Love Constructive Criticism

Coming into college, I felt my writing style was excellent. I took AP English as a high school senior and felt prepared for any professor. However, I was awakened. During my first semester, it took a while to get adjusted to my English lecturer. No matter how hard I worked on papers, there was always something wrong. She always told me what to do better and at first, I couldn’t take it. As time went on, I realized her tough style was helping me. Instead of taking defense to her reviews, I relished them.

Students, take heed to constructive criticism. Sometimes, it’s the only way we’ll improve. Professors’ goal is to help us and being tough is the only way they know. If you get a bad review on a paper/project, don’t get upset. Ask your professor about what you did wrong; then pay attention to what he/she says.

Don’t approach the professor the wrong way. Numerous times, I’ve seen students verbally attack professors in class after receiving a subpar grade. Don’t forget: professors are human too. They have every right to lash back, which most of them do. When this happens, a “beef” develops. Also, it’s important not to react out of emotion. You might say something out-of-character or berate someone who has nothing to do with the situation.

No one is perfect. No one has a perfect paper or consistently score perfect on a test. No matter how hard you study or how much time you spend on an assignment, there’s always an error. Your job is to use the criticism as a learning experience. With this approach, you’ll likely not make the same mistake. And show the person you’re not upset by thanking them.

We’re in college to improve our chances of succeeding in the work force. Wouldn’t you rather have professors do whatever they can to help us? I would. If a professor passes me and I don’t deserve it, how does that benefit me?

We’re on our own in life after college. We’ll no longer have professors to dissect everything we do wrong and help us correct the mistakes. In the work force, employers have a low tolerance. Along with criticizing, they’ll fire us. So it’s better to take time and listen to the criticism we receive in school. When a professor tells you how to correct mistakes, just think: others could be harsher. I’ve never had a professor be rude in criticizing me.

Most importantly, be humble during the process. Simply asking why you received a bad grade isn’t enough. Show you want help by remaining attentive and displaying an eager look. Have the look of a child who’s learning how to tie their shoes. We’ve all had that look.