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 · English · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Vincent Portillo

Assistant Professor of the Practice · English · 21 evaluation records across 7 classes

On each class's board
ENGL 10105th of 136 instructorsENGL 3821only instructor on recordENGL 3338only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 108061st of 90 instructors ProvisionalENGL 1748only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 3344only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 3825only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
92BC evaluations21 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
96RateMyProfessors5 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
22ndMore challenging than 22% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
83BC — “Intellectually Challenging”21 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 36 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
39thMore work than 39% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
48BC — “Workload”21 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: 5 ratings, 100% would take again, difficulty 36 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 21 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.
9570th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9576th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9572nd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9051st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9046th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9258th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9163rd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8014th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8527th 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.
4839th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8322nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8633rd 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 · 21 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.

ENGL 1010 First Year Writing SeminarOvr94Chal11thWork39th
On this class's board5th of 136 instructors

12 sections on record · course itself rated 88 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 1010.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202642726640
Spring 202519948940
Fall 202445969160
Spring 202406989340
Fall 20230810098—
Fall 2023099186—
Spring 202337989060
Fall 2022121009560
Fall 202269969360
Spring 202206908540
Fall 202132978040
Fall 202163949260
All 13 items for ENGL 1010
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9557th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9563rd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9672nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9557th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9252nd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8937th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9242nd 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.
8317th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9146th 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.
5039th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8211th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8522nd 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.

ENGL 3821 Sporting Rhetorics: Language, Games, and CultureOvr94Chal20thWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 91 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 3821.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601979440
Spring 202501939040
Spring 202401918840
All 13 items for ENGL 3821
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9453rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9558th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9455th 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.
9144th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9139th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9149th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8317th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8728th 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.
8520th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8521st 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.

ENGL 3338 Americanization and the Rhetorics of CitizenshipOvr93Chal48thWork39th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 88 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 3338.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2024011009060
Spring 202201878740
All 13 items for ENGL 3338
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.
9774th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9351st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9555th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9043rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9250th 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.
9578th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
768th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9361st 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.
5039th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9048th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8833rd 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.

ENGL 1080 Literature CoreOvr80Chal29thWork—
On this class's board61st of 90 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 80 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 1080.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Summer 2024018080—
All 13 items for ENGL 1080
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.
9349th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9351st 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.
9363rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9356th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9367th 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.
671st pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8729th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8726th 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. 1 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

ENGL 1748 From Loneliness to Connection: The Literacy of Human ConnectionOvr92Chal9thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 88 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 1748.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501928860
All 13 items for ENGL 1748
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9453rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9670th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9455th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9446th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9043rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9042nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9245th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8832nd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
621st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
764th 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.
809th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9464th 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.

ENGL 3344 American Archives: Memorials, Monuments, and MemoryOvr78Chal2ndWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 71 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 3344.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202301787140
All 13 items for ENGL 3344
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.
8511th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8926th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8714th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
621st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
809th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8719th pctl
Assignments & Feedback2 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8414th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
450th 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.
732nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
692nd 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. 1 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

ENGL 3825 True Crime: Scoundrels, Villains, and ViceOvr91Chal31stWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 3825.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501919040
All 13 items for ENGL 3825
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9345th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9455th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9456th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9661st pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9150th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9149th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9033rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9473rd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
621st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
787th 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.
8731st pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9357th 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.