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

Xiao Chen

Physics · 10 evaluation records across 5 classes

On each class's board
PHYS 44012nd of 2 instructorsPHYS 44001st of 3 instructors ProvisionalPHYS 77223rd of 3 instructors ProvisionalPHYS 4595only instructor on record ProvisionalPHYS 87624th of 4 instructors Provisional
What the overall is made of
84BC evaluations10 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
75thMore challenging than 75% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
92BC — “Intellectually Challenging”10 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
80thMore work than 80% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
60BC — “Workload”10 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 10 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8519th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8930th 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.
8826th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8736th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8629th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8519th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9487th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9367th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8946th 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.
6080th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9275th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8427th 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 · 10 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 4401 Quantum Physics IIOvr90Chal70thWork85th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors

4 sections on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 4401.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601879080
Spring 2025018991—
Spring 202401899160
Spring 2023019588—
All 13 items for PHYS 4401
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9450th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9345th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9242nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9232nd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9465th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9359th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9243rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9575th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9359th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9254th 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.
9470th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8937th 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 4400 Quantum Physics IOvr91Chal100thWork—
On this class's board1st of 3 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 89 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 4400.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2024019692—
Fall 2023018785—
All 13 items for PHYS 4400
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9669th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9028th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9670th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9663rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9678th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9680th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9460th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9683rd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9677th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9464th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9042nd 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.

PHYS 7722 Statistical Physics IIOvr71Chal25thWork78th
On this class's board3rd of 3 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 69 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 7722.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202201686560
Fall 202101737360
All 13 items for PHYS 7722
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
670th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
837th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
838th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
710th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
776th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
753rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
772nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9361st pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8729th 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.
8625th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
712nd 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 4595 Introduction to Quantum ComputingOvr86Chal10thWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 85 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 4595.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501868540
All 13 items for PHYS 4595
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9240th 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.
9239th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9343rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9150th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9042nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8718th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8937th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9569th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9145th 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.
8110th 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.

PHYS 8762 Solid State Physics IIOvr70Chal100thWork—
On this class's board4th of 4 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 60 out of 100. See the full board for PHYS 8762.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 2022017060—
All 13 items for PHYS 8762
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
701st 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.
600th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9025th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
703rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
702nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
600th 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
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9042nd 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.

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.