much just missed my chance?

 

[ciestar]

It's never too late. Especially for a final exam, give it all you've got.

But you've got to get over the shyness/intimidation with authority figures. Don't be afraid to ask questions or approach them.

 

[mrh125]

It's never too late. Especially for a final exam, give it all you've got.

But you've got to get over the shyness/intimidation with authority figures. Don't be afraid to ask questions or approach them.

exactly, and before you know it you'll be one of those authority figures as a doctor. Stepping out of your comfort zone for professors will help improve your life in every way later on. confidence and self-assurance are great things.

 

[hoihaie]

Do well in the class then TA for them.

 

[Aerus]

Professors don't just live to do research and teach classes. They have lives of their own. The ideal professor-student relationship would be where both of you are comfortable enough to talk about interests and events outside of class you are taking. Not just research and TAing for them. That's just a boring formula that will get you a decent Letter of Rec at best, unless you are very talented and informed in research and can truly impress them in how much you know or gifted at teaching and have every single student demand for you.

 

[infinitessimal]

I typically go to tutoring or the internet for homework help. I feel as though my professors would be way too busy to answer every little question I might have over the homework or tests. Am I supposed to walk in and just ask them about their day? I don't get it. What do you guys usually do? Are you BFF's with your professors? If so, how did that come to be?

But that's exactly what office hours are for! Ask a question in an area you're having trouble with. If you can't think of anything right away, think harder. There's no way you understand every topic of chemistry completely. Then, if his answer raises more questions about the topic even if they're beyond the scope of the class, ask them too. You'd be learning something new and probably interesting, and your professor would enjoy seeing that happen. Then, let's say you applied what he taught you to the practice test, and you have more questions. Email him with something like "Hi professor, it's [Suzie]. Perhaps you remember our conversation in your office hours on Wednesday about [galvanic cells]? I was looking at this problem on the practice test, and was wondering ..." This way you can drive home your name and show that you genuinely listened to what he said. You'll be able to gauge if he responds toward you enthusiastically. Do this for any and all professors in the future. Why the heck are you paying all that money for college if you spend your time learning from tutors and the internet?! You're paying their salaries. Use this chance while you still have it.

As for interests outside of the class, usually professors have asked me what I'm interested in/why I'm pursuing this major, and I explain my general plans and future goals. Then I update them on new happenings in my life to achieve those goals, like if I'm presenting research at a conference, traveling abroad, etc, and they're usually very interested in hearing about it. It'll come, and it doesn't have to be forced.

 

[masaraksh]

one way is to sit close to them and put your hand on their thigh.

Word of warning: your emails to profs will probably sound stupid. I talked to a biochem prof/physician-researcher at Big Medical School and he was saying how he got an email from a freshman saying "... Dear Prof. so and so, I am so fascinated by your research on Zinc fingers,....". The prof wouldn't stop laughing... "Freshman cant tell zinc fingers from chicken fingers..".


I'll tell you what worked for me: Freshman year, I took Org 1 & 2 (then ended up doing research that summer with my Org 2 prof). I got As in the classes and our class had an online message forum. When people had questions, I made an effort to respond (it helped with the studying I was doing anyway). Then, I began looking for work for the summer. I just approached the prof. Talked about wanted to get some experience asked if he had recommendations or undergrad positions in his group. He invited me to work in his lab for the summer.

 

[familyaerospace]

I became very close with several of my professors (at the closest level possible). It really isn't that hard provided you make the effort.

 

[mimelim]

Hmm maybe I'll reserve one or two questions to ask them personally then instead of looking them up online or asking tutors? That could be a start..

Let me say this bluntly so that it isn't misinterpretted. You should NOT get a letter of recommendation from anyone that you are saying this about. It will be a weak letter. In general, letters from people you take a single class with are very weak, nevermind someone that you are asking advice about getting to know. Letters should come from someone that can vouch for your strengths and brag about you. Can any of these guys?

