by Luke Mcclure

Created on: December 14, 2008   Last Updated: December 11, 2010

How to tell a good professor from a bad one:

The cost of an education is far too high to settle for a bad professor.  Students need to be equipped to rapidly identify a good professor from a bad one in order to ensure they get a valuable education. Here are some tips that will help make this decision in time to withdraw from a course, sign up for a new one, and get one’s money back before it is to late.

Examine the course description:

At this stage, a prospective student needs to take charge of his or her own education.  Even if a part of a strictly planned major, many schools offer flexibility or have more than one professor for each subject.  If the course description is not something you find applicable to what you want to learn, seek other options.  If the course is a must take, or if applicable, the next step is to ask fellow students or utilize the internet (www.ratemyprofessor.com) to see what others have said.  This must be done with a grain of salt, be wary of slackers who will rate a professor low because of pettiness or for being challenging.

Examine the syllabus:

On the first day of a course one will usually find a syllabus. This will give you an in depth explanation of the course outline, beyond what any description or fellow student can provide and in the words of one’s professor.  Many students make the mistake of simply scanning a syllabus.  This is easy to note by the high number of lazy peers who ask questions that are already answered in the syllabus in front of them. 

Take your time reading the required text, assignments, and schedule.  Pay particular attention to any goal statements or achievements desired. After reading the syllabus you should be aware of what you will learn and assured that the methods appear to be sound. If not, ask questions, be challenging even, if you are not satisfied, drop the course.

Analyze your instructor:

First impressions may not be everything, but as one who values your time, your money, and your education the first impressions of your professor are critical. A Red flag should be raised when a teacher complains about low pay, or even jokes about it. This is a sign of low moral, and this is not your problem as a student. Be on the lookout for arrogance, and try to assess the teaching style. 

Feel free to ask your professor about his or her life experience with the subject matter, and observe their credentials. It is ok to look for attributes

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