Some Interesting Data From RateMyProfessor.com:

Rate My Professor Released Some Interesting Data Today:

The website that is renowned for providing performance ratings of professors as given by their students released their annual top 25 list. These are the 25 best professors across the country. I haven’t taught in two years, but I still credit my absence from the list as being a result of two other Akron professors, Kevin Kreider and Susan Young, deservedly making it and not wanting to crowd the list with too many from one school. Or it could be the fact that during my two years teaching I only accumulated six ratings and I haven't taught in two years.  

I was also interested to see the ranking of the most physically attractive professors by major. Psychology checks in at number 10 on the 36 major list. The top five were: Languages, Law, Religion, Criminal Justice, and Political Science. The bottom five: Accounting, Women’s Studies, Engineering, Computer Science, and Chemistry. At least students in four of the bottom five will have high paying jobs eventually albeit no good looking professors to entice them to attend class before then.

Previous research (studies here and here) has showed that students rate physically attractive professors as also being more effective at their jobs. This is also true of performance evaluations at other jobs and just about every other desirable work outcome too. Being born good looking has to be one of the greatest advantages a person has no control over. 

If you’re a student, do you use Ratemyprofessor.com? If you’re an instructor, do you put any stock in the ratings? Leave your responses in the comments section below.