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

The way I did it was to have a very heated antagonistic debate with the professor the first day of class, so much so that the man didn't look me in the eye the rest of the summer. Fast forward, now we meet for regular happy hours. His letter read like I hung the moon. YMMV, though.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

In general, letters from people you take a single class with are very weak, nevermind someone that you are asking advice about getting to know. Letters should come from someone that can vouch for your strengths and brag about you. Can any of these guys?

So true, but it is very hard to get to know a busy professor well if it's a class of 500+ other students who also want to get a LoR from that professor. And there are some professors you'll NEVER get to know, or rather who'll NEVER get to know you enough to write a decent LoR. Like any "relationship", it takes time and some kind of a connection, often through research or that particular course topic.

 

[turayza]

@buymecookies I go to a large university with 300-500 person lectures also. If you enjoy a class, go to every single one of that professor's office hours. It's good to "save" a question for each office hour or just ask for clarification for more complex concepts. Bring a friend if you're nervous. At my school, the office hours would usually have 5-10 students and each person would ask a few questions and professors might answer directly, or ask the other students present to discuss. Sometimes there are silences but they don't have to be awkward hahah.
If you go to office hours 2-3 times a week for the entire semester/quarter, you've spent a solid 30 hours with that professor. He or she will have seen you work through problems, sometimes collaboratively. This is how I got 3 of my LORs--I went up to the professor after the final and asked if he/she would be comfortable writing a LOR for me, and then we arranged a time to meet to discuss my goals/what I hoped their LOR could provide. At a large university, it can be hard to develop super deep relationships because frequently faculty only teach one course (or half of one..). Understand that 6 of the other students that you see at office hours might be asking for a LOR too. That's ok, and your professor should be well-versed in having multiple LOR requests. You do the work for the LOR--give them specific examples of how you demonstrated traits that you want them to talk about in your letter, and they'll make it their own and add other things about you they might have noticed.
It is unfortunate that we can't have every LOR come from a faculty member who knows us very well, but it's always better to at least have a good LOR than keep waiting for an outstanding one and end up with none.

 

[smurfsnowman123]

 

[caffeinemia]

Call him daddy: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/10/david-epstein-incest-char_n_794864.html

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[Toadesque]

Start doing it early or you will regret it. Having to find professors last second to write you letters is one of the worst feelings because

1. You feel awkward randomly asking professors that you may not have known very well but are forced to ask
2. It's out of your control if you can't find anyone to write them. No letters, no med school

Get to know 3-4 professors by going to office hours consistently and let them know you are applying to med school and would appreciate a LOR. That way they won't be caught off guard when you ask them again around application time

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Become a TA for them.

edit: someone beat me to this, but yeah, that is an easy way, imo.

 

[darklabel]

Omg I could never do that. I also went to a rather large state school and had lectures with 700 other people.

But I agree. Some genuine interest is a good place to begin. Show you care, it goes a long way.

Yeah, this is a big pro with smaller schools vs. state schools.

At my school, I tried for about a month going to office hours for Orgo every time she gave them, but it was seriously just a line of people outside the class since day one and the professor rarely acknowledged us in any meaningful besides answering questions and no difference in Orgo 2. However, my friend was able to get a LoR from her through doing research with her. Going to a small school would probably mean you could be more personal with the professor, but usually the best research opportunities are from big schools so idk.

tl;dr Look into doing research with the teacher. Preferably ask at the end of the class (assuming you did well in the class) and you could probably get a much stronger letter than just going to office hours and asking questions a lot.

 

[Jennyfishy]

Omg I could never do that. I also went to a rather large state school and had lectures with 700 other people.

But I agree. Some genuine interest is a good place to begin. Show you care, it goes a long way.

If not in class, at least during office hours, or taking the effort to get to know your professor + the material better! Most professors actually like their students and will be pretty open to getting to know them. Two of the professors who know me very well (and ultimately wrote me LoRs) from my undergrad were in pre-req courses where the class size was over 500.

 

[histidine]

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