How early to arrive to college class? (PROF answers in 2024)
How early should I get to my class?
When you are in college, I recommend that students arrive TEN minutes early for their class. This is because you will want to get settled into your seat and get your note-taking materials ready. But if you get to class too early, the class before yours won’t be out yet, and you’ll just have to wait in the hall anyway.
I was a professor for 15 years, and in most instances, I recommended that my students be outside of the classroom about ten minutes before the class starts. Keep in mind that you are going to want to get there a little earlier than that to give yourself time to park and walk into the college.
I always thought ten minutes was enough time to get settled into your seat and take out all of your supplies.
But most importantly, this is a perfect time to make some small talk with your professor so you can get to know them and they’ll recognize you.
This would be something that helps your professor recognize you. It’s hard for professors to know each of their students’ names and by getting their early, before everyone else, they will be more likely to learn your name if you chat with them.
Read my article where I detail how to have a conversation with your professor.
On the other hand, I don’t recommend arriving to your classroom too early because there is likely a class BEFORE your class starts, and they’ll still be in there and you can’t walk in, so what’s the point?
At most college campuses, the classes have about 10-15 minutes between each course. If you arrive earlier than that, you’ll still have students in the classroom. Sometimes you might not have a class before yours so you could arrive a little earlier than that, but I wouldn’t waste my time.
You don’t want to rush the professor and students that were using the classroom before your class. Not like it’s a really big deal, but when the class before yours is getting dismissed, try and give them some space to exit the classroom.
When I was a college student, I liked to get to class early because I could get my favorite seat. If you like to sit in a specific area of the classroom, you should plan to get there early.
And don’t just expect to always get the same seat just because you have been sitting there for weeks or even months. Sometimes a student, who never attends, shows up randomly and will take your seat unknowingly.
I would see the shock, on a student’s face, when they came into class, and had been using the same seat for a solid month and they’d see a random student, who rarely attended class, seated in their spot.
It can really throw off your day if you’re in the habit of sitting in the same location.
Get there early to avoid this.
If it is your first day of college classes, you can learn more about my tips to prepare for your first day here!
Why should I get to my college class early?
College students should get to their college classes early because they’ll have time to get their notes ready, talk to their professor, use the restroom, get their favorite seat to be prepared for class to start.
There are lots of advantages to arriving early for your college class, and I think that it helps students feel more at ease. If you are rushing in the morning, you are going to feel stressed. If you give yourself a little more time, you’ll likely feel more relaxed.
And the MOST important reason why I think you should do this is because your professor will likely notice and it can be impressive if you are a punctual student.
You might need a favor from them one day and it can definitely help them remember you and how you cared about their class to arrive earlier than everyone else.
Very often, most professors get to class early to make small talk with students, and if you are there before class begins, you will get one-on-one time with them.
And this is a perfect time to ask any pertinent questions you may have about the material or the class.
When I was a professor, and students were there early, they would chat about their career goals, jobs, or future educational goals. It gave me the opportunity to help in anyway I could because I knew more about them.
How early should I get to campus for my class?
When you are arriving to campus for a college class, students should expect to arrive to the campus TWENTY MINUTES before their class begins. This gives students time to find a parking spot, walk into campus, use the restroom and walk to their class.
And some students like to get something to drink or eat on campus before they head to class. A lot of campuses will have a cafeteria or coffee spot and you could leisurely grab something before you go.
I know you probably don’t want to spend anymore time on campus than you have to, but if you are commuting, I definitely recommend arriving 20 minutes early so that you can find parking and give yourself plenty of time to walk to your building.
And honestly, you never know when traffic is going to be bad. Give yourself a little extra time just in case.
PRO TIP : I would get try to get to the campus a little earlier than that so you can sit and study. Instead of having to study so much at home, why don’t you get to campus an hour early everyday and prep for the class? This could totally help you get enough study time in.
Your arrival time will totally depend on your campus though. I attended a very large university and the parking lot was packed. I would have to search for a spot to park or I would have to walk a very long way to my building.
If you are going to a HUGE campus, please give yourself plenty of time. You don’t want to end up being late to class.
Is it okay to show up 5 minutes before my class begins?
Yes, you can absolutely show up 5 minutes before your college class starts because this will still give you plenty of time to get settled. But if you arrive with only 5 minutes to spare, it won’t give you time to talk to your professor, get your favorite seat or study.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to show up with only five minutes to spare unless it’s the FIRST day of class. If it’s your first day of college, you should plan to arrive to class at least 10-15 minutes early to make sure you know where the classroom is.
But if you know where to go, and feel comfortable arriving with only a few minutes to spare, it will be acceptable.
When I was a professor, A LOT of students arrived 5 or less minutes to the classroom. It’s much more common to show up as close to class time as possible so you won’t be the only one.
Should I go to my college class on time?
Yes, you should always go to your college classes ON TIME because you don’t want to interrupt the professor during their lecture, and professors usually share important updates right when class starts. It might also be hard to find a good seat if you show up afterwards.
Something important to remember is when there is time before classes, the campus is rather busy. There are lots of other students rushing to get to their rooms and it can be hectic.
By giving yourself a little extra time to arrive, you won’t feel so stressed.
But I get it. Sometimes you will inevitably be late, and you should read my entire guide on arriving late to class here.
How early should I get to class if I want a decent seat?
If a college student wants a decent seat in their classroom, they should aim to arrive around ten minutes early to their class unless there are a lot of students in the course and then I would arrive around 15 minutes early.
Most colleges are going to book rooms one right after another. There is probably going to be another professor in the room you are going to be in.
So, if you arrive too early, you’ll just have to wait with the rest of the students. And if you think students line up at the door and enter orderly, you’d be wrong.
A student who just shows up might walk right in front of you, even if you’ve been waiting patiently for awhile.
So, I don’t recommend arriving any earlier than 15 minutes to get a decent seat. And ten minutes should be plenty.
The majority of my students arrived 2-3 minutes before with very few showing up ten minutes early. You’ll likely get the perfect seat.
However, if there was an exam, my students always arrived much earlier than usual. And this is especially true for the first day of class too. Plan to be there a smidgen earlier in these circumstances.
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