How to Approach Professors

[handi]

Hi,

 

I have always had issues at home (since I was younger - instability/dysfunctional family/etc) and I never bonded with teachers or really anyone. Since then I have certain anti-social traits that I have been working on, but I noticed it is taking over my career path. The family problems interfered with my grades, and now I am looking to a professor to help mentor me. I don't need him to change my grades, but I think he can guide me toward a good option. I am studying Economics and math. He is a well established economics professor at a top school. I am sitting in on his class, and I really want to start talking to him so that I can build a relationship. Unfortunately, I have had bad experiences with econ professors in the past. They (like any other academic) can be short since their time is limited when it comes to student interactions. So I can't just openly say 'i want you to mentor me' or 'hey I've read your stuff, it's pretty neat, can I be your protege?'. I don't have an edge either, I am not a great student, and I'm a minority within a minorty so I feel fairly isolated and intimidated by his status and how well the other students are doing in the class.

 

Question: Should I just start by introducing myself and explaining that I have never had a mentor and that he's an excellent professor who would likely have a lot to offer?

 

This is a very random problem, but I think a good mentor can really help advance my career and bring me out of the rut I have known for most of my life.

 

Thanks in advance for any input.

[Els]

I have never ever heard of anyone asking a Prof 'can I be your protege?'... that would be classic.

 

AFAIK Profs don't usually have the time to have an official mentoring R with a student. You should look into your university's mentoring system, usually the more senior students or grad students volunteer to mentor an undergrad. In the university I went to there were also graduates who were working in a relevant industry who would mentor a student.

[nescafe1982]

Well, I'm a professor, and I don't think it's absurd for you to seek out a mentor like so.

 

I would NOT use the word "protege." That's a bit much.

 

But if you are in school, thinking about pursuing a graduate degree or otherwise going into academe, you can and SHOULD seek out mentors with similar research interests.

 

This prof you like, are you in her courses? If so, check in with her during her office hours, tell her you're thinking about (grad school? working in education? working in industry?) and have noticed her research on X. If you have questions about how to prep for the "next step" in your chosen profession, ask her! If you're not in one of her courses already, enroll in one. Make yourself a presence in her class--- participate, speak up, and earnestly TRY! You will stand out, and from that context, a mentoring relationship can form.

 

Professors have office hours precisely for these kinds of interactions. If you want to ultimately seek letters of recommendation from professorial mentors, you should definitely make some kind of connection beyond the classroom.

 

As a professor myself, I am always impressed by students that make use of my office hours... and puzzled that more students don't do so. The trick is to find relevant things to talk about... and the very best topic of conversation is definitely a) what you want to do after your degree and b) what you can be doing towards that end.

 

Good luck, OP!

 

edit to add: reading more closely, I see that you are already in one of his courses (and that he is, in fact, a He). My larger point remains. If you want to establish a mentoring relationship, have some meaningful conversations with him in his office hours about your professional plans. See if he can help.

Edited October 29, 2015 by nescafe1982

[SJS]

One thing that I've found to work well is to personally ask the professor how you can succeed in his class, and ask if he has any projects that you can help with. Somewhere in the conversation you can mention that you really benefit from his lectures, or ask for help making a concept more clear, etc.

[Wewon]

I'm an engineering professor and think that this is a good idea.

 

They most likely have a few hours/per week set up as office hours to meet. Schedule some time and sit down and have a discussion.

 

Don't worry about how you come across, be polite and show interest and I suspect that he/she will hear you out.

[Maggie4]

Why are you just sitting in on his class and not enrolled?

[preraph]

You should start by simply making an appointment with the appropriate school employee, such as a guidance counselor or admission counselor or whatever they call them now, and ask them how to get mentored. Failing that, you should make an appointment with the head of that department and ask them how to get that done. You can even tell them you like Mr. So and so in case he's available. Certainly not all professors are up for that. Let them lay the groundwork. They're there to help. Good luck.

[Wewon]

Why are you just sitting in on his class and not enrolled?

 

Students may due this so that they can get the information, see how the class is taught or otherwise "dip their toe in" without worrying about their GPA.

[h57zf]

I pretty much agree with nescafe.

