Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as the "best professor" for any given class. There is such thing, however, as the "right" professor for each individual student. This reality is of utmost importance when you have choices in regards to who exactly will be your educational tour guide.
The truth of the matter is that some professors are better than others in that their teaching style, personality, methodology, etc... is simply a better fit for some students versus others. No two professors are the same, just as no two students are the same. What works for you, may not work for another student. The best "plan of attack" in the professor selection process is to start with you, the student. That's right...a little self-assessment never hurt anyone. Start by jotting down a basic self-inventory of your educational preferences. For example, perhaps you prefer a hands-on learning environment over a lecture course. Consider the specific details of what works well for you in the educational environment - preferred teaching methods/styles, preferred personality characteristics & the way in which you learn best. Self-awareness is half the battle (and yet highly under-rated.)
CLICK HERE TO ASSESS YOUR OWN LEARNING STYLE USING THE VARK METHOD
Once you have a better handle on who you are as a student and what you are looking for in an instructor, it's time to go "prof shopping". Many colleges now post student evaluation data and/or ratings for each professor teaching at that institution. These ratings are based on student evaluations collected each semester. This information will be posted directly on the school's website and is an excellent place to begin your search.
Another popular research tool is the RateMyProfessor.com website. According to RateMyProfessors.com, "the site is built for college students, by college students. Choosing the best courses and professors is a rite of passage for every student, and connecting with peers on the site has become a key way for millions of students to navigate this process. The site does what students have been doing forever - checking in with each other, their friends, their brothers, their sisters, their classmates to figure out who's a great professor and who's one
you might want to avoid."
DOWNLOAD RATE MY PROFESSOR MOBILE APP HERE
Last, but certainly not least, good old-fashioned word of mouth is still a very effective research method for "prof shopping". Happy hunting!
The truth of the matter is that some professors are better than others in that their teaching style, personality, methodology, etc... is simply a better fit for some students versus others. No two professors are the same, just as no two students are the same. What works for you, may not work for another student. The best "plan of attack" in the professor selection process is to start with you, the student. That's right...a little self-assessment never hurt anyone. Start by jotting down a basic self-inventory of your educational preferences. For example, perhaps you prefer a hands-on learning environment over a lecture course. Consider the specific details of what works well for you in the educational environment - preferred teaching methods/styles, preferred personality characteristics & the way in which you learn best. Self-awareness is half the battle (and yet highly under-rated.)
CLICK HERE TO ASSESS YOUR OWN LEARNING STYLE USING THE VARK METHOD
Once you have a better handle on who you are as a student and what you are looking for in an instructor, it's time to go "prof shopping". Many colleges now post student evaluation data and/or ratings for each professor teaching at that institution. These ratings are based on student evaluations collected each semester. This information will be posted directly on the school's website and is an excellent place to begin your search.
Another popular research tool is the RateMyProfessor.com website. According to RateMyProfessors.com, "the site is built for college students, by college students. Choosing the best courses and professors is a rite of passage for every student, and connecting with peers on the site has become a key way for millions of students to navigate this process. The site does what students have been doing forever - checking in with each other, their friends, their brothers, their sisters, their classmates to figure out who's a great professor and who's one
you might want to avoid."
DOWNLOAD RATE MY PROFESSOR MOBILE APP HERE
Last, but certainly not least, good old-fashioned word of mouth is still a very effective research method for "prof shopping". Happy hunting!
Professor's Pearl of Wisdom:
The proverbial "path of least resistance" may seem like the most attractive route when it comes to selecting professors for each of your college classes. Students have often asked me, "who is the easiest professor for (insert class name here)." While I do understand this philosophy to a point, there is also a certain degree of risk involved in this method that should be considered. Who cares if you have a degree if you don't have the knowledge base to support said degree? Even when a career path requires a certain degree, an earned degree is not a guarantee that you will be successful in that career path or be able to maintain a job in that field. Make the most of your college experience by selecting professors that will help you gain the knowledge and skills necessary to back up the degree that you earn. - Prof. Paige