Office hours is the time instructors set aside for their students to work one-on-one and discuss course material. While opportunities to receive individual help are greatly beneficial for students’ overall success, they continue to be underutilized among undergraduate students. When it comes to academic success, office hours cannot be viewed as optional — in reality, they are essential.
Numerous college students face reluctance when it comes to attending office hours. A PubMed Central survey explored the reasons students are reluctant to attend with the most common reason being that they did not have questions or felt they fully understood the course material. The survey confirms that students conceptualize office hours as a resource only for those in desperate need.
Office hours are more than just an emergency effort to improve a grade. Even students performing well in a class can benefit from one-on-one with their professor. According to a BBC psychology study, researchers found that, “perceptions of academic ability could be influenced by other factors, in this case, students’ personalities.” Office hours allow students to develop and maintain a relationship with an expert in their subject. Considering a student’s full name is displayed on assignments, this study suggests that teachers and TAs are unknowingly biased toward students with more likable personalities. A simple interaction with a professor can lead to a student having an easier time in the course.
Not to mention, conversations about course material can put a student at ease in a new, high-level course. Professors might give advice on how to succeed in their course, beyond what is covered in the syllabus. Although a visit may seem time-consuming, the conversation could be valuable enough to replace several hours of studying. A journal from the Society for the Study of Motivation found that when students are immersed in their study activities, these behaviors help them store and memorize course material to be retrieved easily on exams. This advantage positively impacts students’ grades and course completion rates.
Students also overlook the benefits office hours provide instructors beyond simply increasing a grade. These visits are an important way for instructors to get to know their students better and provide individualized support. This type of communication, outside of the pressure and hurried nature of class, is optimal for developing a genuine professor-student connection.
First-gen students should especially interact with their instructors.A Springer Nature journal notes a gap in achievement between first-generation and continuing-generation students and how it’s related to differences in help-seeking behavior. They cite a study of almost 12,000 undergraduate college students and found that first-generation students were less likely to attend tutoring and reach out to professors. To further encourage first-generation students, connecting with professors would have a direct positive impact on their academic success.
Regardless of the university, one-on-one interactions are a rigorous form of academic discussion. This approach relies on the exchange of ideas, requiring students to prepare and present their thoughts while accepting constructive criticism. This form of training is not sufficed by lectures alone, which is why professors employ in-class peer discussions. Office hours become a unique form of academic discussion, giving students the opportunity to engage with an expert in a subject.
Personalized learning is a crucial element often lacking in traditional undergrad classes at larger academic institutions. By solely relying on lectures, students can miss out on complex interpretations of a course. Oxford University demonstrates this personalized learning system based on conversations between two or three students and a tutor. There, students receive individual feedback and engage in in-depth conversations about their studies. Oxford University’s impressive global reputation shows why this experience is crucial for achieving academic excellence.
Given the large number of students at UC schools, it is too demanding to ask UC schools to maintain a three-student ratio in class. Instead, UC students can utilize Oxford University as an example of the personalized learning they should strive to follow, which can be done by attending office hours.
Many doors are waiting to be opened by simply making a connection with a professor. Whether a student receives career advice, a grade boost or a research opportunity, taking the initiative to attend office hours propels an academic journey. There is nothing but value in personally prioritizing office hours attendance for each class.
Taryn Ogasawara is an Opinion Intern for the summer 2024 quarter. She can be reached at ogasawat@uci.edu.
Edited by Zahira Vasquez and Annabelle Aguirre.