 

Looking for a mentor is fine, you'll just need to find the right way to ask.

 

Start utilizing office hours to discuss both class material and stuff that goes beyond the scope of class, but which is still relevant to your field of study.

 

You might even frame it in terms of graduate school. Tell him you want to get off on the right start and that you're interested in his specific area of expertise. I would approach the professor during office hours and say that you've read up on their work (be SPECIFIC), you're interested, and ask if they could perhaps at least point you in the right direction to get started in that area of research. Read some of the professor's papers and ask a few questions if it helps get the ball rolling.

 

If they can't be your mentor directly, perhaps they might have a grad student you can shadow to get a taste of things to come.

[Maggie4]

Students may due this so that they can get the information, see how the class is taught or otherwise "dip their toe in" without worrying about their GPA.

 

I know, if a student asked me to mentor her, my decision would depend on why she's sitting in and not enrolled. And if she's not enrolled, I have not seen her work, I can't assess whether she's worth my time.

[handi]

@Maggie4 Because I cannot afford to enroll, and I am not a graduate student either. I am looking to apply to the PhD program since their tuition is waived and they can work for the school in order to get some stipend. This is the most economical choice for me at the moment (given my intentions).

[handi]

As a professor myself, I am always impressed by students that make use of my office hours... and puzzled that more students don't do so. The trick is to find relevant things to talk about... and the very best topic of conversation is definitely a) what you want to do after your degree and b) what you can be doing towards that end.

 

Thank you for the advice! I think the reason I have not been going to office hours is because in the past professors have been less than pleasant. There's one thing to be not enthusiastic (that I can handle, because they were likely focused on something else and any interruption is unwelcome) but what if the students in the class are of a really high caliber, and I am behind, and anything I might say to the professor would seem like I lack discipline and I am not a good student or that I'm just looking for pity? These are the issues that are kind of holding me back. So much so that I am dreaming about this stuff. Every time I try to enter his office I remind myself that he still does not know who I am so maybe later, when I'm better off, I can ask him meaningful questions. At this point I really do not feel like I can offer anything. In the past when I thought I had a meaningful opinion to offer, professors have shot me down and pointed out that I am going on a tangent that would lead nowhere. This kind of response deterred me from speaking my mind since it happened more than once. Usually I don't mind and I carry on with life, but this is a field that I want to be in and I figure it would be better to play a part and get these kind of people to like me and recommend me than to 'be true to myself' or whatever. I know who I am and hopefully after this degrading step, I will be able to show myself clearly through my work as an economist. In the end, my goal is to do something fulfilling, so letting them crap all over my opinions is something I can go through - but it seems like the overall damage that this is doing to me is starting to come out in the form of fear - fear of establishing a relationship with a professor that I respect and believe would be nice. It's absurd, but there is one last faith in humanity that kind of rests in this man's response at the moment. It's unhealthy and there are deep issues, but I just need a solution to move forward. I can deal with the rest later. I do not want to halt my life over this.

 

THanks again for your response. It actually helped me realize professors are human again!

[handi]

One thing that I've found to work well is to personally ask the professor how you can succeed in his class, and ask if he has any projects that you can help with. Somewhere in the conversation you can mention that you really benefit from his lectures, or ask for help making a concept more clear, etc.

 

Do you think I should do this in person? So far my questions have been asked over email and they have been primarily me just requesting to sit in on his class or take an exam. His responses are short, so I feel like going in person might be better, but it's also terrifying.

[handi]

I'm an engineering professor and think that this is a good idea.

 

They most likely have a few hours/per week set up as office hours to meet. Schedule some time and sit down and have a discussion.

 

Don't worry about how you come across, be polite and show interest and I suspect that he/she will hear you out.

 

Out of curiosity, would you say the same about a professor who only teaches grad school? They would expect any student to already have interest in the field, and offer something a bit more substantial. I think that's where I fall short.

[handi]

You should start by simply making an appointment with the appropriate school employee, such as a guidance counselor or admission counselor or whatever they call them now, and ask them how to get mentored. Failing that, you should make an appointment with the head of that department and ask them how to get that done. You can even tell them you like Mr. So and so in case he's available. Certainly not all professors are up for that. Let them lay the groundwork. They're there to help. Good luck.

