Navigating "Rate My Professor": A Guide for Florida Atlantic University Students
Rate My Professors (RMP) has become a ubiquitous online forum for college students seeking insights into their potential instructors. It allows students to anonymously review professors, offering a platform for sharing experiences and opinions. For students at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), RMP can be a valuable tool, but understanding its nuances and limitations is crucial.
The Allure and Utility of "Rate My Professors"
RMP's appeal lies in its accessibility and the direct feedback it provides from fellow students. Steve Mitton, a senior instructor in the history department at FAU, acknowledges the value of RMP as a tool for students to get direct feedback from peers more readily. He believes it provides valuable feedback for teachers and students.
One of the key benefits of RMP is the ability to gauge a professor's teaching style, course difficulty, and overall effectiveness. Mitton suggests that a good professor often has a high difficulty rating combined with a high RMP score. This combination, he argues, indicates that the professor challenges students while effectively conveying complex concepts.
Deciphering the Ratings: A Closer Look
While RMP can be a helpful starting point, it's essential to interpret the ratings with a critical eye. Here's a breakdown of some FAU professors and their RMP ratings, as well as student comments:
English Department Examples:
- Valorie Ebert: With a quality rating of 4.02 based on 21 ratings, 60% of students would take her class again. Her level of difficulty is rated at 2.9.
- Cynthia Wedding: She has a quality rating of 2.9 based on 35 ratings, with 40% of students willing to retake her class. Her difficulty level is 2.5.
- Taylor Hagood: Hagood boasts a quality rating of 4.2 based on 52 ratings, with 67% of students recommending him. His difficulty level is 3.5.
- Claudia Amadori-Segree: She has a quality rating of 3.1 based on 35 ratings, with only 37% of students willing to retake her class. Her difficulty level is 3.1.
- Stephen Jones: With a quality rating of 3.0 based on just 2 ratings, 50% of students would take his class again. His difficulty level is rated at 3.
Beyond the Numbers: Student Perspectives
The numerical ratings on RMP provide a general overview, but the written comments offer deeper insights into the student experience. Here are some examples of student reviews for different FAU professors:
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- Ping Cheng: One student emphatically advises against taking any of Ping Cheng's classes, deeming them a "waste of your time and money." The review highlights issues with exam answer keys and grading practices.
- Levy: A student praised Levy as the "best professor ever!" citing his engaging lectures, effective teaching methods, and ability to make the material accessible. Another student noted Levy's passion for the subject and allowance of cheat sheets on exams, making the class relatively easy.
- White: Students offer conflicting views on Professor White. Some describe him as an awesome professor who makes Spanish interesting and provides helpful support. However, others complain about the excessive workload and the difficulty of the assignments.
- Hinduja: Hinduja receives overwhelmingly positive reviews, with students describing him as an amazing, caring, and respected professor who makes the class engaging and the material easily understandable.
- Unknown Professor (MAN4720): One student strongly advises finding another class, criticizing the professor's lack of organization, absence of make-up opportunities, and failure to connect assignments in Canvas. Conversely, another student praises the professor as a "nice guy" with fun and interesting lectures, allowing notes on exams and offering relatively easy grading on group projects.
Caveats and Considerations
While RMP can be a useful resource, it's important to be aware of its limitations:
- Subjectivity: Ratings and reviews are inherently subjective and reflect individual student experiences. A professor who is a great fit for one student may not be for another.
- Potential for Bias: RMP is susceptible to bias, as students who have particularly positive or negative experiences are more likely to leave reviews.
- Limited Sample Size: The number of reviews for a particular professor may be small, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.
- Irrelevance of Score?: Stephen Engle, the university's associate provost for Academic Personnel and a history professor, suggests that students shouldn't even look at the score, deeming it irrelevant.
A Balanced Approach
Given these considerations, a balanced approach is essential when using RMP to inform course selection:
- Consider Multiple Sources: Don't rely solely on RMP. Seek advice from academic advisors, upperclassmen, and other trusted sources.
- Read Reviews Carefully: Pay attention to the specific comments and look for patterns in the feedback.
- Focus on Teaching Style: Determine whether a professor's teaching style aligns with your learning preferences.
- Consider Course Difficulty: Be realistic about your abilities and willingness to put in the necessary work.
- Have an Open Mind: Engle encourages students to have an open mind and meet professors halfway. Some subjects are not as glamorous as others and harder to teach, such as math and chemistry.
- Remember the Human Element: RMP is a tool, but it shouldn't replace direct interaction with professors. Attend office hours, ask questions, and engage in class discussions to form your own opinions.
Additional Resources at FAU
Beyond RMP, FAU offers a variety of resources to help students make informed decisions about their courses:
- Academic Advising: Advisors can provide guidance on course selection and help students identify professors who are a good fit for their academic goals.
- Course Catalogs: Course catalogs provide detailed information about course content, prerequisites, and grading policies.
- Department Websites: Department websites often include faculty profiles and syllabi, offering additional insights into professors' teaching styles and expectations.
- Student Organizations: Student organizations can be a valuable source of information and advice on course selection and professors.
- Honors College: FAU honors college is a liberal arts school with a focus on the sciences, and relationships with professors are great because of small class sizes and clubs for so many interests.
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