Your professors aren't just the people teaching your classes. They are experts in specialized areas of English who can be sources of valuable advice and assistance on papers and career goals. According to the college advice website CollegEnquirer, cultivating relationships with faculty can help you improve your papers for individual classes, reveal your strengths and weaknesses and point you in possible directions of study. Miami University's English department also states that office hours, periods of time set aside to meet with students, are a chance to get to know your professors personally and find mentors for your own academic goals.
You might have been able to bang out an A paper in one draft in high school, but in college, your days of successful all-nighters are generally over. CollegEnquirer states that English majors should prepare to do multiple revisions on essays and take advantage of as many sources as possible to improve their work. Along with visiting your professor's office, many universities also feature writing centers where student tutors will read your work and offer suggestions. Simply having a friend or roommate read your work can also help you see how to make your ideas clearer.
Even though some of the novels professors assign might not be the most gripping books you've read, Miami University states that carefully completing all assigned reading is critical to your involvement in class discussions and performance on tests and papers. It isn't enough to just read for content or to understand the plot; you will get the most out of your classes if you show up prepared to share your reactions and link the reading to other concepts you've discussed. CollegEnquirer suggests taking notes as you read, including any questions you have or ideas you want to share with classmates.
Many people are quick to judge English as a dead-end major with no job prospects. Miami University, however, adds that second-guessing yourself can diminish your enthusiasm and even jeopardize your learning. According to the Princeton Review, English majors end up in numerous careers, including editing, teaching, advertising and journalism. Logitech CEO Bracken Darrell has even said that he "loves hiring English majors" because their clear writing abilities are valuable assets to his company. Getting an idea of your career prospects early on can help you develop professional goals for after college.