Using RateMyProfessor for Course and Instructor Selection

What RateMyProfessor Is and How It Works

RateMyProfessor is a crowdsourced platform where students anonymously rate professors and courses. The site hosts profiles for 1.7 million professors and has accumulated 19 million ratings since its launch in 1999. The platform is free to use and does not require login to view ratings.

Students rate professors on a four-metric scale:

• Overall quality: A single score from 1 to 5 stars
• Easiness: How difficult the course content and grading are perceived to be
• Helpfulness: How accessible and supportive the professor is
• Clarity: How well the professor explains material

Students can also leave written comments describing specific course experiences, workload, grading practices, and teaching styles.

The Real Problem With RateMyProfessor: Voluntary Response Bias

Research conducted by Elmhurst University in 2024 found that RateMyProfessor ratings suffer from significant voluntary response bias, meaning students who rate professors tend to hold stronger opinions—either much more positive or much more negative—than students who don't rate. This bias distorts the average rating.

The consequence is straightforward: a professor with a 4.2 average rating does not mean most students think the professor is that good. It means the students motivated enough to leave a rating lean heavily positive or negative, and the average reflects the vocal minority.

Research from North Carolina State in 2024 found a strong correlation between "academic entitlement" (the belief that grades should be easy to earn) and lower professor ratings. Students who expect high grades without significant effort are more likely to rate professors poorly when challenged. This introduces another layer of bias: a low rating does not necessarily reflect poor teaching; it often reflects the student's response to rigor.

How to Read RateMyProfessor Reviews Critically

The Minimum Threshold: Read at Least 10 Recent Reviews

A single 5-star review saying "Best class ever!" tells you almost nothing. A single 1-star review saying "Impossible course" is equally unreliable. Research on rating systems shows that reliable patterns emerge around 10 reviews; fewer than that creates statistically unreliable averages.

Prioritize recent reviews (from the past two years). Teaching styles change, course content evolves, and grading policies shift. A 5-star review from 2019 is less relevant than a 3-star review from 2025.

Read Comments, Not Just Scores

The score is a starting point. The details are where the truth lives. When you see a professor with a 3.5 average, read five comments to understand why. You might find:

• "Hard but fair. Gives detailed feedback. Workload is heavy but teaches you to think critically." (Negative for someone seeking an easy A, but valuable for someone wanting to learn)
• "Shows up late, lectures are unclear, does not respond to email." (Consistently negative feedback with specific issues)
• "Seemed disorganized the first semester but improved significantly. Current students report better structure." (Changes over time)

Comments reveal whether low ratings stem from difficulty, poor organization, unclear communication, or personal student expectations. This distinction matters enormously when choosing courses.

Look for Patterns Across Reviews

If one review says "Graded unfairly," dismiss it. If five reviews say the same thing across different semesters, pay attention. Patterns show systematic issues. Outliers show outlier experiences.

Similarly, if most reviews praise clarity and one review complains about incomprehensibility, the single review likely reflects a student's learning style mismatch, not the professor's actual teaching.

Check for Recency Bias

If all positive reviews are from 2022 and recent reviews mention the course has become "less organized," the recent experience is more predictive of your experience than the older praise.

How to Cross-Check Information

Do not base your course selection on RateMyProfessor alone. Triangulate with other sources:

Talk to Peers Directly

Ask classmates in your major or program about professors they have taken. Direct conversation reveals context that anonymous reviews do not. You learn not just whether a professor is "good," but whether they are good for your learning style, your major, and your current course load.

Check Your University's Course Evaluation System

Many universities publish official course evaluations on a password-protected system available only to current students. These are typically more detailed and held to higher standards than crowdsourced ratings.

Review the Syllabus

If the professor posts their syllabus online (many universities require this), read it. You will learn grading breakdown, assignment types, attendance policies, and course expectations. A course weighted 50% on exams is fundamentally different from one weighted 20% on exams, regardless of professor charm.

