Website helps students evaluate courses, grades

As students continue to register for classes and  compare professors, two IU students launched a website evaluating potential courses through grade distribution.

While websites like ratemyprofessor.com allow students to rate professors based on quality and helpfulness, sophomores and finance majors Akshay Daga and Krishna Hegde developed a way to view the percentage of students who received As in specific classes.

“We wanted to design a website that was easy for everyone to use when it comes time to register for classes,” Daga said.

They started the Wordpress website IUgrades.com and decided to offer the database as a downloadable Microsoft Excel file, Hegde said.

On the IU Registrar’s grade distribution website, students can view the grades given by professors, but Daga said it’s hard to navigate.

Daga and Hegde wanted to create a less time-consuming method. They contacted the Office of the Registrar requesting data on students who received an A or A+ in each class, Daga said.

They then inputted the data into a searchable Excel file with both Mac and PC versions.

When a student downloads the file, they see a blue box with an arrow. The student selects the department the course is in, the course number and the subject.

The file then generates a list of professors teaching the course and the corresponding class grade point average and percentage of students who earned an A or A+.

“We believe our format is better than the registrar’s site because, with three selections, a student can see what percentage of people received an A or A+,” Daga said.

The creators intend to keep all website access free to students, Daga said.
“We don’t want to get money involved,” Daga said. “We just wanted to create something easy for students to use.”

More than 1,000 people have visited the site so far.

Sophomore Parina Maniar said she recently used the website while registering for classes.

“It is really easy to use,” Maniar said. “With three clicks, I was able to decide who I was going to register for.”

Maniar said she would like to see the website include other grades besides As, along with a place for comments about professors.

She said she hopes students continue to use it.

“I am definitely telling my friends to use this site,” Maniar said.

Follow reporter Angela Hawkins on Twitter @angelalhawkins.