Does your professor put you to sleep? Do you wish you had never signed up for the class? Then log on to MyProfessorSucks.com to rate your professor and keep other students from making the same mistake.
Kasey Kerber, a student at the University of Nebraska, started MyProfessorSucks.com. Kerber came up with the idea after being stuck in a bad class.
“I started this site because I had a really crappy night class at the University of Nebraska,” Kerber said. “I wish I had known ahead of time that this was a bad class.”
Kerber chose the controversial name for the site because it was easy to remember and had a bit of a bite to it.
“Besides, all of us have had at least one professor who just plain sucked,” Kerber said.
Students who wish to rate their professors simply have to log on. No registration is necessary. Students are asked to evaluate a professor’s coolness, the ease of the class and the class’s worth.
The professors are graded according to these criteria. They can give grades from A+ to F. All professors who have an overall average of at least a B+ are added to the A+ club. Why do B+ professors get to be in the A+ club? According to the site, it is because of curving.
Posting evaluations on the site can be as rewarding for students as it is fun. Students can register to win one of more than 1,212 prizes given away on the site. The site even has a “Calls and Condoms” contest where students can win pre-paid calling cards and condoms for posting evaluations.
Be careful when posting evaluations, though. Kerber and his team have to screen everyone’s comments to protect the site from liable or defamation of character.
“We really strive to make the site as unbiased as we can,” Kerber said. “Sixty to 70 percent of the e-mails are positive.”
MyProfessorSucks.com is one of the fastest growing college sites on the internet, welcoming more than 200,000 visitors since it was launched in June 2001.
Kerber is surprised by the popularity of the site.
“If you had told me that we would be one of the largest sites out there, I would tell you to get out of town,” Kerber said.
Professors’ evaluations are not the only thing the site has to offer. Kerber also does a humor column, “Kasey on College,” and there are funny quotes on the top of each screen. There is also a comical Q&A feature, “Just Ask Ross,” where students can submit and get answers to questions.
Only one professor from the University of Memphis has been evaluated on the site. If you would like to submit your evaluation, good or bad, log on to MyProfessorSucks.com, choose Tennessee on the map provided, then scroll down to the University of Memphis. Add your evaluation and warn people about your mind-numbing instructor before other students sign up for him or her next semester.
