Carney Curve

Boston College course evaluations · every published number, ranked class by class

Top of the board1.ECON 9902962.LAWS 8856973.PRTO 3300984.BSLW 2299975.PHIL 4932986.LAWS 8308987.SCWK 9960998.EESC 99011009.MUSP 16609610.UGMG 10109811.UNCP 55119712.SCWK 883197

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.

Instructor record · Biology · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Charles Hoffman

Professor & Department Chair · Biology · 15 evaluation records across 7 classes

On each class's board
BIOL 5060only instructor on recordUNCS 224517th of 21 instructorsBIOL 4870only instructor on recordBIOL 70101st of 3 instructors ProvisionalBIOL 70111st of 3 instructors ProvisionalBIOL 70122nd of 3 instructors ProvisionalBIOL 8060only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
90BC evaluations15 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
—Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute
—RateMyProfessorsno ratings — does not contribute

Sources are averaged by how much we trust each one and by how many records sit behind it, so a handful of reviews nudges the number rather than replacing it.

What the challenge rank is made of
90thMore challenging than 90% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
94BC — “Intellectually Challenging”15 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question — 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
86thMore work than 86% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
67BC — “Workload”15 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College reports workload 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.

The line

All 13 items · means across 15 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9359th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9678th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9469th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9465th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9048th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8838th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9151st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9168th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9582nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9368th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
6786th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9490th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9794th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

Class by class

7 classes · 15 sections

How each position is worked outPositions 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.

BIOL 5060 Recombinant DNA TechnologyOvr83Chal86thWork30th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

4 sections on record · course itself rated 73 out of 100. See the full board for BIOL 5060.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601756740
Spring 202401897160
Spring 2023017770—
Spring 202201928440
All 13 items for BIOL 5060
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8924th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9240th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9028th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9127th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8419th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8212th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8926th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8728th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9782nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9357th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
4730th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9686th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9571st pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

UNCS 2245 First-Year Topic SeminarOvr86Chal—Work—
On this class's board17th of 21 instructors

4 sections on record · course itself rated 80 out of 100. See the full board for UNCS 2245.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202525—75—
Fall 202321—91—
Fall 202223—70—
Fall 2021248683—
All 13 items for UNCS 2245

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

BIOL 4870 Research in Molecular Genetics LabOvr91Chal25thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 85 out of 100. See the full board for BIOL 4870.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401878260
Spring 2023018782—
Spring 20220110090—
All 13 items for BIOL 4870
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9239th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9666th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9453rd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9448th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8728th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8416th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9137th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8728th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8936th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8624th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8625th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9781st pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

BIOL 7010 Graduate Research Experience IOvr100Chal100thWork100th
On this class's board1st of 3 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for BIOL 7010.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202201100100100
All 13 items for BIOL 7010
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
100100th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
100100th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
100100th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
100100th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
100100th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
100100th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

BIOL 7011 Graduate Research Experience IIOvr100Chal100thWork100th
On this class's board1st of 3 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for BIOL 7011.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202201100100100
All 13 items for BIOL 7011
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
100100th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
100100th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
100100th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
100100th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
100100th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
100100th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

BIOL 7012 Graduate Research Experience IIIOvr100Chal100thWork—
On this class's board2nd of 3 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for BIOL 7012.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202301100100—
All 13 items for BIOL 7012
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
100100th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
100100th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
805th pctl
Assignments & Feedback2 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
100100th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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. 2 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

BIOL 8060 Departmental SeminarOvr—Chal—Work—
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated — out of 100. See the full board for BIOL 8060.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601———
All 13 items for BIOL 8060

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

How to read this pageScores are out of 100 — Boston College's 1–5 agreement scale, ×20, the way these numbers were printed for years. Almost every class scores high on that scale (the median is about 90), so challenge and workload are shown as a rank against every instructor we hold rather than as a score; the raw figure is in the breakdown above. Neither describes quality, and neither is ever marked better or worse anywhere on this site. A dash means the question was not reported, and is never a zero. The position printed against each class is this instructor's place on that class's own board, computed from the same records the board itself is built from.