Reflective Essay: Should College Students Go To College

Many students go to college with the sole intention to get their degree, become employed, and earn a higher salary. Students with these intentions tend to struggle more throughout their college years. Students go to college because they obtain skills and characteristics that employers find desirable. These skills and characteristics also allow them to function in society. Making the leap from high school classrooms to college campuses can be difficult for many students simply because college professors expect so much more inside and outside of the classroom. Students who go to college are expected to be self-sufficient from the day they get there. At the collegiate level, students should come to class ready to participate, engage in the course
material, and ultimately succeed. This can seem daunting as a freshman in college and students should expect a few things from their professors as well.

My ideal professor possesses a few characteristics.
These characteristics include being: caring, timely, and encouraging. When I think of the teachers that have had the most impact on my education, all of them have most if not all of these traits. I expect a professor to be caring. I know that professors are extremely busy and have a huge variety of students, however; I believe a professor should attempt to care not only about the academics of their student but about the student as a person as well. Knowing that the professor cares about me as a person allows me to ask for help with ease. Part of being a caring professor also means being available and accessible if a student does need help. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater allows students to get extra help from their professors with ease by establishing office hours. I expect the professor to be available during their office hours and to reply to emails if questions are asked. A professor being timely is another characteristic I believe is essential. Nothing is worse than handing in a paper and then waiting two to three weeks to get feedback on it. As a type A personality, I worry about my grades more than I’d like to admit. Being an encouraging professor is also vital. If a professor is encouraging, the students are more likely to succeed. My favorite type of classes occurs when the professor creates an environment in the classroom where every student’s opinion matters. This type of environment allows for
questions and discussion that is relevant and allows reserved students the opportunity to voice their opinions as well. If a professor is caring, timely, and encouraging I believe their students are more likely to succeed inside and outside of the classroom.