<p>The professor will be more impressed by the student who read the professor’s own work, who read the work of others in the department and who perhaps looked up some of the work cited in the footnotes of the textbook – then one who brings coffee, remembers the name of the professor’s dog, etc. etc. etc. </p>
<p>If you want to impress the professor, drop by his or her office and say the following:
I saw that you recently wrote a book on X. I was unable to find a copy in the library and wondered if you had a copy I could borrow.</p>
<p>Actually read it and then come by with three carefully prepared questions about the material.</p>
<p>Early in the semester, go see the prof and tell him/her that you are interested in applying to grad school, and ask for advice on paper topics which might be most useful, given your future plans. do some preliminary readnig on the paper topic, then come back and see the prof again.</p>
<p>Go see the prof and ask for advice on course selection for next semester, given your future plans as an X . . . </p>
<p>Ask the prof for advice on finding an internship.</p>
<p>Asking questions about the assigned reading suggests that you’re conscientious, but not so independently motivated. Asking questions about additional reading in the subject that you read just for fun suggests that you’re highly motivated and well on the road to becoming an independent scholar.</p>