Have you ever had any luck negotiating with professors about how assignments should work?

Have you ever had success negotiating with professors about assignment policies? In one of my classes, our professor posts the answers to problem sets several weeks after we’ve submitted them, which makes it difficult to remember the material. I often find it incredibly beneficial to check my work along the way.

I’m considering visiting office hours to see if I can persuade my professor to provide the solutions along with the homework assignments. Since homework only counts for a small portion of our overall grade, I believe that if students were to copy the answers, their true understanding would still be reflected in the tests, which carry the majority of our grade.

Do you think it’s worth asking? Or would that be crossing a line? I visit office hours regularly and have developed a decent rapport with my professor, but I still feel a bit anxious about making the request.

One Reply to “Have you ever had any luck negotiating with professors about how assignments should work?”

  1. It’s definitely worth asking! Professors often appreciate when students take initiative and express their needs, especially if it can enhance the learning experience for everyone. Since you have a positive rapport with your professor and regularly attend office hours, it sounds like a good starting point for the conversation.

    When you approach the topic, you might want to frame it in terms of how it could benefit the whole class—not just you. You could mention that having the solutions available sooner could help students gauge their understanding and reinforce the material, ultimately leading to better performance in tests.

    Prepare for the possibility that the professor may have reasons for their current approach, but don’t let that deter you from discussing it. They might be open to compromise or at least consider your feedback for future classes. Good luck!

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