Students rate instructors, classes at Pick-a-Prof.com

UW students have an online resource for finding the right class or professor.

Pick-a-Prof.com allows students to view a professors' grading history as well as student reviews. The site also allows students to sign up for classes, reserve books, find study groups and evaluate what classes are best for them.

The UW has been sponsoring Pick-a-Prof for less than a year, and students are starting to take notice.

"The program is good, especially for incoming students," said Kyle Walker, a freshman. "You can get a feel for a professor when you have no idea what to do. It can help you make a decision about what you want in a professor."

Pick-a-Prof was started in 2000 at A&M Texas and the University of Texas at Austin by Chris Chilek and John Cunningham. Now the program is at 100 campuses nationwide.

Karen Bragg, director of university relations for Pick-a-Prof, said student response has been good since the Web site's conception.

"Within a couple of years of having our services at the schools, we had an overwhelmingly majority of the campus using the site. The site was a huge success so, from there, we decided to expand nationally," she said.

Pick-a-Prof doesn't expand to a campus unless students from the university contact them.

Professors can take a proactive role with the Web site by posting biographies, office hours, contact information and tips on how to do well in the class, a positive thing according to UW statistics professor Galen Shorack.

"This could be used as another tool for professors, but these kinds of reviews aren't always good indicators of how the majority of students feel," he said.

Shorack said he would prefer to use the paper evaluation sheets, typically filled out in classes.

"I find the yellow sheets we currently have most helpful," he said. "I'm not much of an online person so I don't think I would use the site."

UW communications professor Gerry Philipsen agreed that the site isn't the best method.

"Students should take what they see on the Web site with a grain of salt," he said. "The best student evaluation of faculty is word of mouth."

The Web site lets students post comments about lecture style, exam types, homework load and the attendance policy. There is also a schedule planner that allows students to design their own schedule and swap books online.

"I am a transfer student, and I think this will help me pick my classes because I don't know anything about my professors," said junior Shannon Simonsen. "I will use the site because it is a University site and I trust it."

Reviews are anonymous and statistics are generated for professors. Reviews can be done at any time and are not allowed to be profane.

"Although it is an overall benefit, it doesn't mean that students will use it," said Simonsen. "Students tend to look for a time slot instead of at the teacher.