Attend the First Class

Many universities allow add/drop flexibility in the first week. Attend the first class before committing. You will instantly sense whether the professor's teaching style matches what you are looking for.

What Good and Bad RateMyProfessor Reviews Actually Indicate

Higher ratings typically mean:

• The professor explains concepts clearly
• Grading is transparent and fair
• The professor responds to student questions
• The course load is manageable

Higher ratings do NOT necessarily mean:

• The course is easy
• You will get a good grade without effort
• The subject matter is interesting (that is subjective)

Lower ratings typically mean:

• Students perceived the grading as unfair
• The course was more difficult than expected
• The professor was inaccessible or unclear
• The workload was heavy relative to credit hours

Lower ratings do NOT necessarily mean:

• The course is not worth taking
• You will not learn anything
• The rigor is unjustified

Real-World Example: Reading Reviews Carefully

Compare two microeconomics professors at a hypothetical university:

Professor A: Average 4.7 stars, 8 reviews

• "Easiest class ever, he basically gives away As"
• "Tests are straight from slides, no thinking required"
• "Loved this class, no stress"

Professor B: Average 3.6 stars, 22 reviews

• "Hard but teaches you to think economically"
• "Expects you to read and engage, but feedback is detailed"
• "Grading is tough but transparent; got a C and learned tons"
• "Would recommend if you want to actually understand concepts"

Professor A looks better on raw metrics. But if you are preparing for graduate school or a finance job, Professor B likely teaches you more useful material. Professor A's high ratings reflect ease, not educational value.

Special Considerations for International Students

If English is not your first language, pay particular attention to "clarity" ratings. A professor rated 3.5 for clarity might be fine for native speakers but challenging for non-native speakers.

Also note whether reviews mention the professor's willingness to slow down, provide written summaries, or accommodate international student perspectives. These details, when present in reviews, are invaluable.

Using RateMyProfessor to Find Red Flags

Certain review patterns warrant avoiding a course:

• Consistent complaints about grading unfairness: Multiple reviews mention unclear grading criteria, unexpected deductions, or inconsistent feedback. This suggests the professor grades subjectively.
• No instructor responsiveness: Several reviews mention unanswered emails or office hour unavailability. You need professor access when struggling.
• Misalignment between course rigor and syllabus: Reviews describe workload as far exceeding the listed credit hours. Verify this against the syllabus.
• Outdated course materials: Reviews mention lectures unchanged for years or reliance on textbooks published over a decade ago.

These are not reasons to dismiss a professor entirely, but they are signals to ask your advisor for context before enrolling.

What RateMyProfessor Cannot Tell You

RateMyProfessor does not capture:

• Your personal learning style fit: A professor praised for "engaging discussion" might frustrate you if you learn better through structured lectures.
• Major-specific knowledge: A professor might be outstanding for economics majors but less useful for non-majors taking the course as a requirement.
• Changes over time: A review from 2021 does not reflect the professor's current teaching if they have made significant changes.
• Your own effort level: A course marked "hard" is achievable if you invest the time; the same course is genuinely difficult if you do not.

Summary: A Three-Step Process for Using RateMyProfessor

1. Find the profile and read at least 10 recent reviews, focusing on comments over scores.

2. Look for patterns across reviews about clarity, fairness, accessibility, and workload.

3. Cross-check by talking to peers, reviewing the syllabus, and attending the first class if possible.

RateMyProfessor is one data point. It is most useful for identifying red flags and understanding general patterns, not for making final decisions alone.

Sources

• RateMyProfessor Help Center - About Our Ratings
• Elmhurst University - Understanding Bias in RateMyProfessor Ratings
• North Carolina State University - Research on Academic Entitlement and Professor Ratings
• University of Toronto - Course Selection Guide for Microeconomics
• UC Santa Cruz - RateMy Slugs Integration with Enrollment Systems