"Remember that your professors really are here to teach you. Teaching is what we do. In approaching us with a question, you aren't impinging on us, you're giving us a chance to fulfill our calling." - Dr. Jessie Oak Taylor, Former Director of Undergraduate Programs (English Department)

While it can be seen as intimidating at first, connecting with faculty is a huge resource for your post-grad plans.  Read below to see example questions and advice for connecting with faculty. 

All of your professors went to grad school, so can be a wonderful resource for your application.  Here are a few starter questions to ask:

• What drew you to attend graduate school?
• What was challenging for you? What did you love?
• What advice do you wish someone gave you as you applied to graduate school?
• When writing a statement of purpose, what are topics/ points I should consider?
• Would you be willing to look at my statement of purpose?
• Are there programs that you would suggest I look into for graduate school?
• Would they be willing to connect you to other faculty who know about this program?

Many of these applications will require Letters of Recommendation.  Have questions about that process?  Read below!

While your faculty members are academic researchers, they also have an in-depth understanding of your studies at UW that can be extremely useful tools for internship and job searching and applications.  Here are some starter questions regarding internships and jobs that you can ask faculty:

• I am planning to go into X career/post-grad plan.  What internships do you recommend? 
• I am planning to apply to X internship/job field.  What courses do you recommend to make myself a competitive applicant. 
• How do I market my experience as a Humanities student to make myself a competitive applicant?

Many of these applications will require Letters of Recommendation.  Have questions about that process?  Read below!

Asking for faculty letters of recommendation for employers, internships, and grad school can feel daunting.  Here are some pieces of advice on best practices:

• When making your letter of recommendation request, give faculty as much notice as possible. Email them to set up a meeting. A month or two of advance notice is ideal.
• When you meet with them, it is helpful --and will result in a better letter -- if you can provide faculty with copies of work you completed in their courses (preferably including their comments), a copy of your c.v., and a draft of your statement of purpose. This way, faculty can speak in greater detail to your potential and preparedness for specific programs and lines of study.
• If they agree to write for you, it is also a good idea to send them a courtesy reminder about two weeks before your application deadline.
• People are busy and deadlines can slip past them. Most faculty appreciate the reminder and do not view it as "nagging."

If you have an idea about research that you are excited about, make sure to talk with our professor about that. Faculty love talking about ideas, brainstorming ways to help you develop that idea.  Never feel embarrassed about discussing the idea that you are passionate about. These conversations are why faculty do what they do.

Here are some starter questions to ask faculty:

• How did you develop a speciality from researching?
• What advice do you have specifically for doing Humanities research?
• What conferences can I attend as an undergrad?
• I am interested in researching in a specific niche within my major.  Do any faculty here already research on that topic who you can connect me with?