The first time you meet the professor

1. Make a list of questions to raise at the meeting—both those on this list, and anything else you want to know.

Get a copy of the course syllabus.

3. Get copies of the writing assignments you’ll be fallowing. If the professor hasn’t yet written them, ask to have them e-mailed when they’re available.

4. Find out the due dates for both drafts and final papers.

5. Schedule any future meetings with the professor.

6Set up a day in the first two weeks of the semester for you to meet the class. 

Ask about the professor’s goals. What does he or she hope students will take away from the course?

8. Find out what kinds of students enroll in the course: What year(s) are they likely to be? How much writing experience are they likely to have?

9Set up a system for the paper exchange.

10. Discuss a late draft policy: Will you accept them? How late? Does the professor want to know who turns in late drafts?

11.Discuss a missed-conference policy: What will the professor do to make sure students understand that conferences are required? Does the professor want to know who misses conferences?

If your schedule allows, ask if there’s a day that would be especially helpful for you to sit in on the class— say, the day that the professor explains the first writing assignment. Sitting in on class for a day is entirely optional: some Fellows do it; others don’t. But remember: even if you’ve attended class to get a better sense of the material, you should always refer content-based questions to the professor.