Carefully Choose Your Classes, Teachers, and Professors

Since so many college scholarships have an academic component, either as part of the eligibility requirements or as part of the evaluation process, it is important for high school students and current college students to carefully consider classes, teachers, and professors.

In addition to speaking to other students about classes, teachers, and teacher grading policies and philosophies, prior to enrolling in class, you may be able to find out information about the class, teacher, or professor at the following websites:

• Rate My Professors
• Rate My Teachers
• My Edu

The ratings should be used as a guide to selecting classes and professors. Consider comments within the context of what you need to be successful and the opportunities to earn the grades necessary to achieve a certain GPA. For example, one of the professors at my son’s college has ratings dating back to 2010. Comments consistently reflected such attributes as, “down to earth and straight to the point, he class is great, she is the bomb, she is extremely passionate, she inspired me.” Whereas the comments for another professor dating back to 2008 were, “his tests are difficult and tricky, very difficult to get a good grade, he made me consider changing my major, very confusing.”

The Great Schools website provides reviews and ratings for elementary, middle, and high schools.