Why You Need to go to Office Hours in College

Teachers are required to have office hours and make themselves available to students outside of class time.  We work hard to make ourselves as accessible as we can, but I can only recall a handful of students who would come by during office hours.  Even fewer would schedule appointments outside of office hours.

Students seem to prefer going to tutors instead of using the teacher as a free resource.  That strategy may work in high school, but there comes a point where tutors can no longer be as helpful as your teacher might be.

Here are five reasons you should enlist the help of your professor before contacting a tutor.

One: They know how they taught the concept

The more advanced a subject area, the larger variety of ways there are to solve problems.  Many professors present the material in a specific way.  

A tutor not familiar with the teacher or the course could show you a different way than the professor presented.  If you are really struggling, this can cause more confusion than going to the professor and asking them to explain their method.

It is also possible for the tutor to show you an incorrect method because the tutor misread the question and answered something that wasn’t asked.  

Two: They have the answer key

While a private tutor will need to think about the problem and will likely be solving it along with you, the professor or TA will know exactly what the answer is and how to get there.  That leads to a smoother tutoring experience with fewer detours and non-sequiturs.

Often a tutor covering something advanced may take two hours to cover something your professor could cover in thirty minutes.

Three: They control your grades

If you are really struggling with a class, and you spend 2 hours a week with the professor or TA trying to understand the material, your professor is more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt when grading.

They can also suggest further reading or practice problems that may be on the exam.  

Four: Building relationships is important for future employment

When you graduate, you are going to need letters of recommendation.  Professors will not give those to students they don’t remember. 

Consider visiting your professor during office hours to ask about the recommended reading or check to make sure you fully understood the homework.  Use that time to build a relationship and ask for career advice. 

A professor that knows you well may suggest internships and jobs and will likely write you a glowing letter of recommendation no matter how well you actually did in their class.

Five: They know tutors affiliated with the school

Finally, if your professor recommends a tutor, they can recommend one who is familiar with their course and teaching style.  

Often tutors recommended by the professor are familiar with their homework assignments and tests so they can help much more easily than a tutor not affiliated with the university.  Those tutors could be graduate students or post-docs who can also help with career advice.

Even if you don’t need help, stop by during office hours

Professors set office hours to help students with everything from homework help to career advice.  Take advantage of that time, it is a big part of where your tuition dollars go.