Finding the best professor for classes just got easier with Kent State’s partnership with Pick-a-Prof.

PickaProf.com is a free, one-stop academic Web site, said Jaime Sutton of university marketing for the company.

“It provides tools for registration as well as planning for next semester,” she said.

Pick-a-Prof works with the university administration and registrar to formulate percentages of grades students have previously received in courses through different professors, allowing students to compare results.

Students can also rate professors on a five-star scale or submit a written evaluation.

This, according to the company, provides students with enough knowledge to find the best course and professor to fit into their schedule.

Kali Price, academic affairs senator and Pick-a-Prof’s advertising campaign leader at Kent State, said students should use the Web site because everything is in one place. She said students don’t have to travel down so many different avenues to get to one result – a class schedule.

“It has a lot of useful tools, like planning your schedule and working on your degree,” Price said. “The Web site is like Rate-my-Professors’.”

In addition to professor ratings, Pick-a-Prof also provides a book exchange. Students can search for textbooks and the company will compare prices with online bookstores.

“The Web site generates totals to bundle all their books,” Sutton said. “It compares prices to Half.com and Amazon.com and shows the cheapest vendor.”

Sutton said it lists prices from individuals, whether in Kent or elsewhere, as well, allowing students to find the best result.

Pick-a-Prof has also joined forces with the latest application surge within Facebook.

Two applications, My Courses and Professor Ratings, allow anyone using Facebook to use Pick-a-Prof’s resources on a limited scale.

“You can share schedules through Facebook and the My Courses application,” Sutton said. “The Professor Rating has a quick rating – thumbs up or thumbs down. The only difference with Facebook and PickaProf.com is there are no grade histories on Facebook.”

Price said it’s convenient on Facebook.

“There’s a direct link that shows you what friends are signed up and what classes they’re taking,” she said.

The company encourages students to use the Web site to schedule with friends.

“Students have more success when they have someone to study with,” Sutton said. “Pick-a-Prof allows them to schedule with someone they know.”

Sutton said Pick-a-Prof currently assists nearly 300 universities nationwide, while the Facebook applications encompass every school in the network, regardless if they’re signed up or not.

The company was looking to expand when it approached Kent State earlier this year, Price said.

“They came to senate before my term started,” Price said. “I took it over because it falls under my position. I’m explaining it to students and starting advertising, using Facebook ads.”

The company is also working with Mobile Campus, a campus text messaging service, to gain access to students.

“If you sign up through Mobile Campus, there may be a free offer, like a free pizza, later on down the line,” Sutton said.

Price said when fall registration starts next semester, there may be more giveaways.

Although still getting off the ground, Pick-a-Prof’s services are currently available for all Kent State students at PickaProf.com.

Contact student politics reporter Kelly Pickerel at [email protected].