The students know it. Even many professors know it, although they don’t necessarily want to talk about it.

There is a resource that has become increasingly popular with students at OCCC, as well as around the country.

Ratemyprofessors.com is a free, easy-to-navigate website that offers a quick way to learn about professors before enrolling in their classes.

It will tell if a teacher gives out a lot of homework, delivers mundane lectures or has other predispositions that students might want to avoid, or seek out.

The website lists 7,000 colleges and universities, 1.3 million professors and 14 million ratings from students all around the country. It lists all major and minor institutions of higher education in Oklahoma.

The OCCC link lists a total of 886 professors who have been rated by students.

“I heard about it in high school and have been using it since,” said sophomore Eric Fillum. He said that even though there are positive and negative comments for professors, he picks out what would benefit him the most as a student.

Sophomore Dillon Johnson said the website has helped him.

“It’s a great tool to lower your stress level when signing up for classes,” he said. Johnson said it is helpful to know what to expect when taking a class with a professor you haven’t had before.

Sophomore Traci Kelley said she has heard of the site but has never visited.

“My friends use it, but I never have,” she said. Kelley said it doesn’t matter what other people think about a certain professor.

The ratings system is based on a one- to- five-point scale in four categories: easiness, helpfulness, clarity and rater interest in the subject being taught. There are also comments made by almost everyone who has rated a professor.

Rate My Professors states that over four million students a month use the site. But do professors check out what students say?

When prompted with this question, math Professor Derek Hall said he never has looked at the website.

Three more professors queried about the site gave the same answer.

Adjunct Spanish Professor John Winters said he thinks the ratings are questionable.

“It’s going to be the students that have an ax to grind with you or really want to praise you,” Winters said.

Winters has two ratings on Rate My Professors, both positive.

One includes this comment: “The greatest professor. He will not leave a subject until all who are putting in a genuine effort gain an understanding of it.”

Although the site is geared toward students, anyone can access it. The website is available not only online but also for mobile devices as well.

Rate My Professors is a tool for students that shows reviews of professors based on personal experiences of their students. It is up to the student whether to trust the accuracy of the ratings.