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Video round-up: Professors read mean reviews

BY ANQI SHEN | MAY 31 2016

University students can be a tough crowd. For proof, look no further than an anonymous course evaluation or a ratemyprofessors.com review that pulls no punches. So maybe it’s a good thing some professors aren’t taking their reviews to heart – a few even agreed to read them on camera.

Here’s our round-up of self-deprecating humour brought to you by students at The Varsity newspaper at the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia Law Revue, The Peak newspaper at Simon Fraser University, and Studio Q at Queen’s University.

University of Toronto
“The traits that distinguish a good philosopher are sorely missing in this professor of mediocre verbal and analytical skills.”




University of British Columbia
“2005 called. It wants its pop culture references back.”




Simon Fraser University
“She will mock your aspirations then cackle over the remains of your spirit.”




Queen’s University
Reviewer 1: “I thought the course moved at a good pace and a good pattern.”
Reviewer 2: “I thought the course moved far too quickly and was very difficult to understand.”




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  1. J.Watt / June 1, 2016 at 13:14

    Please make this a regular piece in UA. Even though I no longer teach/lecture at a university – I can relate completely… Please also consider having professors (past, present) contribute their own examples. Thanks for this. Made my day!

  2. Peggy Smith / June 1, 2016 at 14:38

    I had a good laugh. Felt so much better about my own crappy reviews…

  3. Chunk / June 1, 2016 at 23:41

    And yet these opinions are factored into tenure and hiring decisions. What a charade. If we evaluated students as they evaluate us, we’d be hauled in the carpet.

    • An Anonymous Student / June 2, 2016 at 05:42

      Well… the students are paying for a service. Faculty doesn’t pay the students. So while I agree that it’s absurd that anonymous student reviews are used for tenure decisions it does make sense that students should be able to assess their professors, and not vice versa. Though, now that I think about it, professors do assess their students, via grading.

  4. Colleen / June 2, 2016 at 09:30

    These are hilarious videos, and puts my own reviews in good company.

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