Can Syllabus Snapshots Predict Student Perceptions of Course and Instructor?

College students’ first impressions of instructors and courses are often made through syllabi. Will a one-page, infographic “snapshot” accompanying the syllabus promote positive first impressions? We randomly assigned participants (N = 181) to read a syllabus in a 2 (syllabus snapshot: present/absent) × 2 (instructor snapshot: present/ absent) experimental design with three outcomes: teacher care, competence, and general course/instructor perceptions. No significant differences existed in most student perceptions of instructor and course, but students who viewed the syllabus snapshot saw the instructor as less difficult, also indicating they would be more likely to take the course and recommend it to others. Syllabus snapshots have the potential to create positive first impressions at the semester’s start.