<p>My daughter used the reviews on ratemyprofessors.com, along with pickaprof.com, to select her first semester classes with good results. Pickaprof.com is very useful because it has grade distribution histories for many professors and classes (e.g., shows that historically Professor Smith has given 15% As, 30% Bs, 40% Cs, 10% Ds and 5% Fs in Econ 101, etc.). This is very helpful to students who, like my daughter, have merit scholarships that require maintaining a high GPA -- helps her to avoid professors who have reputations as unreasonably hard graders.</p>
<p>My d has used this site. She has found comments about testing practices especially helpful. Often times reviews will note that certain professors tests have little or nothing to do with what is gone over in class. Also it has been helpful in letting my d know when a teacher doesn't use the course book. One review of a class she took noted that students could use the teacher's web-site to study for the midterms and tests. All relevant notes from every class were detailed on the site. My d found there were many students in her class who didn't know this and didn't fair as well on the tests.</p>
<p>JL, agreed about "not speaking English clearly" being a red flag that's more objective than some other attributes. I've got some stories, particularly in the engineering & related fields.</p>
<p>Otoh (not responding to JL), even "objective" grading history isn't something I'd be too worried about. If you're a top students, you shouldn't be afraid to compete and the experience may very well push you as a student. Some of D's best classes have been those where the grading was a bear.</p>
<p>At S's big state u. students often end up registering for sections without knowing who will be teaching it. The profs names sometimes don't appear on the registration webpage until a couple of weeks after registration has opened. S registered for a second semester Chem class with unknown teacher. When the prof's name finally appeared, S looked it up on rate my prof. and found that he had really bad reviews. </p>
<p>This prompted S to ask around about what others really thought of the prof....found out he was notorious for failing a large percentage of his classes. S's advisor even told him to drop the class unless he could get another prof! Luckily registration was still open and S got in a different section of the course.</p>
<p>So in this case RMP sent up a red flag which triggered further investigation and a class switch.</p>
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<blockquote> <blockquote> <blockquote> <h2>She has found comments about testing practices especially helpful. Often times reviews will note that certain professors tests have little or nothing to do with what is gone over in class. Also it has been helpful in letting my d know when a teacher doesn't use the course book. <<<</h2> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote>
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<p>Exactly... Some reviews have indicated that the required texts were never used. </p>
<p>Testing info is a huge help.... It's a big "heads up" to know if tests come straight from lectures (or not)!</p>
<p>Thedad... >>> If you're a top students, you shouldn't be afraid to compete and the experience may very well push you as a student. Some of D's best classes have been those where the grading was a bear. <<<<</p>
<p>I totally agree. I, too, don't think it's wise to avoid a "tough teacher" necessarily. They can sometimes be the best teachers (my boys' high school English teacher comes to mind). </p>
<p>But, just like the words "doesn't speak English clearly" can be a big red flag, words like "ambiguous assignments" and "doesn't like to hear others' opinions" can be "red flags," too if assignments are heavily weighed or class discussion/participation is expected.</p>
<p>BTW... I can imagine your stories about Engineering profs that can't speak English well. I'm from Calif, and I remember how poorly many math, engineering and science profs spoke English back then (often because academia was the only place many of these non-citizens could get jobs) </p>
<p>Now, 20+ years later, there are more high-tech jobs available for non-citizens. But, back then, before the big computer/hi tech boom, the aerospace industry would gobble up many/most engineering types that were citizens. This meant that the only jobs available for those who didn't speak English well were at the universities.</p>
