Get better grades in any class

Photo by Ben Mullins on Unsplash

You are one letter grade away from an A. You’re thinking to yourself “what can I do to get my grade raised?” You need an A, but your professor already said grades are final, and he is not offering extra credit. Ugh.

You reflect on the class. The 1 homework assignment you handed in late. The 1 question on the midterm that you probably could have earned a few extra points, had you reviewed it with your professor in-office hours. Your mind is cluttered with what-ifs, but now you are shit out of luck.

I can’t tell you how many semesters I have been on the cusp of an A. It’s so frustrating to think back to all of the small mistakes I made on earlier assignments that dragged my grade down.

But, there’s a solution. Build a great relationship with your professor.

95% of the classes where I had a good relationship with my professor, I got an A. The 5% is Research in the Disciplines. I got a B in that class. The professor liked me as a person but hated my topic. :/

Here are 3 steps to building great relationships with your professors:

Step 1: Introduce yourself

As soon as possible, introduce yourself to your professor. Preferably, do this in person. Go up to them after class, look them in the eye, and say “Hi Professor So and So, My name is ___. I just wanted to introduce myself!”. Your professor is going to be shocked. Normally, students don’t do this. You can then follow up with “What’re some tips you have for students who really want to excel in this class?” They will be more than happy to tell you. Introducing yourself to your professor does two things:

1. It puts a face to a name. Oftentimes, professors go an entire semester without knowing who their students are! However, if they know your name and your face, you have a leg up.
2. It shows you are interested. If you are interested in them and what they are teaching, they will be interested in you. You want your professor to know that you want to learn what they are teaching.

Step 2: Go to office hours

Office hours are another opportunity to build a relationship with your professor. By attending office hours, you are showing your professor you care about their class. If you show your interest in them, they will show an interest in you. Ask your questions intentionally; your goal is to build a relationship. Yes, ask about the course material, but also ask about their personal lives. People enjoy talking about themselves.

Step 3: Thank them for their time

After class, thank your professors. It doesn’t need to be anything crazy, just a quick “thank you”. They will be more than appreciative of this and it literally takes no time or effort.

After attending office hours, send your professors a thank you note. It can be something like this: “Hi Professor ___, Thank you so much for your time yesterday. I appreciate you taking the time to teach me about “X”. See you in class ___. Thanks, ____.

You now have a good relationship with your professor! Next time you submit a late homework assignment I guarantee you they will be more receptive to changing your grade. All it takes is a little effort.