College To-Do List: Week 4

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving break!!

It's Week 4 in the College To-Do List series! Check out the short video below for a quick and easy task you can do this week to continue to build the kind of habits in college that will help you get ahead and reach your goals. 

How One Professor changed my life

Go to class. Go home. Go to class. Go home.

That is what I did in my first few weeks of community college. I didn't know any better. 

But then a professor wrote two words on an essay that changed my life:

"See Me."

I was terrified. But I went to his office anyway to find out if I was failing miserably in college.

It turned out, however, that he wanted to tell me about the college's honors program and how I could join. He also told me how community college could be a launching point to wherever I wanted to go in my life.

He challenged me to be more, to do more, and to accomplish more. 

That moment is what inspired the One Professor campaign that has today yielded over 500 videos from students across the country, sharing moments of how a professor has changed their life. 

I've learned that I'm not the only one with moments like this. Students have shown us that professors are helping them reach their goals both inside and especially outside the classroom. 

Most of the time it's those little moments of encouragement and advice that can make all the difference in a student's life. 

The One Professor campaign continues, and it now offers the ability for you to honor your professor in just a few minutes without having to turn on your camera - simply go to PearsonStudents.com/OneProfessor and write a sentence or two about how a professor has made a difference in your life! 

Your quote will be turned into a meme and be added to our Pinterest wall of quotes. Your professor will see the quote and be mailed a certificate of thanks.

So what are you waiting for? Take a few minutes and thank a professor for helping you get through this complicated journey called college, and become a part of this national movement. It would mean a lot to me as well.

I can't wait to read about you and your professor!

Fill out the form to thank your One Professor here. 

College Firsts: What to do on your first meeting with a professor

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One of the worst mistakes students make is not meeting with their professors until they get a bad grade.

To make the most of your first semester in college, you should meet with your professors right away. 

Professors know your college campus better than anyone, have great academic advice, and can write you recommendation letters (when they know you well) that can get you into your top-choice transfer universities and win you thousands of dollars in scholarships. 

One of the greatest benefits of going to community college is the direct access you have to your professors. Take advantage of it right away by doing the following:

1) Make a note of the office hours and e-mail addresses for each professor.

2) Pay attention to what your professors say in the first week of class about their preference in how you can best reach them.

3) If they don't specify, ask the professor in person whether he or she prefers you to send an email to set up an appointment or to just walk in during office hours.

4) Using the specifications, meet with each professor as soon as possible.

5) In your request, tell the professor this is your first semester in college and you would like to ask for their advice.

6) Read the professor's syllabus thoroughly and then write down 3-5 questions you want to ask the professor about the class, upcoming projects, and - most important - about college itself. 

Don't be afraid to be vulnerable and share some of your story - remember most professors are in this work because they want to help students succeed.

Some sample questions:

• This is my first semester in college and I'm feeling a little scared and unsure; could you give me some advice when it comes to stepping outside of my comfort zone?
• What student organizations do you think are the best to get involved with on campus?
• What was your first semester of college like and how did you make the most of the experience/ 
• [For professors who teach a subject you're thinking about majoring in, ask what they liked about the major to find out more if it's a good fit for you.]
• [If you're unsure about your major, tell the professor your confusion and ask for advice.]
• [If you're unsure about where to transfer after community college, ask the professor for advice on the best schools.]
• I really want to do well in your class and am looking forward to [insert an assignment or two that you're excited about that you read in the syllabus]. Do you have any advice on how to do well in your class based on students who have succeeded in the past?

7) Come to the office armed with your questions. All you have to do is listen. It's really not that hard and takes a lot of the pressure off. 

8) Send a follow up e-mail thanking the professor for his or her time.

9) Take some time to consider which professor you clicked with the most and really felt comfortable with. Continue to meet with that professor and ask for advice. 

10) Remember the best way to have a mentor is to take that persons advice and then tell that person how much that advice helped you. People are very generous with their time as long as they know you're really taking the advice seriously.

In short, professors make a difference. The best professors go above and beyond teaching in the classroom to instill what students need most - hope. 

See some amazing stories of how professors are changing lives in the One Professor campaign - and be sure to honor a professor who's impacted your life.  

Keep up with the College Firsts series by liking the Facebook page!