If you want a first class degree, you need to talk to your professors

Have you ever spoken with your professor? Not to say hello in the corridor, not to answer a question in a lecture, not to ask them where the toilets are but really spoken with them?

You need to speak with your professors because this is absolutely CRUCIAL to getting a first!

Having regular chats with professors about the assignments you’re doing for their classes is essential, because just trying and do stuff on your own, with no input from them, is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping some of it will stick. That is a risky strategy when it comes to your degree, and it’s a mistake I see far too many students make every year.

If you’ve read Part One of this blog series, you have already decided what grades you want. You have already analyzed the feedback you’ve received for other assignments. You have been through the marking criteria with a magnifying glass, highlighting the adjectives and considering how this relates to your feedback (if you haven’t, go read the blogpost now).

Most of that stuff, you’ve done on your own. Now it’s time to connect with someone who can be SUPER helpful to you in getting your First: Your professor.

People who want good grades, great grades, grades in the 70s, 80s and 90s need to do different stuff from the people who get grades in the 50s and 60s.

You can try and fumble through it and figure it out for yourself. But making the effort to establish a good relationship with your professor will pay dividends.

Follow these three steps.

(1) Email your professor

Send this email to your professor.

Dear Dr / Professor _____ ,

I hope you are well.

I am one of the students taking your class, _______ this semester.

I want to do my best work in this class. As such, I would really like to talk to you about what I should focus on.

Can I please arrange an appointment with you in week commencing _______?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

___________

Then they are going to reply to you with a date and time. If they don’t reply within 3-4 days, you are going to send a polite chaser email. Soon, you’ll have a meeting in the diary.

When that meeting comes around, you are going to get the notes you made when you did the feedback and marking criteria analysis in the last video and you are going to take them with you.

(2) Meet your professor

Ask your professor for their advice. Talk to them about the feedback you’ve had before. Talk to them about your analysis of the marking criteria. Tell them what grade you are aiming for. Ask them questions like this…

“These are the things I think I need to do in this assignment ______, am I right?”

“Can you explain to me what the main differences are between a First and a 2:1 assignment?”

“What are the most common errors you see students make in the assignment for this class?”

“What things do students overlook in this assignment?”

“What should I start doing now to ensure I am on the right track for a First?”

“Are there any students you would recommend I speak with who did really well in this assignment last year?”

“Would you be happy to look over a brief plan for the assignment if I was to put one together?”

“What should I be reading for this assignment?”

Be really specific when you’re talking to your professor. When asking them about what to read, they will tell you to do the core reading. But push them a bit more - what else? What specific authors? What academic journals?

Come away with a to-do list and put those actions in your calendar.

(3) Thank your professor

The next day, send your professor an email.

Thank them for their time, say their advice was really helpful and you’re really looking forward to researching this assignment.

Now, get on with your to-do tasks for a few weeks and note down any questions that crop up whilst you do. Keep a running list of these things.

(4) Catch up with your professor

Next, make another appointment with your professor to talk about how you’re getting on and to ask them the questions on your list. This should be around 3-4 weeks after your first appointment with them. It’s best to save these questions up and ask your professor about them in a face-to-face meeting than it is to just email them loads of separate emails every time something pops into your head.

That’s not going to help you – because often, you figure out the answers on your own once you give it a few days. Be that professional, organized, competent student who checks in with them every few weeks. Don’t be that person who sends 10 emails in a day!

Developing a productive, professional relationship with your professor will help you get your First in this assignment. By checking in with them every few weeks, you create the time to develop your ideas for the assignment and you get regular advice and reassurance that you are on the right lines.

It’s also a great accountability mechanism. When you know you’ve got an appointment with your professor coming up, its a great motivator if you’ve gone a bit rogue and had a few days or a week where you’ve not got a lot done. It can keep you focused and on track.

Some of the really good professors, once you are on their radar, will be chasing you! They will be emailing you to see how things are going. We are passionate about our subject and when we come across students who are too – we want to nurture that – so if you show us you’re serious and keen and interested, it becomes a two way street.

In addition, that professor is going to remember who you are, they are going to know your name! They might become someone you could go to for other advice – about further study, about being a referee on job applications. Professors are also well connected in terms of businesses, government departments and organizations outside of the university and they often hear about job and internship opportunities through those networks. You want to be someone who is at the forefront of their mind when they do. Not only will these relationships help you get a First, they will help you beyond your studies too, so take the time to develop them.

Check out my YouTube video on this topic below and be sure to sign up for my weekly Wednesday emails for more study tips and hacks!