<p>Since this can still be a problem, I wonder why colleges don't insist that such profs undergo some kind of speech therapy to improve their pronunciation and lessen their accents?</p>
<p>gbesc</p>
<p>Yes, my son used pickaprof.com also (I hope that website name is right :) ) It does have lots of useful info. </p>
<p>It is now linked with facebook which lets you know if you have any facebook friends in any of the classes you have registered for - another nice advantage.</p>
<p>Packmom >>>> At S's big state u. students often end up registering for sections without knowing who will be teaching it. The profs names sometimes don't appear on the registration webpage until a couple of weeks after registration has opened. S registered for a second semester Chem class with unknown teacher. When the prof's name finally appeared, S looked it up on rate my prof. and found that he had really bad reviews. <<<<
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<p>Similar thing happened to my son. He switched, too, once the teacher's name was identified. </p>
<p>I wonder if schools are going to try to sabotage use of such websites by not listing profs names until first day of class? Or, if they will "take the hint" when they see that kids are purposely avoiding certain teachers?</p>
<p>I did notice that my son's college is giving the best profs 8am class times (probably to reduce their popularity at registration time) and giving more poorly rated profs premium 10 & 11 am times to increase their registrations. :(</p>
<p>garland.. talk truth. Did you get a 'hottie' pepper?</p>
<p>It's a great site and deadly accurate despite it's universal use of negatives to describe professors. Motivated students are adept at reading between the lines. My son chose one grad level course with a professor who had impossible ratings. When he showed up to the class, only six kids were there--five grad students and my son. No one else would risk a 'B' in junior or senior year--a 'B' was rightly listed as high praise fromt his professor. Pitiful!</p>
<p>It turned out to be a phenomenal class and my son ended up with a B+--a mark which was rarely given, according to the secretary. Who knows, he probably got a bit of a boost for being brave enough to give it a go as an undergrad, haha.</p>
<p>I don't think I got a hottie pepper (didn't even know there was one) but one ind young woman said, "Well, you did get a smiley face, if that helps."</p>
<p>I'm getting used to the idea that fundamentalists are going to smear me on the site. I'm not sure why it upset me so much.</p>
<p>At my full-time job at a different institution students flock to take my class (presumably because of good ratings) but in a required composition class I may just be the best of the worst.</p>
<p>I do get other profs. overflow when their rigid approach palls and my looser approach beckons (except for those religious righties. Darn).</p>
<p>Myspace has their own thing and with its popularity, it's a lot more popular.</p>
<p>Bon voyage my homie homes of the homeless holmes.</p>
<p>mythmom...</p>
<p>what goes on in your class that would cause your students to even know whether you are a "rightie" or a "leftie"? </p>
<p>I would think the best teachers are ones that can facilitate discussions without revealing what side of the fence they sit (even playing "devil's advocate" at times). Otherwise, a prof is engaging in biased indoctrination - a no no, in my book. </p>
<p>Also, revealing intense dislike for persons of a particular "persuasion" without similarly possessing such intense dislike for persons of the exact opposite "persuasion" reveals much -- meaning that it's ok in your book to be a far leftie, but not a far rightie. And I thought liberal progressives were "oh so open minded."</p>
<p>A good prof respects all views - it's kind of a "free speech thing". A good prof does not display such animosity towards those whose views are very different from his/her own. (BTW - I'm not a fundamentalist or religious rightie -as you call them)</p>
<p>I have to laugh at the "hottie" pepper. I've noticed that pretty much only the really good looking women profs get the peppers. however, if you look at which males get peppers, you'll see that "good looks" doesn't seem to be mandatory. What gives???</p>
<p>
[quote]
I have to laugh at the "hottie" pepper. I've noticed that pretty much only the really good looking women profs get the peppers. however, if you look at which males get peppers, you'll see that "good looks" doesn't seem to be mandatory. What gives???