 

This is actually exactly the path I thought to take. I emailed the director of graduate studies after failing with most of the advisors. I mean, I realize they can't offer heartfelt advice to someone that has not built a rapport. So I emailed him to see if we could meet in person. His response was one sentence 'what are your questions' Okay, that's fair and something I expect from these professors. It's not nice, but it is what it is.

So I have been mulling over my response. If I should say anything personal. I mean I know that they need to feel something for them to give advice that is meaningful, but they won't meet in person unless I offer anything, but I can't offer anything because so far most professors respond the same and I am entirely on my own in every regard. I think many people don't realize the privilege that comes from sharing some common ground with certain professors, because even though they claim they're always open, they are usually closed to students who are unfamiliar. I think this has to do with the fact that this school has an ivy mentality and as such I would need a referral to get a referral. An appropriate catch 22.

[handi]

I pretty much agree with nescafe.

 

Looking for a mentor is fine, you'll just need to find the right way to ask.

 

Start utilizing office hours to discuss both class material and stuff that goes beyond the scope of class, but which is still relevant to your field of study.

 

You might even frame it in terms of graduate school. Tell him you want to get off on the right start and that you're interested in his specific area of expertise. I would approach the professor during office hours and say that you've read up on their work (be SPECIFIC), you're interested, and ask if they could perhaps at least point you in the right direction to get started in that area of research. Read some of the professor's papers and ask a few questions if it helps get the ball rolling.

 

If they can't be your mentor directly, perhaps they might have a grad student you can shadow to get a taste of things to come.

 

What if I pose it as a mutually beneficial arrangement?

Professor so and so, I have been attending your class and I really enjoy your lectures. You have taught me a lot in the past month and so I started reading you work (specific stuff). I found it very interesting, and I was wondering if you can offer some advice for someone who is interested in this research?..

 

 

.. as i was writing that, i started to roll my eyes for the professor who would read/hear this, haha. I feel like I am coming off as all the other students who just want to research for him. Maybe it's because this is a type of email i have sent to at least 5 professors in the past few months and never received a response. And the research they did was something I sincerely was interested in so it was a nice slap back to reality when I never heard back even after following up. But they were also professors at my school, not my own professor, so maybe that's why? I don't know and there's no sense in think too much about their intentions since it means nothing. Anyway let me know if there's a way to come off as more sincere, since that could really help with my email response rate

 

Thank you!!

[Maggie4]

Handi, I think you need a different perspective. You are going about it wrong. That's why these professors don't respond to you. What you need is to be admitted to the program. You cannot expect to make that happen through approaching this famous professor.

And my answer would be no, to someone who is not officially a student at the university. There are rules and liabilities when using university facilities. That's why the first thing I asked was why you're not enrolled.

Don't worry about approaching any professors. Get your application together. Do it right.

[handi]

Handi, I think you need a different perspective. You are going about it wrong. That's why these professors don't respond to you. What you need is to be admitted to the program. You cannot expect to make that happen through approaching this famous professor.

And my answer would be no, to someone who is not officially a student at the university. There are rules and liabilities when using university facilities. That's why the first thing I asked was why you're not enrolled.

Don't worry about approaching any professors. Get your application together. Do it right.

 

I am a student at the university. And I received permission to sit in as he said yes to my request. Im not breaking any rules. I think that's the issue with academics. I'm not some random person asking for help. And I am working on my applications but I want to speak with professors (famous or not) for advice.

[Maggie4]

You are officially a student because you paid your tuition, but it would cost you extra money to enroll in this class? Do you have a strong application? You can always ask for advice, it's more common than asking for a mentorship.

[handi]

You are officially a student because you paid your tuition, but it would cost you extra money to enroll in this class? Do you have a strong application? You can always ask for advice, it's more common than asking for a mentorship.

 

It would cost extra, yes. My application is not competitive. That does not make me incapable of success nor does it say much about my intellectual capability. I have asked several advisors for assistance the difference is a mentor (or someone you establish a relationship with ) is someone who can give personal advice for those whose situation, like mine, is not ideal. The thingnis most advisors sound a lot like your post with the general advice they would give anyone. However, not everyone has the same opportunities as those more fortunate than them. I am trying to create an opportunity because I cannot wait for one.

