How accurate is Rate My Professors?

preamble1776
Tue, 25 Nov 2014 00:59:58 +0000

I personally like RMP. However, I find that course specific reviews are far more helpful than general “best/worst professor ever” “terrible” “great” reviews. I like reviews that give insight to the specifics of the class itself.

For all of my professors this semester, RMP has been spot on - especially with my Environmental professor. RMP said that the class consisted of three take home tests, 30% participation, and a few homework assignments. It was 100% correct and I really appreciated knowing the structure of the class ahead of time. Those sorts of reviews would strike me as being the most beneficial to students - so if you do feel compelled to rate your professors at the end of the semester, I think providing course specific insight would be more helpful than just evocative “I hate/love him/her so much!” or whatever.

Some of my professors (one that I am taking both this semester and next semester and another that I am taking next semester) are new to the University so they do not have reviews specific to my school, but they have reviews specific to the schools they taught at formerly. My current Religious Studies professor used to teach at a university in Florida and I read some of his reviews and many of his policies (and general remarks about his personality) are identical to my own experience with him. Even such reviews as “tests are based solely on lectures” and “attendance mandatory” carried over, which I thought was pretty cool. I was a little worried because I’m taking a Political Science class next semester with a professor who just came to my school from a different university so he has no RMP reviews for my school/class but he received excellent ratings at his old school - so I’m assuming he’ll be just as good (hopefully) here.

RMP can also be tailored to accommodate what you’re looking to get out of a class. Certain classes you may feel that you want to be challenged - this is particularly true for major courses. You want a professor who will push you intellectually - so RMP would allow you to steer clear from professors that have tons of reviews talking about constant cancelled classes and associations with being an “easy A” or “fluff class.” I’ve come across certain phrasing that I think is pretty helpful - upon reading reviews of certain Political Science and English professors, I’ve read things like “It’d be a shame for any Poli Sci major at this University to graduate without having taken a class with Professor So-and-So” followed by specifics as to why that’s so.

On the other hand - if you’re trying to address some arbitrary general ed requirement that you have zero interest in - you may very well want an easy A; you don’t necessarily want to have to be challenged in a Gender Studies course if you’re a Nursing or Physics major. Some 'reviews might read “looking to fulfill XYZ general ed without killing your GPA - professor xyz/class 123 will do just that.”

I think a student’s success in college is mostly based upon their own work ethic, determination, and raw intelligence. However - crafting a schedule with well respected, well received professors whose policies and teaching habits are aligned with your own work ethic will make your semester substantially better. It’s hard to motivate yourself to go to class when you can’t stand to even look or listen to your professor.