Student advice
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Do not let fear or shame prevent you from asking for help.
Asking for help allows you to grow into the person you want to become and avoids suffering alone.
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If a counselor does not respond within 48 hours, CC the counselor's supervisor.
There is an art to motivating staff to act with reasonable haste.
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Count the pages of an exam before starting to ensure none are missing.
Questions may be on the back of pages or entire pages may be gone.
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On exams where you run out of time, write down how you would solve the problem to potentially earn half credit.
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Email your teacher before the due date if you anticipate being late.
Teachers are more likely to give slack if notified before the deadline rather than after.
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- Request an extension one day before the deadline to demonstrate initiative and responsibility.1
Store digital copies of your paperwork on cloud storage like Google Drive to keep a paper trail.
Having a file on hand provides evidence if a discrepancy occurs.
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Approach teachers outside of class time for help.
Teachers can be most helpful when not interrupted during class.
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Follow up any in-person conversations with professors via email to create a written record.
Verbal agreements cannot be appealed if not documented, and professors may forget details due to large class sizes.
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Judge a teacher's personality before approaching them about grades or issues.
Some teachers respond well to this approach, while others may view you as troublesome.
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Submit unfinished work rather than turning in nothing.
A failing grade is easier to recover from than a zero, and submitting something gives you recourse to ask for an extension later.
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Keep explanations for missing class brief and direct rather than providing elaborate details.
Long stories are often assumed to be lies and are less effective than short statements.
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Write explanations in the margins of tests to clarify your reasoning if you selected an answer that might appear incorrect.
This demonstrates knowledge even if the final answer was marked wrong.
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Present a well-thought-out, professional reasoning when asking for an extension.
Appealing politely to the professor as a former student is effective; whining that you forgot is not.
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Ask teachers to explain why you received a specific mark if you are confused, to learn what was expected.
You'll learn better; you might discover issues like bad grammar or poor presentation despite having right answers.
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Keep paper copies of grades as a backup, as digital grading systems can fail and delete records.
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Proofread emails to professors carefully for grammar and spelling errors.
Errors show a lack of effort.
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Use office hours for help with course material, not just administrative issues.
Office hours are set aside specifically to help students with the material.
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Select an essay or presentation topic from the professor's suggested list.
Professors prescreen these topics to ensure plenty of material is available and they align with course skills.
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Verify posted grades against your own records immediately to catch calculation errors.
System errors or professor mistakes, such as crediting incorrect questions, can impact final scores.
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Avoid small academic integrity violations.
Professors often note these internally and may punish larger future infractions more harshly.
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Attend office hours regularly, especially during tough classes.
One person reported that regular attendance would have helped them through difficult courses.
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Keep copies of all syllabi throughout your academic career.
They are useful for graduate school applications or transferring schools.
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Understand that professors are upset by low attendance because they care about your education, not because they are personally offended.
The frustration stems from feeling that the instructor cares more about the student's education than the student does.
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Consult your professor before selecting a custom essay topic.
To verify it relates to course objectives and has accessible information, as off-list topics may not fit the curriculum.
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