Students wanting more information about classes have a new resource.

Pick-A-Prof, at www.pickaprof.com, lets students research professors’ teaching styles, grade distributions and drop rates, among other things. The site, used by 92 universities nationwide, was established at Iowa State after site administrators received requests from students who had heard of its popularity at the University of Northern Iowa.

The Web site, started in April 2000, offers two systems to Iowa Stateÿ— one for students and one for professors.

“After having the site up for about two years, we found that professors were using the site as well,” said Karen Bragg, director of university relations for the Web site.

Bragg said the professor system allows professors to conduct mid-semester course reviews and set up directories for their classes. It also allows professors to review themselves, post syllabi and describe their teaching method. Bragg said participating universities have seen lower drop rates because students know what type of workload or testing style is used before the first class.

Funding for ISU content on the Web site comes from textbook wholesalers, but the site could soon partner with the Government of the Student Body. Bragg said this was important because it gives students at the university more control over the site.

Angela Groh, GSB director of government relations, said she was working to form a tie between GSB and Pick-A-Prof. She said the site is a useful tool to students in many aspects, especially because it is free and does its marketing through the student government instead of directly to students.

“I would like to see GSB go to talk to students at the end of the semester, and, while they are finishing their course evaluations, really encourage them to sign up for Pick-A-Prof,” Groh said. “Then, hopefully, at the end of the semester, we’d gain a huge student base on the site.”

Groh said she would like to see a textbook exchange and a tie-in with Access Plus registration that could e-mail students when a class they need opens up. She said members of GSB are researching the program now and will likely endorse it next semester.

Reviews are posted on the site according to how informative they are. Bragg said at universities that have been using the site for at least one year, many professors will have 60 or more reviews.

“We read every single review that comes in,” Bragg said. “We don’t accept profanity, we don’t accept personal attacks on a professor. We accept negative reviews, but they need to be constructive and informative.”

Reviews are posted anonymously so the student’s reputation with a professor cannot be affected. If a review is not accepted, the author will receive an e-mail explanation and the opportunity to rewrite the review.

“It’s not students coming in to complain, it’s really students coming and saying, here’s how I did well in the class, or here’s what you can expect if you have this professor.”

The student system gives access to grade history and drop rates, both of which are obtained from the registrar. It also offers personal schedule planners.

Pick-A-Prof, which became available to students about two weeks ago, does not contain all ISU courses yet.

Bragg said she hopes for the startup process to be completed in the next two weeks.