Carney Curve

Boston College course evaluations · Fall 2021 through Spring 2026, ranked class by class

Top of the board1.PRTO 3300982.UNAS 3348903.MUSP 1670944.COMM 1060925.MUSP 1660926.ECON 9902887.BSLW 2299918.PHIL 4932939.COMM 19029010.UGMG 10109311.MUSP 26009912.TMPS 803495
How this list is ordered

Positions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted.

Class record · PHIL · MCAS

PHIL 1070

Philosophy of the Person I · 65 instructors on record · 207 sections

How the curve score is built
71Teaching82 raw · 30th percentile of BC classes
+2Easiness adjustmenteasiness 83 · 46 raw workload · lighter than 70% of BC classes
73Curve scorethe teaching curve +2 for the workload · at most ±6 either way

Boston College's ratings are bunched at the top — the median instructor averages about 88 out of 100 on the raw scale, and 44% of them clear 90 — so a raw score cannot separate anybody. Every figure here is ranked against BC classes and that rank is re-expressed out of 100, which is what turns a raw 88 — the middle of the university — into a figure that says where somebody actually stands. On this scale 77 is the median, 84 the top quarter and 91 the top tenth. Workload is then an adjustment on top of that, worth nothing at all for an ordinary one. Lighter work than 70% of BC classes.

What the course score is made of
82BC evaluations207 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
—Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute
—RateMyProfessorsno ratings — does not contribute

The class itself, averaged across everyone who taught it — who taught it is the board below.

How is this worked out?

That is what a student picking a section is actually choosing between: the board carries each instructor's own score for this class, and the score above is the class averaged across all of them.

What the challenge rank is made of
30thMore challenging than 30% of BC classesranked against every one we hold
87BC — “Intellectually Challenging”207 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question. It is not a measure of difficulty, grading or workload.

How is this worked out?

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question for this class only — students answer it positively about courses that stretched them, so it measures intellectual challenge and NOT grading, workload or quality. Almost every BC class scores high on it, which is why it is shown as a rank rather than a score.

What the workload rank is made of
30thMore work than 30% of BC classesranked against every one we hold
46BC — “Workload”207 records · raw score out of 100

One of Boston College's five workload bands, not a number of hours. Higher means more work, not worse.

How is this worked out?

Boston College reports workload for this class only as one of five bands, not as a number of hours, and it does not publish what the bands mean — so this site will not translate it into hours. Higher means more work, which is not the same as worse.

This course introduces students to philosophical reflection and to its history through the presentation and discussion of the writings of major thinkers from ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary periods. The course is designed to show how fundamental and enduring questions about the universe and about human beings recur in different historical contexts. Emphasis is given to ethical themes, such as the nature of the human person, the foundation of human rights and corresponding responsibilities, and the problems of social justice.

The board

65 instructors · ranked on this class onlyCompare the top 3
Filters the rows below. Positions are always against the whole class, so a rank does not change when the list is narrowed.

Scores are real averages. The order also accounts for how many records back each one — the count is under every score — so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. 21 of the 65 rows carry a mark saying so.

