Rate My Professor has ratings categorizing professors around the United States to help students choose classes who best fit their way of learning, however there are on-going debates on whether the website could be biased or beneficial.
The website uses a one to five star rating system with one star being the least amount of points given, along with a comment describing their experience with the campus, class or professor.
UTRGV as an institution is currently rated at a 3.5 overall quality, with more than 360 ratings.
UTRGV Studio Arts sophomore Ricardo Hernandez has previously used the webpage and claimed it to be biased.
He said negative reviews are more often to be found, in order for students to know what to expect.
“It gives us a heads up on what the upcoming challenge we are going to face,” Hernandez said.
Although it is a good way for students to interact, UTRGV Public Speaking Professor David Hinojosa does not think it to be accurate.
“It could be beneficial but not entirely.” Hinojosa said. “It should be like a platform for students to form their own opinions about the class, but not necessarily should rely on it 100%.”
To find out more about professors and their class, Hinojosa recommends students to email the professor directly about questions they may have, to avoid askew answers.
Finance junior Karina Ruiz believes it to be beneficial, and that reviews are meant to be read by both future students and professors alike.
According to Ruiz, if a professor is proficient, most of the reviews found on the website should be accurate with the exception of several opinions from other students.
Ruiz mentioned an occasion where a review about a professor seemed to prove accurate.
“Maybe for one class, but it was mostly to get back at a teacher. Because I can see how they [student] would describe [the professor] him as that,” Ruiz said.
According to the official website, Rate My Professor uses moderators to keep reviews appropriate, and follow set guidelines, which include the prohibition of profanity use or referencing s professors family or personal life.
