The Importance of Picking the Right Professor

Published on Thursday, February 10th, 2011 by Caroline Category: College Tips

College is intimidating. It is a time to meet new people, explore different interests, and discover what you may potentially want to professionally pursue. However, many freshmen beginning college may not know how important professors are to their college experience. Even though incoming freshmen already have budding interests in certain academic areas, they rarely recognize the influential role professors take in shaping who they may become. It is the professor who will structure your class and nurture your interests.

You take the professor, not the class!

“You take the professor, not the class” is common saying you hear in college campuses when the time to register for classes approaches. So what exactly does this mean? Why is it so important to research the professors that are teaching the course? Different professors have different teaching styles and different students have different learning needs. It is important to assess how you learn. Are you a visual learner? Do you learn by doing hands-on activities? Are you an auditory learner? Once you have identified your classroom needs, you should to pick a professor who’s teaching style and class structure complement those needs.

How Do I Know Which Professor is Best for Me?

There is a great resource called Rate My Professor that can aid you in your search for the best professor to meet your personal needs. Rate My Professor is a website where students post reviews of professors they have had in the past and read reviews previous students have posted. This website is a useful tool because it provides honest and uncensored feedback from students just like you. Now go pick the professor thats right for you!

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