Here’s something that would have saved a lot of students a lot of stress if someone had told them on day one: at most colleges, your professors are required to hold office hours. Harvard, for example, requires this of all teaching staff — professors, teaching fellows, everyone involved in a course. The same expectation exists at the vast majority of four-year institutions.
And almost nobody shows up.
A 2022 survey of 2,000 students across 100+ colleges found that only 17% attended office hours more than once or twice a semester. A full 28% never went at all. Not even once.
So why don’t students go? Scheduling is a real barrier — a 2021 survey at Chapman University found that 40% of students cited conflicts with jobs or other obligations. Some students feel like they’d be bothering a busy professor. Some just don’t think it’ll help.
But think about what you’re actually leaving on the table. A private conversation with the exact person who writes your exams. A chance to ask the questions you were too nervous to ask in class. Time to go over something that confused you before it snowballs into a failing grade. Some professors have even considered making office hours mandatory just to get students in the door.
You don’t have to be struggling to go. Showing up when things are going fine — to talk through an idea, get feedback on a draft, or just introduce yourself — is completely valid. The point is just to go.