<p>I was searching through courses at my University's website to try to move some classes around and improve my schedule, and after much research and I found out how to create the perfect schedule. However there is one problem.</p>
<p>One of the professors, of a course I need to pull off this perfect schedule, is rated terribly at RateMyProfessors.com. Actually "terribly" may be an understatement. There are at least 20 reviews calling him the "WORST PROFESSOR EVER". And without this course, I can't pull off this awesome schedule.</p>
<p>I've thought of taking this guy's class, but I decided against it. I need a good GPA.</p>
<p>Do not trust their word. If you are a student at college to actually learn than ignore those comments. If you are a student who wants a college degree to please mommy and daddy or just get a degree since society tells you that you need to then listen to them. I do not know if your school has some professor rating system in of itself, but mine does and it seems more accurate although it is done before the quarter fully ends, but is a much more complete review of the professor since either disgruntled students go to review on rate my professor or students who thought the professor was amazing, but its much more the disgruntled ones who thought they could pass not doing anything or realized for example it was a theoretical course (economics) in lieu of say a business course.</p>
<p>Usually professors who are rated really highly are good, and those who are rated really badly (exclusive bad ratings) are bad. Professors who are in the middle range tend to go either way, but usually aren’t bad.</p>
<p>The people that are bothered enough to actually post a review on RMP either really really like him/her, or really really dislike him/her. So usually you should take the reviews with a small grain of salt, but if there’s a consistency to how bad people say he/she is, then you made the right move.</p>
<p>Yeah, UMD has something called CourseEvalUM which is kind of the same thing. The incentive for all students to use it though (and not just the students who loved it or hated it) is that if you don’t fill out evaluations, you can’t access the results next semester and as such can’t see if a course is good/bad.</p>
<p>yea if most of the posts are similar, then you should trust what they say. I would say all of my previous teachers are exactly like RMP posts described. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you know you can learn & pass the class and it doesn’t bother you if your teacher is boring, strict, etc. then just take the class regardless.</p>
<p>Hmm, if your schedule really would have been as awesome as you say, then perhaps it might have been better to just grin and bear it and take the class (especially if it doesn’t meet that often). Also if it was a large lecture, that may have been easier. I’ll admit I did something similar, dropped a class in part due to very negative reviews on a professor, but I’ve found a class I like better. It also, of course, depends on the subject and how comfortable you think you’ll be with the material.</p>
<p>Through all my son’s college years, going to 2 different schools, he has used rate my professor values it quite highly and found it pretty accurate. If a professor gets a really bad rating by numerous students…steer clear.</p>
<p>The trick is knowing what to believe on there. If a large number of people say the professors is a tough grader, then they probably are. If half the people say the class is too hard and the professor is a stupid head and the other half say, if you listen to the professor and do the homework you can learn a lot even though the class is difficult, the latter half are probably the ones to believe.</p>
<p>I ignore the “easiness” rating on that site, instead rely on the helpfulness and clarity ratings. The “easiness” rating can often be related to the material. Many times kids take classes that are difficult (Math, Physics), and are unwilling to put in the work required to learn the subject, later take it out on rmp.com because they failed the class.</p>
<p>If a professor is “helpful” and “clear” on that rating site, I have no problem taking a class with them. I honestly learn the most from the professors that have some of the lowest “easiness” ratings.</p>
<p>If your school has the teacher surveys readily available I would go with those over RMP. At least the variety of people responding will be greater, rather than those who feel they either need to write something really bad or really nice.</p>
<p>Last year, my S was complaining about 3 different profs (he didn’t check RMP first) and when we looked at the comments they were accurate. Some comments were verbatim to what my S was saying. He asked around (at his school and others) and most told him that RMP is the first place they visit when planning their classes. </p>
<p>I agree though, just like at all ratings sites, it tends to only be the people who LOVE or HATE them.</p>
<p>I take it with a grain of salt, especially if there are only a couple of reviews, but in general I’ve found it to be pretty accurate. The prof whose profile you linked to sounds like a nightmare. I wouldn’t take a class with him.</p>
<p>It does tend to be people at either extreme who review their profs, but I know I review all of mine at the end of the semester, regardless of how I felt about their class, just because the site is so helpful for me when I’m registering and I feel like I should “give back.” I have friends who do the same.</p>