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 · Schiller Institute · Fall 2021 – Spring 2025

Kurt Straif

Schiller Institute · 9 evaluation records across 4 classes

On each class's board
PHCG 3120only instructor on recordPHCG 121010th of 10 instructors ProvisionalPHCG 21202nd of 2 instructors ProvisionalPHCG 7120only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
82BC evaluations9 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2025
—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
25thMore challenging than 25% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
84BC — “Intellectually Challenging”9 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
34thMore work than 34% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
46BC — “Workload”9 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 9 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8932nd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9143rd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9039th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9143rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8217th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8731st pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8833rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8529th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8631st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8216th 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.
4634th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8425th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8219th 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

4 classes · 9 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.

PHCG 3120 Cancer EpidemiologyOvr82Chal14thWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

4 sections on record · course itself rated 71 out of 100. See the full board for PHCG 3120.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202501706540
Spring 202401917940
Spring 202301806040
Spring 2022018778—
All 13 items for PHCG 3120
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8822nd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9457th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9137th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9236th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
777th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8313th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8513th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8516th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9146th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8416th 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8314th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8316th 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.

PHCG 1210 Public Health in a Global SocietyOvr75Chal5thWork25th
On this class's board10th of 10 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 74 out of 100. See the full board for PHCG 1210.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202501716640
Spring 202401798140
All 13 items for PHCG 1210
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8513th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
848th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8412th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8713th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8316th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8622nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8824th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
806th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8625th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8111th 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
785th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
744th 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.

PHCG 2120 Introduction to EpidemiologyOvr79Chal15thWork25th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 73 out of 100. See the full board for PHCG 2120.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 2022017770—
Fall 202101817640
All 13 items for PHCG 2120
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8717th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8817th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8821st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9025th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8315th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8727th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8717th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8621st pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8420th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8111th 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8315th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
776th 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.

PHCG 7120 Cancer Epidemiology (graduate level)Ovr100Chal100thWork93rd
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for PHCG 7120.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 20250110010080
All 13 items for PHCG 7120
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.
8013th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8010th 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.
8093rd 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.

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.