How to Ace Even the Most Impossible Class

Now that there's hardly a month left in the semester, I know I'm not the only one who's starting to reconsider the sheer number of hours spent on tasks. Not only do we have a constant stream of homework, but we have to take care of our laundry, clean our rooms, scavenge for food, and let's not even get into the perils of a social life. There's no time for anything, but we can't just let our college experience pass by while we're secluded in the library, staring at a problem we just don't know how to start.

There's a simple solution to your problem: Office. Hours.

Seriously. The number one way to pass the class is to talk to the people who know all the answers. Even if you don’t know exactly how to word your question, show up with a problem and they can always steer you in the right direction. Even if it is just a referral to the professor’s office hours. Here are some tips to make the most out of talking to the TA's.

They aren't just for people one step away from failing

Going to office hours doesn't automatically mean you're bad at the course. It's never too late to try and bring up your grade, but it's even better to be proactive and get your questions answered before they become a problem. Halfway done with an assignment but you're confused about the rubric? Saw something in lecture that doesn't quite make sense? Five minutes in office hours can save you five hours of wondering what that squiggly line on slide twelve meant, or how you possibly could have forgotten to address part c of question 7 on page twelve of the rubric.

Find a TA you like, and stick with them

Everyone learns differently, and everyone teaches differently. What works for you might not work for somebody else. Narrow it down to the times you can fit in your schedule, and from there see which TA can help make the concepts click.

Don't wait until the day (before) It's due

As an engineering student, this might be the most important thing to remember. The office hour queues are legendary - you can wait for hours only to get fifteen minutes of help. Maybe miracles will happen, and maybe you'll end up more stuck than before ten minutes after they're gone. If you want individual help, your best shot is to start early, and get help before you're twentieth in line.

Engineering On-Demand Tutoring

This one is just for my fellow engineers. If office hours just aren't enough, the E-School offers a separate totally free tutoring program for UVA's engineering classes. As an engineering undergrad (and tutor) myself I can confirm, having a dedicated hour to reviewing concepts is a pretty sweet deal. Just follow this link to reserve your next tutoring session.

The TA's were once students too, and they're there to help.

Don't spend the day struggling with problems that you know shouldn't be taking a century to do. If you don't understand how something works, ask a TA to walk you through a problem. Not only will you be better prepared to ace the test, but you'll save a lot of time that's better spent on other things.

Have you had a great experience with going to office hours? Have some advice for students struggling with a class? Let us know in the comments below!