Students, faculty weigh in on popular professor rating site
A-Mila West
The Corsair
It is one of the most famous (or infamous to some) Web sites among college students all over the United States, Canada and Britain. Rate My Professors is also very well known here at Pensacola State College.
On the site, students can post their opinions anonymously about their college professors and experiences in a particular course.
“It’s sort of like an evaluation in that it helps me sharpen my skills because I can see where I may be making mistakes or doing something wrong or whatever,”said Mathematics instructor Lynn Cade.
The site displays professor ratings in different categories utilizing five stars. More stars demonstrates better ratings. Categories include helpfulness, rater’s interest, and clarity. Students can also rate the professors appearance as the site states, “Hot or Not.”
Many would describe it as a research tool to better assist in choosing a professor for a specific course.
“I actually use it every semester before I start my classes,” said Pensacola State student Andrea Johnson.
Viewing the opinions of various students may help others choose the “ideal” professor so they may have an easier semester.
“I used it one time and the opinion was pretty accurate,” said PSC student Angela Jiongco. “I had the same opinion about the particular professor.”
On the site, students are entitled to rate or write whatever they may feel about a certain professor. Often times instructors or professors decide not to engage themselves in the Web site.
“I’m too chicken to read it,” Cade said. “But my daughter, she has read it.”
Along with student comments there is also a rebuttal section for professors and instructors that feel the remarks may be falsified or unjust.
“Some of the information that ends up on Rate My Professors has to be taken with a grain of salt. You have to consider that some students are angry if they don’t perform well so they blame their shortcomings on a teacher,” Roberta Harvey, anatomy and physiology instructor, said.
Anatomy and physiology professor Dr. William Renfroe said, “It’s something that you get – an opinion from your students and it’s not requested. So it’s really, really, really their opinion; so it’s something you can rely on pretty well.”