I did not do poorly in school. I just did not do anything exceptional. I think finding a mentor in my field will be helpful beyond the application process.

[TheFinalWord]

Maybe it's because this is a type of email i have sent to at least 5 professors in the past few months and never received a response. And the research they did was something I sincerely was interested in so it was a nice slap back to reality when I never heard back even after following up. But they were also professors at my school, not my own professor, so maybe that's why? I don't know and there's no sense in think too much about their intentions since it means nothing. Anyway let me know if there's a way to come off as more sincere, since that could really help with my email response rate

 

A mentoring relationship is built over time. So, I would not worry about needing to make this incredible first impression. Get to know this faculty member slowly. You never know, you may not want his mentorship.

 

In terms of a career in research, firstly, rejection is a big part of academic research. Grants, publications, abstracts, the ratio of rejection to acceptance is 5 to 1, for the top of the field. You will have to develop a thick skin if you want to become an established researcher. If you give up after a few e-mails, you are going to have a tough time of it.

 

Also, there are times in which students e-mail me, but then never make an attempt to set up office hours with me. Or a student will come by and not take any notes when I discuss strategies. Small things like that will cause a professor to lose interest.

 

In terms of discussing your opinions, try to hold off on those at first. The main trait a mentor will look for is humility. At first, just try to see if this person can give general advice for what you should do to acquire experience as an economist.

 

I would not read too much into e-mail responses. I get dozens of e-mails a day and if I wrote a long responses would never get any research done.

[Eternal Sunshine]

If I were you, I would also hold off on revealing a lot of personal problems about why you are not doing well acedemically. Professors are not therapists and a lot of the time it would seem like you are making excuses.

 

As for emails, I don't know many that would have the time to answer a very generic email. Your best bet is to set up a meeting during office hours and prepare some specific questions....then you can set up a follow-up meeting and go from there.

[nescafe1982]

A mentoring relationship is built over time. So, I would not worry about needing to make this incredible first impression. Get to know this faculty member slowly. You never know, you may not want his mentorship.

 

In terms of a career in research, firstly, rejection is a big part of academic research. Grants, publications, abstracts, the ratio of rejection to acceptance is 5 to 1, for the top of the field. You will have to develop a thick skin if you want to become an established researcher. If you give up after a few e-mails, you are going to have a tough time of it.

 

Also, there are times in which students e-mail me, but then never make an attempt to set up office hours with me. Or a student will come by and not take any notes when I discuss strategies. Small things like that will cause a professor to lose interest.

 

In terms of discussing your opinions, try to hold off on those at first. The main trait a mentor will look for is humility. At first, just try to see if this person can give general advice for what you should do to acquire experience as an economist.

 

I would not read too much into e-mail responses. I get dozens of e-mails a day and if I wrote a long responses would never get any research done.

 

 

Yes, yes, and yes. I hate discussing anything other than logistical issues via email, personally... it's less effective than face to face communication and takes more time. My emails are very short as a result: "it's on the syllabus"; "why don't you come to office hours and we'll discuss this more"; "shall we meet after class?" When I email with students, it's almost always logistical.

 

I agree also with Eternal Sunshine that one pitfall to avoid it getting too personal with a prof in meetings.

 

BUT if you're struggling and are not at the top of the class, well, that's an excellent way to start a mentoring relationship. Schedule a meeting and say "I am struggling with X and Y topics in this course. I want to improve in this subjects because I'm really interested in Z (your area of research that relates to the prof's work). Can you help me come up with some strategies for approaching this subject? I've tried A,B, and C but think I could accomplish more with the right strategy." Acknowledge your shortcomings (and focus on academics, not personal problems) but demonstrate that you are interested in solutions, in genuinely improving your grasp on the material, and that you're not afraid of putting in extra effort to catch up. Be goal-oriented and ask for help reaching those goals.

 

I wish students who were not already at the top of my courses would come to me with this genuine desire to improve themselves. But to get this level of mentoring, one has to ask for it.

 

Good luck OP, I've seen a good deal of solid advice here.

Edited November 12, 2015 by nescafe1982