CHRIS SEGAL
News Editor
It’s that time of year again for students to wake up early in the morning and sit waiting at computers for their registration time. There are two factors that weigh in on my scheduling decisions, class times and ratemyprofessor.com.
Classes scheduled for 8 a.m., any day of the week are not going to make my list of classes — I made that mistake freshmen year.
Registration times should also be moved back to later times. The majority of registering is now done online and not through OneStop, why start at 7 a.m.? Noon works better for my sleep schedule.
Once I’m able to sleep in like a true college student who stays up late, I aim for the three-day weekends for every week.
Professors should not be allowed to teach Friday classes that end at 3:30 p.m., if they are going to be allowed to teach Friday classes at all. I made that mistake this semester. My Friday attendance would be poor to my Friday class if my professor didn’t take of half a letter grade for every absence after the first two. Beside benefiting students professors can relax their attendance policies and still have student attend class. The International Programs style of scheduling of three-day weekends is much more conducive to take weekend side trips, and my side trips I mean educational side trips to the zoo and the aquarium.
The best tool at a student’s disposal is ratemyprofessor.com as long as it is viewed in context.
Most students who have an adequate experience with a professor are not going to post a glowing review on the Web site.
Most of the postings come from students who have a negative view on the class or a teacher.
Some of the postings are outright ridiculous, including posts such as “she has bad eye sight,” “he is bitter at the world,” “this class is ridiculously hard for a GE” and “makes sarcastic remarks when asked questions.”
The benefits of the Web site come from the commentary about the classes. When students post how many tests or essays are required and the teachers’ style of teaching others can choose their schedules with a little more knowledge about the class and the professors.
There is a history teacher who doesn’t give any tests. Final grades come from three, three-page papers. There is a GE psychology class where the grades consist of 14 quizzes meaning each week there is a quiz each week and no midterms or final. Students who prefer tests can plan accordingly and students who prefer writing assessments can also pick their classes to fit their preference.
If nothing else, students can register for classes that are only taught by professors that receive a hot rating, meaning they are good looking.
The Peppervine.com offers the same service of rating Pepperdine professors minus the hot ratings.
It looks like all my classes have already closed before my registration time. It looks like 8 a.m. and Friday classes for me, so much for three-day weekends and educational side trips.
03-16-2006