[/quote]
The women get by on looks, the guys get their peppers via personality & chemistry.</p>
<p><glyph of="" walking="" away="" while="" whistling="" tunelessly=""></glyph></p>
<p>A friend of mine teaches at a large state school. She said this summer, parents of incoming freshmen were going on this website, finding the high-rated profs, and then calling the school to insist their kid get those teachers. </p>
<p>I checked out the site for my daughter's profs this semester. None of them have been rated. The school she goes to has a student-run evaluation that is put online and is much more valuable that ratemyprof -- she used that when picking classes.</p>
<p>Most schools have evaluation systems; if these were all made available to students that would be better than this site.</p>
<p>TheDad....</p>
<p>So... women look at men more deeply while men look only skin (and shape) deep at women....</p>
<p>sly...</p>
<p>these parents need to back off! I couldn't imagine doing that! (my kid would kill me if I even "thought" about doing such!) ;)</p>
<p>jlauder95: (everyone else may want to skip this very long post) My subject matter, mythology, necessitates we look at Judeo-Christian myths as a subset of mythology. I always say that I understand that some students believe that the Bible is the received word of God and of a different order than other sacred texts and that's fine with me, but for the academic purposes of the course we will look at sacred texts as examples of the mythology of those cultures. The fundamentalist students spend entire classes arguing that Christianity is the the only truth; I finally have to change the subject. BTW I would not penalize these students when it came time to assign grades, but they do have to be able to apply the basic concepts of the course. They are free to Withdraw at any time, no penalty. However, these students usually stay in the class and try to turn each class into a platform to evangelize. This is not the intent of the course.</p>
<p>I have also had students in The Making of the Modern Mind try to dominate any discussion of Darwin with a discussion of intelligent design. Because I agree that teaching should not be indoctrination I also say they are free to emerge from the class with their beliefs intact, but for the purposes of the class they need to master Darwin's ideas.</p>
<p>These are the rightie religious views I alluded to, nothing to do with politics.</p>
<p>Sorry, if this offends you, but I am not the one with the agenda; I am merely teaching the courses my department assigns to the best of my ability; sometimes these ideas are threatening to students.</p>
<p>I must say that there was only one time I could not tolerate something a student said. He made the statement that on 9/11 the plane that went down in PA should have reached its destination and destroyed the Capitol because of all the political corruption. I had several veterans in the class and their pain was palpable; for myself, I was shocked to hear someone advocate for the death of other Americans (or other people) for that matter, no matter what their political orientation. I calmly asked the individual retract the statement or at least acknowledge its inhumanity. He did; it was a good thing too, because one of the veterans was about to slug him. I did not respond to this out of politics; it was just a tasteless and very offensive thing to say. This was the only time, excepting the student who repeatedly said that he was angel sent to exterminate the human race, particularly those who are not blond and blue-eyed, that I have ever objected to anything a student says. </p>
<p>On the contrary, they object to what I say, even when the content is factual. For example, very religious students often become hysterical when I mention that the two versions of the creation of human beings, one in Genesis I and the other in Genesis II, contradict each other. They claim there are not two versions and refuse to believe the handouts or Bible I have. They claim that it is not true in their Bibles. They sheepishly come back in a week and affirm that these two versions do exist in their Bibles and their existence has been corroborated by their religious leaders.</p>
<p>So, if you think political agendas are what I am talking about, that is not what I mean. However, I don't agree with you that it is possible to keep all political biases out of the classroom; instead I identify mine and tell students to be on the lookout for my biases because none of us is truly objective. To date I have had no difficulties with those on the opposite end of the political spectrum because I let them know that it is their right to hold different ideas, and I am willing to let them try to convince me of them. We usually pleasantly agree to disagree. I even tell them to complain to my department chair if they think political or religious ideas play any part in my grading because I would view this as an abuse of power. To date, no one has complained.</p>
<p>The complainers on the site are those who object to the fact that I won't say that Judeo-Christian mythology is of a different order than others; in other words, it is true, they are false.</p>
<p>I haven't run into any of the kinds of problems Mythmom has, fortunately, but I don't hide my points of view, either. As she said, no one is free of them, or can be truly neutral in a liberal arts class--which is all about critical thinking, evaluating, rethinking, and overall, understanding how much you (including me) don't know--actually, we were just discussing a wonderful Feynman essay in class where he makes that very point (The Value of Science.) That students know i have opinions is in no way indoctrinating, as they themselves are very aware. I've never had a student complain of this, and have given some of the highest grades to students who have stances which are polar opposites to mine.</p>
<p>Cheers--no hot pepper, alas! But since they're mostly younger than my S, I'm not exactly surprised!</p>
<p>Garland: Maybe we are grateful. When I first started teaching I was 24, and I was approached by students. I can still remember one returning student at Southampton College (no longer exists) who had a dog. He always came early and met me on the lawn approaching the building. He was older than I was, but still a no-no.</p>