Key takeaways
- Office hours are specific times during the semester when students can meet with their professor outside of class to discuss grades, ask questions, seek clarity, or build meaningful relationships.
- Office hours aren’t only for students struggling to pass a class.
- Office hours give you time to ask questions, build motivation, overcome specific challenges, receive professional advice, establish a strong relationship, or even get a research opportunity.
- For the best experience, attend office hours early in the semester with a clear purpose, come prepared to use the time well, and always be respectful, open, and honest.
Imagine it’s syllabus week. Your professors are walking you through the semester schedule. They outline exam dates, attendance expectations, required readings, and when they will hold office hours. Maybe you jot them down. You probably won’t need them, anyway. Right?
Here’s something worth reconsidering: office hours aren’t just for students who are struggling to pass a class. They can actually be beneficial for you in more ways than you might expect. Sure, professors are required to hold office hours, but they are there for you to use. Let’s look at a few ways that you can use office hours to your advantage.
What are office hours?
Office hours are designated times during the semester when you can meet with your professor one-on-one or with a small group. This is your time to ask questions, gain clarity on material, talk about your grades, or ask for feedback on an assignment. Even if you find yourself not needing academic help, stopping by during office hours is a great way to build a relationship with your professor. These connections can lead to recommendation letters, mentorship, and even open the door for future job opportunities.
What are the benefits of office hours?
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, “Office hours, baked into just about every course, are probably the most universally available form of academic support, and they can be among the most powerful.” So, once your professor has provided you with their office hour times, it’s up to you to decide whether you use them. Here are a few important reasons to attend office hours:
1. You can get help if you’re struggling with the material.
It’s okay if you don’t grasp every concept in every class right away. If you have tried and tried to wrap your head around something, but are still struggling to understand it, then talking to your professor or TA during their office hours might help. They will be happy that you are coming to them rather than continuing to not grasp the formula, definition, reading, or application. Professors appreciate seeing students put forth effort in their classes, and they are sure to remember you even if you are in one of the huge lecture classes. Make sure to talk to them early, though, as their lives can get very busy the closer to exam time you get.
2. You can ask questions.
Use office hours to ask your most pressing questions. Whether it’s questions about course material, the syllabus, an upcoming assignment, an exam, a paper, or even a question about studying, your professor wants to help. Don’t be afraid to show up and ask questions so that you gain the clarity you need to succeed.
3. You can build motivation and receive accountability.
Life still happens outside of classes. Sometimes you get sick, an emergency pops up, you fall behind, or you simply lose motivation for a class. Office hours can help pull you back on track. When you get to know your professor, it tends to be more difficult to slack off in class or disengage—especially in those large classes where it’s easy to feel invisible. Once your professor knows you, you may feel more motivated to perform well.
4. You can overcome obstacles.
Attending office hours can be helpful for students who struggle with participation grades, anxiety, learning differences, or other personal challenges. By talking to your professor outside of class, you may be able to work with your professor to find a reasonable solution when specific challenges come up.
5. You can receive professional advice and career guidance.
When you are on the path to what you want to do with your life, it can be useful to get some perspective from someone in your field. While professors are in the academic subset of a field, many have probably spent significant amounts of time outside the university setting.
Office hours give you the chance to talk to them about different subsets of your field, graduate school, and the experience needed. Remember, your academic advisor is there to help you navigate your college requirements. Your professors can give you input about what is waiting for you outside of the classroom.
5. You can establish a strong relationship.
By going to office hours, you are helping your professor get to know you as more than just a name on their roster. When that relationship grows, it can lead to mentorship, job leads, and strong letters of recommendation when you need them.
7. You may get a research opportunity.
Depending on your field, you may need research experience. If you have met with a professor and you like their work and get along with them, you may ask about being a research assistant. Even if they are not looking for another assistant at the moment, they might be able to direct you to other faculty doing similar research. This can be a critical part of your undergraduate career if you hope to go on to graduate school, as many programs like you to have some hands-on experience.
When and how can I attend office hours in college?
It’s best to go to office hours early in the semester. Your professor will share their office hour schedule in some way. It might be listed in the syllabus, posted on your class platform like Canvas or Blackboard, or mentioned during the first week of class. Once you know the schedule, stop by even if it’s just to introduce yourself. Office hours tend to get busy toward the end of the term, so going early gives you easier access and helps you build a stronger connection from the start.
How to use your time effectively during office hours
Before you attend your professor’s office hours, it is important that you are prepared. Time is precious during college—for both you and your professor—so you’ll want to make sure it is meaningful for both of you. Take these preparation tips into account:
- Know your purpose for going. Have a game plan going into office hours so that the time is used productively.
- Prepare a list of questions. It’s important to know exactly what you are going to ask your professor so they can help you with specifics.
- Make sure they know you are coming. Some professors require an appointment, while others allow students to just drop in. In either case, it’s respectful to give them a heads-up that you’ll be stopping by so they can expect you.
- Be respectful. Always make sure you arrive on time, introduce yourself, take notes, and keep watch of the time.
- Be open and honest. If you aren’t understanding something, keep asking for clarification. Your professor wants to help, but they can only do so when you are completely honest.
Going to office hours is a piece of advice that is most often given, but rarely taken. There are a multitude of benefits to going in and seeing your professor, even if you aren’t struggling in their course. So, take advantage of the time they give you and go see them!
Office hours exist to help you gain clarity in your class. College Raptor’s College Match tool exists to give you clarity about your college options. Use it today to discover personalized matches, net price estimates, potential financial aid, and acceptance odds from schools around the country.
