Talking to professors made easy

Now that spring break is over, midterm grades are set to be released to those who have a C or lower.

If you have received your midterm grades and are wondering why you’re not doing as well as you thought, your natural instinct is to immediately confront your professor, asking, crying and demanding to know what you did wrong.

However, before you jump your professor, there are some things you should do.

Go through old papers
If you’ve kept all the class papers and syllabi you’ve received this semester, you can double check where you might have gone wrong, such as a test you did poorly on or violations against your professor’s attendance policy.

This will also allow you to double check in case your professor has entered a wrong grade for a particular assignment.

When you speak to your professor, take the papers in question with you.  This way you have evidence to back up your questions.

Look at problem areas
If you are struggling with a class because you don’t understand a concept, try seeking outside materials from friends, Web sites, etc. to help you better understand class topics.

If you are still having problems, you can at least tell your professor that you tried to figure it out for yourself; this shows that you are motivated to do better in the class.

Wait at least 24 hours
When you first receive the bad grades, you will most likely be in the grip of several emotions, most of which are not conducive to rational thought.

As such, wait a day or two before confronting your professor about the grade.

This time should be spent doing the aforementioned things.

By waiting, you can compose yourself to talk to your professor about these things; after all, your professor is more likely to call campus security on you than help you if you show up screaming and cursing.

Be courteous
When meeting with your professor, make sure to set up an appointment to get the maximum amount of time for the discussion as possible.

Dropping in unannounced can be OK but can backfire if the professor has another appointment, meeting or class to attend.

If you are courteous and prepared, most professors will be willing to work with you, either allowing extra credit or offering aid and advice.

Follow the basic chain of command
If you are still having issues with the professor, either in lack of aid or if you suspect foul play, you can speak with the teacher’s superior.

Start with the next highest person in the chain of command and work up.

For instance, if you are having issues with a graduate teaching assistant, speak with the department head of the teaching assistants; if you are still unsatisfied, move up to the next highest, usually the associate chair or chair of the department.

If you are still having issues after that, work your way up in the college and, if necessary, the overall university.

Nothing will earn you negative brownie points more than jumping over heads in these disputes.

When doing this, keep calm, cool and collected, and have the evidence to support your case to the higher-ups.  Few people will take the word of an emotionally distraught student very seriously.

Even though half of the semester is over, you can still improve your grades.

And if you put in the effort, you will probably do fine.