RankInstructorCurveEasinessChallengeRMP overall
1Matthew DillPhilosophy8694 raw · 10 records78±0 to the score36th1005 ratings · all classes
2Taylor ThomasPart-Time Faculty · Philosophy fewer records8894 raw · 6 records84+2 to the score29th10011 ratings · all classes
3Daniel HowardPhilosophy fewer records9699 raw · 3 records76±0 to the score60th—no page
4Timothy MuldoonAssociate Professor of the Practice · Philosophy9698 raw · 3 records84+2 to the score21st9814 ratings · all classes
5Cherie McGillAssociate Professor of the Practice · Philosophy8593 raw · 9 records78±0 to the score39th9610 ratings · all classes
6Stephen MendelsohnAssistant Professor of the Practice · Business Law and Society fewer records8693 raw · 6 records84+2 to the score19th804 ratings · all classes
7Jeronimo Ayesta LopezPhilosophy fewer records9197 raw · 3 records76±0 to the score75th966 ratings · all classes
8Austin WilliamsInternational Studies Provisional fewer records9798 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score42nd964 ratings · all classes
9Violetta LatoPhilosophy8693 raw · 4 records84+2 to the score42nd—no page
10Andrew SongPhilosophy Provisional fewer records9396 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score56th—no page
11John BrittinghamPhilosophy8592 raw · 3 records84+2 to the score34th1005 ratings · all classes
12Jack HarrisPhilosophy Provisional fewer records8895 raw · 2 records——964 ratings · all classes
13William WoodyPhilosophy Provisional8895 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score44th1004 ratings · all classes
14Francesco GallottaPart-Time Faculty · Philosophy8288 raw · 6 records97+5 to the score22nd965 ratings · all classes
15David AbergelPhilosophy Provisional fewer records9999 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score72nd1002 ratings · all classes
16Lydia BarryPhilosophy Provisional99100 raw · 1 record—9th—no page
17Jesse LopesPart-Time Faculty · Philosophy8190 raw · 6 records84+2 to the score33rd1007 ratings · all classes
18Clayton SnellPhilosophy Provisional fewer records9698 raw · 1 record———no page
19Sean HaefnerPhilosophy Provisional8594 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score81st—no page
20Anna BoessenkoolPhilosophy Provisional fewer records9196 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score43rd1005 ratings · all classes
21Richard AtkinsPhilosophy Provisional8995 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score72nd927 ratings · all classes
22Maria Gallego OrtizPhilosophy Provisional8793 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score19th—no page
23Daniel MaryanovichPhilosophy Provisional8593 raw · 1 record—48th902 ratings · all classes
24Maxwell WadePhilosophy Provisional8593 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score42nd—no page
25Anne DavenportPhilosophy Provisional8089 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score34th1001 rating · all classes
26James KinkaidPhilosophy Provisional8089 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score41st—no page
27Christine RojcewiczAssistant Professor of the Practice · Business Law and Society Provisional fewer records8194 raw · 1 record58−5 to the score89th488 ratings · all classes
28Jun Hee HanPhilosophy Provisional8190 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score15th—no page
29Lucas CarrollPhilosophy Provisional8192 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score79th—no page
30Andrew BarretteAssociate Professor of the Practice · Philosophy Provisional7988 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score18th9819 ratings · all classes
31Bartomeu Estelrich BarceloPhilosophy7888 raw · 5 records82+1 to the score23rd—no page
32Wenshu ZhengPhilosophy Provisional fewer records8089 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score37th—no page
33Iziah TopeteAssistant Professor · Philosophy Provisional7988 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score33rd1002 ratings · all classes
34Stephen ArtnerPhilosophy Provisional7888 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score43rd804 ratings · all classes
35Tyler VialePhilosophy Provisional7889 raw · 1 record—33rd—no page
36Abbey MurphyPhilosophy7787 raw · 4 records84+2 to the score25th—no page
37Robert Van AlstynePhilosophy Provisional7689 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score60th—no page
38Michaila PetersPhilosophy Provisional7686 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score48th502 ratings · all classes
39Vicente Munoz Reja AlonsoPhilosophy Provisional7685 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score41st—no page
40Stephen HudsonPhilosophy Provisional7585 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score14th9816 ratings · all classes
41Giovanni Pietro BasilePhilosophy Provisional fewer records7487 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score34th1001 rating · all classes
42Ka Yu HuiPhilosophy Provisional7588 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score22nd—no page
43Ka Ho LiPhilosophy Provisional7180 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score11th—no page
44Paul Van RooyPhilosophy Provisional fewer records7180 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score36th845 ratings · all classes
45Jared HighlenPhilosophy7588 raw · 5 records68−2 to the score60th908 ratings · all classes
46Kelsey Boor MulcaheyPhilosophy Provisional fewer records7084 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score60th—no page
47Martin Maira SotomayorPhilosophy7587 raw · 7 records74−1 to the score32nd1004 ratings · all classes
48Casey GrippoPart-Time Faculty · Philosophy Provisional7282 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score12th1001 rating · all classes
49Elisa MagriAssociate Professor · Philosophy Provisional7281 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score25th—no page
50John BagbyPhilosophy Provisional7284 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score43rd401 rating · all classes
51William HendelPhilosophy Provisional fewer records7286 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score31st589 ratings · all classes
52Juan Rivera CastroPhilosophy7483 raw · 6 records84+2 to the score21st867 ratings · all classes
53Vanessa RumblePhilosophy Provisional fewer records6573 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score5th869 ratings · all classes
54Emma JerndalPhilosophy7383 raw · 4 records84+2 to the score24th805 ratings · all classes
55Stanley AnoziePhilosophy Provisional7082 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score11th—no page
56Elliott RischPhilosophy Provisional fewer records6172 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score62nd—no page
57Tone SveteljPhilosophy7486 raw · 10 records77±0 to the score40th828 ratings · all classes
58Peter HanlyPhilosophy fewer records7282 raw · 4 records84+2 to the score23rd—no page
59Alan WatersPhilosophy7383 raw · 10 records83+2 to the score11th—no page
60Martin CohenPhilosophy6877 raw · 4 records84+2 to the score6th1004 ratings · all classes
61Julia LegasPart-Time Faculty · Philosophy6476 raw · 3 records68−2 to the score63rd727 ratings · all classes
62Christopher ConstasPhilosophy fewer records6474 raw · 4 records76±0 to the score29th806 ratings · all classes
63James OldfieldPart-Time Faculty · Philosophy6978 raw · 10 records84+2 to the score19th906 ratings · all classes
64Christopher BergerPhilosophy fewer records5564 raw · 5 records66−3 to the score76th5020 ratings · all classes
65Margarita FennPart-Time Faculty · Philosophy5656 raw · 11 records79+1 to the score7th4428 ratings · all classes

