Need Help! Bad Professor and nervous WWYD?

[cristielf]

I'm scheduled to take a Chem class starting in a few weeks. The teacher I was assigned was given HORRIBLE reviews on rate my professor. I'm nervous about taking this class anyway because I'm horrible as the sciences. He received a 1/5 with many people stating the same things that he doesn't listen, that his tests completely differ from what is taught in lecture and he's never available. There are two teachers that teach this class and the other isn't rated at all. However, they are both full. There is an online course that isn't full. I don't know what to do, do I suck it up and HOPE I pass? Do I try to be waitlisted for the other prof or do I take it online? This has me completely nervous.. What would you do?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Go to class. Disregard online reviews. Disgruntled students are more likely to use rate my professor than satisfied students that did well. This may be the perfect instructor for you but you will never find out if you walk in with the prejudices of others. Go. Try. Succeed. Worrying before hand over what may or may not be true is setting you up for misery.

[verene, MSN]

Go to class and see how this instructor teaches for yourself. Ratemyprofessor is primarily used by highly disgruntled students. I went on there once and found one of the best instructors I'd ever had had only 2/5 stars because she had just a handful of reviews and all were from students who seemed upset that she hadn't just handed out As to everyone. Try to be open minded. This instructor may not be the best ever, but chances are they are probably still just fine.

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

I'm echoing the above. I had a "terrible" teacher for Chemistry, and while he wasn't the best teacher I've ever had, he certainly wasn't terrible.

[Jackie012]

Don't want to duplicate the previous posts. But you need for sure to go to class and to see for yourself. I had a wonderful teacher whose 'rating' wasn't the best, you know. So don't mind until you'll make sure this is really true.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

IF you become a nurse you will have "hard to work" with docs and nurses. Will you just quit that as well? You must learn to navigate difficult situations. Think this way...if he is hard to deal with and you successfully navigate the class then you will be better equipped to deal with being an RN. Don't shy away from challenges...I never understand this with nursing students as being a nurse will bring challenges like you can't even imagine. Having overcome hard classes actually makes you better prepared. If he is a hard instructor....just say "good...bring it on. I don't want it easy".

[AliNajaCat]

Betcha that none of those students ever went in for office hours to get help. Don't you make that same mistake. Some of the best faculty I ever had were scary...until I learned that they were the best faculty I ever had because they cared deeply about their fields and wanted us to take it seriously too. So they were very willing to share that passion and the interesting parts with anybody who had the nerve to come in and ask. Do that.

[Erythropoiesis]

Some of the best teachers I've ever had were C- rated on rate my professor, but they required 100% commitment on your end too. The people who use that site go there to slam the profs because they didn't get their easy A like they were hoping.

You will have unavoidable instances when you're gonna have a bad teacher or two. You just are. Especially in nursing school when you have control over nothing and everything is assigned to you. Sometimes you're going to have to take care of patients who you absolutely cannot stand. But you'll work hard and do it well, and then move on to your next task.

Finding ways around a crappy teacher and making the A anyway is part of what makes a successful student.