by Leigh Goessl

Created on: July 25, 2009   Last Updated: June 11, 2010

Each semester students meet various professors in the different classes they take, and over the course of the semester will develop new relationships with them. Having good relationships with professors is helpful to succeed.

If you are like most students, you want to get things started on the right foot with your instructors and give a positive impression.

If you aim to get 'in' with your professors, doing this isn't really all that difficult. The foundation to a solid relationship with a professor grows through respect, responsibility, attentiveness, ability to follow directions and acting generally helpful in the classroom. These are all attributes of a good citizen, and ones you likely already practice on a regular basis.

Sharing these traits in the classroom shouldn't be that hard to incorporate in the school environment. Once you've demonstrate a desire, willingness and ability to be a good student, you can begin to go the extra mile in growing a strong relationship with your professor. Being a stellar student isn't hard or an overly difficult task, but it does take a little effort.

Here are a few tips on how to cultivate a strong relationship with your college professors:

*Demonstrate Respect

Students who can demonstrate respect in the classroom through a variety of ways will more than likely earn the respect of their professors. To get on a professor's good side, it all begins with developing mutual respect for one another.

By meeting expectations such as attending all class sessions, arriving on time for lectures and turning off cell phones when the classroom or lecture hall is entered will go a long way in not getting on a professor's bad side. If you start off this way, you'll be noted as a student making a conscious effort. This is a good start to a new semester when you want to impress a professor.

You can further earn respect through attentive listening, refraining from interruptions or outbursts, and by offering a generally friendly demeanor in the classroom. Respect goes a long way, and if you demonstrate it, your professor will immediately take notice.

*Be Responsible

Being a good student not only entails respect, but acting with responsibility. This includes handing work on time, actually reading the assignments (not skimming or bluffing your way through them), and submitting quality work.

Students can take this a step further by setting forth a strong effort to not only submit quality work, but strive for above average products. When an effort

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>