All 65 instructors listed.

39 of 65 rows are marked provisional: fewer than 3 records stand behind the number. That is thin evidence, not a bad instructor — the record count is in every row. The RateMyProfessors column is an instructor's overall figure across everything they teach, not a figure about this class.

How this board is built and ordered

Positions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted. The comparison here is the class itself: a thin record is read against how this class was rated overall, not against the university.

Every instructor with an evaluation record for this class is on this board — it is not a top ten, and nothing is hidden behind a “show more”. Curve is the instructor's score for THIS class only, ranked against every instructor we hold and printed back out of 100, with the raw BC average underneath it; nothing on this board is an average across the other things they teach. Easiness is an adjustment on top of it, worth up to about ±6 — BC's workload item, ranked and turned over, so a lighter section gains and a heavier one loses, while an ordinary one changes nothing — and each row prints the adjustment, signed. The board is ordered on the same figure it prints, adjusted for how many records back it. Challenge is BC's “intellectually challenging” item shown as a rank against every class we hold; students answer it positively about courses that stretched them, so it is not a measure of difficulty or grading, and it is never marked better or worse.

That site has no course dimension, so its figure is shown for information and kept out of the ranking.

The line

All 13 items · means across 207 records
Instructor4
Course3
Feedback3
Workload & Challengenot ratings

Bars are ranks, not raw scores. Nothing here is graded good or bad.

What each item asks
Explains Clearly
The instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
Available
The instructor was available for help outside of class.
Motivating
The instructor motivated me to do my best work.
Sparks Interest
The course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
Organized
The course was well organized.
Clear Goals
The learning objectives for the course were clear.
Useful Later
What I learned is applicable beyond this course.
Assignments
Assignments and exams contributed to my learning.
Fast Feedback
I received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
Useful Feedback
The feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
Workload
How much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
Challenge
The course was intellectually challenging.
Attendance
Attending class was necessary to do well in this course.
Why these numbers are curved

Both the number and the bar are the rank against every comparable record we hold, printed back out of 100. BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so on the raw scale every cell here would read in the high eighties and every bar would be nearly full — thirteen numbers that tell you nothing. Each cell prints its raw BC figure and its percentile underneath, so nothing is hidden by the transform. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

Game log

207 sections · newest first
InstructorTermSecInstrCourseWork
Bartomeu Estelrich BarceloSpring 202601878440
John BrittinghamSpring 202602969240
Casey GrippoSpring 202603807640
Margarita FennSpring 202604535740
Christopher BergerFall 202501585660
Julia LegasFall 202502787760
Margarita FennFall 202503525740
Wenshu ZhengFall 202504898340
Violetta LatoFall 202506958440
Ka Ho LiFall 202507807940
Margarita FennFall 202508545240
Tone SveteljFall 202509918440
John BrittinghamFall 202510888640
Martin CohenFall 202511677040
Taylor ThomasFall 202512908440
Richard AtkinsFall 202514959240
Iziah TopeteFall 202516888140
Taylor ThomasFall 202517949040
Alan WatersFall 2025188683—
Francesco GallottaFall 202519817840
Jesse LopesFall 202520928840
Julia LegasFall 202521756960
Francesco GallottaFall 202522898840
Christopher BergerFall 2025234646—
Martin CohenFall 202524858040

Showing the first 25.

How to read this board

Instructors are ranked on their record in this class only, never on their average across everything they teach. Scores are out of 100 — Boston College's 1–5 agreement scale, ×20, the way these numbers were printed for years. Workload is BC's own five-band figure, not a number of hours, and is shown as a rank. A dash means the question was not reported, and is never a zero.