After sending out nine queries and getting only rejections (or no response)... I’ve gotten in touch with one of my professors, who has published several novels and had previously offered his assistance if I ever wrote a book… he’s currently reading my novel and I hope he likes it! (Because he could introduce me to agents, etc.) However, even if he doesn’t help me get an agent directly, I think his reading through it will still be a big help – to catch errors and give a more authoritative opinion than my friends and family could. :)