Selecting a College: Orienting Yourself and Doing Research on the Professorial Staff of Universities

Are you a graduating high school senior? Are you decided on which career path to pursue or in which university to earn the degree?

If your answer is on the affirmative to the above questions, then you are ready to take a plunge and get into the stringent college life.

College is that phase of the academic life of every student when a greater balance between all life aspects are imperative. Thus, the college student must be given all the support and assurances they need so they will be motivated to get on with life.

College students must get a feel that the university they are attending college into isn't just reputable, but is a good place to be in to complete academic requirements.

Since the academe is a truly demanding sector of the society, the professional staff are expected to be as professional as ever, as they are expected to be highly reliable and knowledgeable.

The professorial staff of a university is the bloodline that makes the flow of energy and life going continuously for the university or college. If the professors of a college aren't reputable, unprofessional and dull, then that educational institution isn't expected to produce graduates.

If that is the case, then, even how bright and smart the student may be, all his knowledge and talent would be put to waste if he graduates from a college that isn't reputable enough because of deteriorated and corrupt professorial staff.

Why professors should be reliable

Professors in colleges are considered the facilitators of the education process. They should provide the college students the best examples for handling situations and doing things inside and outside the school premises.

That is the reason why almost all universities have their own by-laws and handbooks that safeguard good reputation and professionalism of professors.

For example, almost all universities prohibit their teaching staff to establish any sort of romantic and intimate relationship with any of the university's students, regardless of gender.

Such cases are the basic problems that hound universities. Since physical and emotional attraction between students and professors are sometimes inevitable, it is expected that the professors practice self-imposed discretion and discipline and would opt to choose righteousness by not establishing any sort of relationship with any of the students.

Student to professor relationships, when exposed to other students and professors, would also undermine the school's reputation and would put under fire the college's overall protective structure to uphold morality and good and wholesome relationship between students and professors.

Professors should be reliable and trustworthy enough so their students will look up to them as role models and as pillars of strength that would help them out during times of dire needs.

Researching on the professorial staff

Starting an independent research on professors' personal and academic background is easy, if you are determined to do so.

There are handbooks and annual school digests that will provide the basic personal and academic information about each professors of the university. If you are doing research on these professorial staff, then you could start by looking at this information.

You could also gather data by asking fellow and former students of the professors over their experiences and perception about the professors. This information will help you create a primary impression of the professorial staff.

Of course, it wouldn't be ideal to jump to conclusions, but at least, you have something to start with when collecting data.

A personal interview or casual talk with the professors would be of great help, though, it is often not advisable and accomplishable since professors are almost always busy and you might catch them in a situation when they are rushing to get things done, or after a long and stressful day.

When that happens, don't expect them to be cordial and accommodating. That would be unfair on the part of the professors.

Check the archives of newspapers and campus digests to review and determine which issues the professors might have gotten to in the past. That would be helpful in establishing the personality of the professors.

Overall, doing a research on the professorial staff of a university wouldn't harm, especially on the part of the student, who is aiming to enroll and earn a college degree from a particular educational institution.