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 · Physics · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Michael Graf

Professor of Physics · Physics · 6 evaluation records across 5 classes

On each class's board
PHYS 22003rd of 5 instructors ProvisionalPHYS 11012nd of 4 instructors ProvisionalPHYS 15002nd of 4 instructors ProvisionalPHYS 47001st of 2 instructors ProvisionalPHYS 77081st of 5 instructors Provisional
What the overall is made of
83BC evaluations6 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
80RateMyProfessors8 ratings · weight ×2.0 · 67% would take again
—Student reviewsno reviews — 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
58thMore challenging than 58% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
89BC — “Intellectually Challenging”6 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. RateMyProfessors separately rates this instructor 76 out of 100 for difficulty — that IS a difficulty measure, but it is about the person across everything they teach, not about any one class, so it is shown here rather than folded into the number above.

What the workload rank is made of
51stMore work than 51% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
52BC — “Workload”6 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.

Ratings from outside BC

Not evaluation data

Collected from RateMyProfessors, not from Boston College: 8 ratings, 67% would take again, difficulty 76 out of 100. Difficulty is not a quality signal in either direction — a harder course is not a worse one.

Anyone can post there — no @bc.edu check and no enrolment check — so it is weighted alongside the evaluation data, never above it.

The line

All 13 items · means across 6 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8623rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9139th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8726th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8930th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8945th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8943rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8522nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9056th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9259th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8734th 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.
5251st pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8958th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9057th 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

5 classes · 6 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.

PHYS 2200 Introductory Physics I (Calculus)Ovr80Chal76thWork78th
On this class's board3rd of 5 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 73 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 2200.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202202787260
Fall 202101827560
All 13 items for PHYS 2200
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
827th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9133rd 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.
8920th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8831st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8829th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8615th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8727th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8833rd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8212th 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.
9576th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9252nd 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.

PHYS 1101 Structure of the Universe IIOvr69Chal12thWork25th
On this class's board2nd of 4 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 68 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 1101.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401696840
All 13 items for PHYS 1101
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
806th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
804th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
762nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
792nd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8113th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
796th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
711st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8313th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8731st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8521st 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.
8212th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8213th 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.

PHYS 1500 Foundations of Physics IOvr81Chal80thWork78th
On this class's board2nd of 4 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 75 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 1500.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501817560
All 13 items for PHYS 1500
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.
9237th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8822nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8714th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8937th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9042nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
849th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9255th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9573rd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8830th 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.
9580th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8418th 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.

PHYS 4700 Survey of Applied PhysicsOvr90Chal—Work—
On this class's board1st of 2 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 80 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 4700.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2023019080—
All 13 items for PHYS 4700

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

PHYS 7708 Physics Graduate Seminar IIOvr100Chal9thWork25th
On this class's board1st of 5 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 7708.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 20260110010040
All 13 items for PHYS 7708
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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
809th 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.