Should student evaluations of teaching influence my university choice?
Student evaluations can be useful, but they should not be the sole basis for choosing a university. Results may vary because of respondent bias, class size, subject, and academic year, and student satisfaction does not fully represent the quality of teaching. Check the evaluation method, number of responses, written comments, and trends across several years, then consider them alongside the curriculum, learning support, costs, and commuting environment.
Key points
- Check the evaluation method, number of responses, courses covered, and written comments.
- Look at trends across several years rather than relying on a single year's score.
- Compare the results with the curriculum, learning support, costs, and commuting environment.
Things to check
- The availability and aggregation of evaluation results vary by university, faculty, course, and academic year, so check the official information for details.