Students rely on Rate My Professors but have mixed reviews
Students mixed on Rate My Professors
Orange Pulse surveys show that 2/3 of respondents use the popular college website to inform their scheduling decisions.

As emails flood with reminders of Spring course registration and professor evaluations, there is a lot to consider when building a schedule — do I want to make the grueling walk from Newhouse to Marshall Square Mall in only 10 minutes? Is the professor of my required class, who is notorious for grading harshly, going to massively drop my GPA? Is 9:30 a.m. on a Thursday really that bad?
We at Orange Pulse wondered, when students choose classes, what do they look for in professors, specifically? Does Rate My Professors have merit at Syracuse University?
When 61 Syracuse students were surveyed, data showed that while 95% have used the site, only 63% have graded a professor. Most students who use the site admit they take these ratings somewhat seriously, scoring an average of 3.5 on our 1-5 scale.
Yet, nearly half of those who took the survey said they eventually switched a class or professor due to ratings — whether high or low.
In building course schedules, over half of SU students said they valued and trusted Rate My Professors ratings when choosing classes for the following semester; low ratings are more considered than high ratings by 10%. While qualitative metrics are considered when evaluating professors, students look for more empirical evidence.
When given a list of personal metrics, surveyed students selected the criteria they use when evaluating a professor – workload, grading style, and lecture style ranked highest. So, are students using Rate My Professors to enhance their academic experience, or do they just want an easy class?
Nearly 32% of students have had positive experiences with a low-rated professor, whereas only 10% have had poor experiences with a high-rated professor. This begs the question: can these ratings be wholly trusted? Should one poor (or high) rating determine your entire class schedule?
As Spring course registration creeps up, keep in mind what you personally value in classes and professors when building your schedule. Maybe take that “they assign a ton of readings and never grades anything on time” comment with a grain of salt. Or, switch that professor before the drop deadline and walk an extra ten minutes to Marshall Square Mall for an easier A.
About the AI Illustration
The background of the Orange Pulse Presents image above was created using Canva and the following prompts: "Create a design that is soft in color and uses swirling blue and orange lines. do not make the angles too sharp. allow space for text."