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 · Sociology · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Sarah Babb

Professor · Sociology · 25 evaluation records across 5 classes

On each class's board
SOCY 22103rd of 7 instructorsSOCY 7761only instructor on recordSOCY 77112nd of 2 instructors ProvisionalSOCY 9999only instructor on record ProvisionalSOCY 5151only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
92BC evaluations25 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
84RateMyProfessors3 ratings · weight ×2.0 · 100% 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
23rdMore challenging than 23% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
83BC — “Intellectually Challenging”25 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 46 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
56thMore work than 56% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
54BC — “Workload”25 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: 3 ratings, 100% would take again, difficulty 46 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 25 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9361st pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9462nd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9361st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9459th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9264th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9262nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9261st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8948th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9263rd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9261st 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.
5456th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8323rd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8950th 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 · 25 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.

SOCY 2210 Research MethodsOvr87Chal5thWork25th
On this class's board3rd of 7 instructors

12 sections on record · course itself rated 81 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 2210.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501878340
Fall 202502857540
Fall 202503858020
Fall 202504878460
Fall 202401868140
Fall 202402887840
Fall 202403888540
Fall 202404828040
Fall 2023019180—
Fall 2023029385—
Fall 2023038876—
Fall 2023048986—
All 13 items for SOCY 2210
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.
9030th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8928th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9234th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9360th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9358th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9136th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8935th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9253rd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8935th 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.
8832nd 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.

SOCY 7761 Second Year Graduate Writing SeminarOvr96Chal15thWork41st
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

8 sections on record · course itself rated 88 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 7761.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 2026011007060
Spring 202501978340
Fall 202401907040
Spring 202401858040
Spring 20230110010060
Fall 20220110010060
Spring 20220110010060
Fall 20210110010060
All 13 items for SOCY 7761
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9775th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9987th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9881st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9664th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9357th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9466th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9571st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9045th 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.
9675th 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.
5341st pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8315th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9147th 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.

SOCY 7711 Empirical Research SeminarOvr92Chal62ndWork85th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 92 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 7711.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202301979780
Spring 202201878760
All 13 items for SOCY 7711
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.
9775th 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.
9991st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9363rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9781st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9786th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9362nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9781st 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.
7085th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9262nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8934th 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.

SOCY 9999 Doctoral ContinuationOvr100Chal48thWork100th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 70 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 9999.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501—40100
Fall 202201100100100
All 13 items for SOCY 9999
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.
806th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
804th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8011th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
809th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
805th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
701st 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.
100100th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9048th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8011th 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.

SOCY 5151 Global and Transnational SociologyOvr97Chal69thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 93 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 5151.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202101979360
All 13 items for SOCY 5151
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9349th 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.
9774th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9363rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9042nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9779th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9786th 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.
9780th 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.
9369th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9780th 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.