The classroom participation is influenced by quality courses and teachers, and seat selection is an indicator of students’ willingness to participate in the classroom. This study utilized a questionnaire to explore the dynamic mechanism underlying how teacher-student proximity and course importance affect classroom engagement. A survey on seat selection was conducted with 500 students across four grades (A, B, C, D) based on their academic performance. A simulated classroom was used to ask students about seat selection in different conditions, related to course importance predetermined by the school authorities (C1: important, C2: not important, C0: unknown) and teacher likeability judged by students themselves (T1: very popular, T2: not popular, T0: unknown). Important courses and well-liked teachers encourage students to opt for front seats. The seat selection among students of different grades varied significantly in the conditions that were established, except for C0T1. High-performing students (those allotted A grade) chose seats closer to the front of the class in comparison with their lower-performing peers in all set conditions. Further, course importance has more influence on students’ seat choices than the popularity of the teacher. The data collected from low-performing students (with D grade) reflect the opposite results. This study reveals the relationship between classroom seating and performance, emphasizing the importance of enhancing students’ classroom participation willingness for the improvement of teaching effectiveness in university.